“You’re not going to school today.” “Why not?” I dropped my bag on the floor and slid into a chair next to Bree, who was already at the table, eating bacon. “I feel fine.” “Thanks to me,” Bree said. I rolled my eyes. “Bree, I already thanked you like a million times for saving my life.” “Hey, a girl can never hear too much of that kind of appreciation.” She pointed a second piece of bacon at me. “Why do you want to go to school anyway? You know he’s not going to be there.” “I know.” I toyed with a frayed edge of the tablecloth. A fresh knife of pain stabbed through me. Missing Jonah—knowing he was someplace where I couldn’t go—was like a tangible monster who had taken up residence in my chest. I cleared my throat. “But it seems stupid to stay home when there’s not really anything going on here right now.” It was true. Nerina had been locked in the den all night, making all sorts of long-distance phone calls to the rest of the Concilio.
