I took a deep breath. Sweat trickled down my forehead. When I wiped it away, I realized my skin was burning. Fever, coming on fast and strong.

Less than ten feet to my left, the aisle branched off. I could run that way and escape. Not fight. Escape.

No, maybe a blur spell would get me far enough to cast—

Far enough to cast, maybe. Far enough to cast until something worked while Jesse threw god-knew-what at me? No.

Escape it was.

I closed my eyes, focused hard, and cast again. It clicked on the first try. I was so intent on escape that I didn’t hear the patter of my own sneakers until it was too late. I dove out of the way, managing to get into that branching aisle just as Jesse leaped up, crate clattering.

I looked around. The spell was still holding, but it was only a blur one, so he could see me if he looked hard enough. I held my breath and ran again, not caring how much noise I made, just getting as far as I could.

I darted into the first hiding spot I found, wedging myself between two pieces of equipment. I resisted the urge to try a cover spell. Unless he shone a flashlight right at me, I was safe.

Great. Sure. Just wait until he decides to leave. Not like you could be poisoned or anything.

No, I couldn’t hide for long, but I could hide long enough for him to get closer.

“Savannah?”

I closed my eyes, tracking his voice.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” A chuckle. “Guess it couldn’t be that easy. Luckily for you, I am chock-full of contingency plans. Or, I suppose, that’s not so lucky for you.”

It didn’t sound like Jesse. The voice was his, but the tone, the cadence, even the chuckle ... The singsong sarcasm poked at a deep memory.

No, it’s Jesse. You confirmed the photo. Adam knows him. That’s clearly Jesse. He was just playing a role before, for you and for Adam and probably for Lucas. Worming his way into your confidences. But why?

“I wouldn’t hide too long,” he said. “Or when they finally raze this building, they’re going to find your corpse, kiddo.”

Kiddo. Another memory twitch.

It’s the fever talking. Ignore it and be ready.

Jesse walked past me. I cast an energy bolt. Nothing happened. I closed my eyes and cast again. Nothing. Cast. Nothing.

A squeak of his boots. I opened my eyes. He’d turned back my way.

I looked around wildly and saw a pencil perched on top of a metal table just behind him. I remembered one of the first spells I’d learned. The simplest spell.