“I’m trying,” I hissed through gritted teeth.
“Trying is the problem.” He exhaled slowly. “You didn’t try before. You simply... did.”
Darius’ ragged breathing filled my ears. The memory of his kiss. The way he’d looked at me. The way he’d whispered my name.
I couldn’t lose him.
I won’t lose him.
The warmth in my chest exploded outward.
And Ari stopped. His smile frozen on his face. The soldiers and horses stood where they were, like plastic toys abandoned mid-play.
Heat slammed into my wrist—hotter this time, sharper.
I sucked in a breath and glanced down at my bracelet. Another gold strand was winding itself around the others, bright and molten before it cooled into place.
My arm trembled. Holding this felt harder.
Like time was pushing back.
Chester’s grin materialized beside me before the rest of him did. “Time, time, time. How much do we have? How much does anyone have?” His golden eyes glittered. “The real question is—does it matter if we’re not here when it runs out?”
I lowered my palm slowly, still not quite believing what I’d just done. Maybe I wasn’t completely hopeless after all. “I don’t know how long it will hold.”
Caterpillar glanced around at the frozen army, utterly unimpressed. “Time. Such a curious thing. It stops... until it doesn’t.” He exhaled slowly. “The question is—do we stay and discover when it resumes? Or do we leave and let them wonder where we went?”
“Wondering is for those who stay in one place.” Chester lifted Darius, slinging one of his arms over his shoulder and gripping him around the waist. “We are not those people.”
Darius groaned and passed out.
“Darius!” I rushed over and put my hand on his cheek. “He’s burning up.”
Chester’s grin widened—but his eyes didn’t match. “Then I suggest you run, little witch. Unless you’d prefer to stay and wait for Ari.”
“No, that would not be my first choice.” I glanced at Darius, limp in Chester’s arms. “Lead the way. I’m not sure how much more he can take.”
“Agreed,” Chester said. His body faded first, then his golden eyes, until only that impossible grin remained, floating ahead of us. “Follow the smile.”
He navigated through the frozen horses and soldiers. I followed, my heart pounding so loud I was certain it would shatter the spell.
But they didn’t move.
Caterpillar kept pace behind me. We wove through two rows of horses and soldiers, then broke into a run. Chester moved fast—impossibly fast—as if gravity didn’t apply to him.
A commotion erupted behind us. No. Not yet. I pushed my legs harder, lungs burning. The spell was broken. It had snapped back faster than the first time. Not that I had any clue why.
Before I could react, Caterpillar scooped me up and tossed me over his shoulder, matching Chester’s pace, moving like the wind.
The thumping of hooves was getting closer. Closer. The ground vibrated beneath us.
Oh god. They were going to catch us.
My heart slammed against my ribs. I twisted on Caterpillar’s shoulder, trying to see behind us. Torchlight flickered through the trees. Ari’s soldiers. Dozens of them.
We weren’t going to make it.
“Faster,” I gasped. “Please, faster.”
