I took a few breaths, working to get my lungs and heart back to normal rhythm, and turned to meet my brother’s eyes. “When you feel fear, run. Something isn’t right,” I said. “This isn’t right.”

Jamie held my gaze before turning and heading along the edge of the cliff. “This is as far as I’ve gotten. We need to find a place to camp for the night.”

I followed reluctantly but with new clarity.

Jamie was afraid too.

WE FOUND A PLACE TO MAKE CAMP WITHIN HALF an hour. We didn’t have shelter, but after assessing the sky, Jamie assured me it wouldn’t rain. So we unrolled the thin sleeping mats we’d brought and worked on starting a fire. It took us little time to get the flint to spark a flame and coax it into a healthy blaze. Fire that brought a little comfort as dusk darkened my mood.

“Maybe they only come out at night,” I said, staring into the flames.

“Why would evil wait for night? Is it that limited?”

But I wasn’t convinced. At least we had a fire and some food. Eight buns, some peanut butter, a packet of smoked jerky, and four apples. Enough to last for two days, we thought. But Jamie had already pointed out a variety of edible berries along the way.

Other than our exchange at the cliff, we hadn’t spoken much. There wasn’t much to say. Jamie might be eager to reach the city, but I was far less so. What if the Fury kept to that place, where they had plenty of souls to feed on?

Jamie’s thoughts were elsewhere.

“I know you’re frightened, Grace. I was sweating the first time I came out. But you have to trust me. No one would have guessed that we could make it even this far without being crushed. Even if the Fury are still out there, they’re not as aggressive as they once were. It’s worth the risk to find out if we’re mistaken, living in fear the way we do in Haven Valley.”

His words confused me, because we all knew how valuable fear was in keeping us safe. But at the same time, I had always trusted Jamie with my life. So I was caught between opposites and didn’t see a good way out. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong, but either way he was still my brother.

Maybe I really was just a naïve girl who followed whatever came along.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this,” he said softly, watching the flames dwindle. “I didn’t mean to put you in this position.”

Well, you did, I thought.

“It’s okay,” I said.

And then neither of us said anything for a while.

Jamie finally pushed himself off the ground. “We need more firewood. Need to keep this fire going.”