“Shut up, Ever. Just for one second, will you just shut your mouth? I get it.” After pushing by her, I picked up the Bound Book. Although she was probably right, I couldn’t let the book go. If I did, all of this would have been for nothing. I wasn’t ready to accept that kind of failure.

Sounds of life from the cabin caused us both to drop to the ground. We crawled back to the shelter of the trees. Gorbon and Arthur walked out of the house, then headed down the path back to Judaculla. They met two other men who were dressed the same way as Zander. Gorbon raised his hand to point in our direction.

“They’re leaving James with Zander,” I said, rising.

Ever grabbed my arm, jerking me back down. “What do you think you’re going to do?”

“I’m going down there to get James out. By myself if I have to.” I glared at her.

Ever cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t ever have to worry about me being slow to a fight,” she said. “But then what?” There was an unfamiliar note of compassion in her voice. “Take James back to Woodvine? He doesn’t know you well enough to go with you, much less take his father to another world. And James will never leave without him. Are you really that selfish, Leath?”

My eyes scanned the area around the cabin for any sign of James as I desperately tried to block out Ever’s words. It was the same old problem, over and over again. Judaculla. Hope crumpled before me like a ball of newspaper tossed into a raging fire.

There has to be a way.

“She’s got to be over there,” shouted a man’s voice.

Ever’s eyes grew wide. “The Elders are sending people after you. Get up.” She was on her feet, running further away from the cabin without waiting for me to follow her.

The men crashed down the path where I had thrown the tin cup. I was surprised I felt absolutely no fear. In my mind, the world bent around me, accommodating my will. Somewhere in the fog of my thoughts, I took a mental note of Ever’s retreating footsteps as she ran away.

Leaving the protection of the trees, I drifted toward the cabin. As I strained my eyes, searching for James, my vision became tunnel-like and shut out everything else around me. For the first time since coming to Judaculla, I was in complete control. My entire focus was on the cabin, but at the same time, I seemed to be floating high above, watching the scene play out around me as if I were a bird flying among the clouds.

I silently called out to him in my mind.

James.