“That cave…That’s where the…” Michaela’s tongue wouldn’t work, couldn’t process the thoughts racing through her head.

“I don’t want to know,” Clark said, clutching the steering wheel with a sweaty, white-knuckled grip.

“The Watchers…”

Clark groaned.

“That’s where I put the Watchers,” she finally managed.

“But maybe it’s a different cave?”

“I doubt it.” Michaela’s skin prickled, chilled on the verge of shivering. She could accept that she was afraid. The Watchers were incredibly powerful, their magic nearly impossible to fight. Michaela had no doubt they wouldn’t need the bones from her wings to kill her.

“Does, like, everyone hate you or something?”

Michaela didn’t hear him. She wondered what it would feel like as she dissolved into a wash of feathers. After an eternity, all her works—good and bad—would be reduced to feathers ghosting away. If she died tonight, Michaela could only hope that by showing the angels what Lucifer did, she had cast enough doubt on the Aethere for someone to pick up the fight where she left off.

Gabriel. She missed him violently now. More than anything, she wished she could have seen him one more time. She would lose too much if she died tonight. “Stop the car,” she whispered.

Clark didn’t hear her.

“Stop the car,” Michaela said again.

“I think we should keep driving as far and as fast as possible,” he said and pressed the gas even more.

“It won’t matter.”

“Even more reason to keep driving,” he said, glancing at her quickly. “We can come up with a plan or something.”

“Just stop the car.”

“Michaela, I really—”

“Stop the damn car!” Her hands clenched into fists around the car seats. Clark cringed.

He obeyed and drew the car to a stop on the side of the vacant highway. Michaela opened the car door, smelling the trees that lined both side of the road. Their shadows reached across the road, dancing and swaying beneath Michaela’s feet.

Clark stumbled onto the road and rushed to catch up. Michaela sighed heavily. He smacked into her when she whirled around.

“No. Stay in the car.” Michaela shook her head, pointing back to the Chevelle. “You need to leave. Now. Drive as fast and far away as possible.”

“Oh, no way. I’m staying here.” Standing so close, Michaela could see every centimeter of fear in Clark’s wide blue eyes. This was yet another time tonight he chose to stay with her when any sane human would have run.

“Leave. I’m serious, Clark,” she said.

“I’m not leaving.” Clark crossed his arms. “So you just need to get over that idea.”

Michaela gritted her teeth. There wasn’t much time. She needed to get a move on. “Leave.”

“You need me.”

Michaela laughed rudely and loudly. Clark glanced around and shushed her. “I haven’t needed you once.” She lied. He had saved her in many ways. “You’ve been more of a pain than help.”

“Clearly lying is the one sin you can’t commit. That should make you feel better,” he said. She crossed her arms to match his stance.

“Seriously, you’re a fool boy with no real experience,” she said with a sneer. “You’re a waste of a Descendant. Your own father didn’t even think you were good enough.” The words should have felt awful in her mouth, but they came easy.

“That won’t work either.”

They stared each other down for a quick moment. Each one wanted to wait the other out to prove a point, but there was no time. The air didn’t stir; the woods didn’t speak. Something was coming. Michaela broke first.

“Please. Please, leave,” she begged.

Clark reached out and took her hand. A jolt went from his palm to hers and straight to her heart. His eyes were clear denim blue when she met them. He rubbed his thumb across the bones of her wrist.

“So what’s the plan?” Clark asked.

Michaela thought for a moment. She reviewed their supplies in the car. Letting go of Clark’s hand, she walked back to the car and dug around in the weapon bag Isaac had given until she found a set of daggers. They were too pretty to be useful, but she still handed one to Clark and stuck the other in her boot.

When she closed the door, Clark asked, “Don’t we need more weapons?”

“Weapons won’t matter against the Watchers. Our only hope is to make it to water.” She walked to the nearest side of the road and crouched on the dirt and pressed her palm to the ground. Michaela rose and repeated the process on the other side.

“This way,” she said. She pointed into the woods ahead.

“Are you sure we should leave the car?” Clark’s eyes darted from the car to the woods and back to Michaela. He was chewing on his fingernails again.

She held out her hand. “We have to run. They’re close.”

Together, they stepped from the road and into the woods, their footsteps cracking twigs like gunshots in the still night air. They ran swiftly through the trees, hand in hand, listening closely for the sound of wings.