FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS YOUNG LIFE, MARCUS DID A DOUBLE-TAKE, NOT JUST BECAUSE ARADIA ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SHE COULD NOT DO, BUT BECAUSE IT MEANT THEY WERE IN DEEP, DEEP TROUBLE.  LORD NERIUS WOULD—

ARADIA GRABBED HIS ARM AND STARTED RUNNING AWAY FROM THE FIRE, AWAY FROM THE HEAT AND THE CRACKLING DEATH - -

- - RIGHT INTO MORE FLAMES.  THE TREE-TORCH HAD LET OFF SPARKS, WHICH ATE THE SURROUNDING GRASS AND FLOWERS, AND BECAME SPREADING ARMS THAT WANTED THEM.

ARADIA:  IT’S ALL AROUND US!

MARCUS FRANTICALLY LOOKED FOR A WAY OUT, BUT NOW SMOKE WAS OBSCURING EVERYTHING AND MAKING IT HARD TO BREATHE.  ARADIA HAD BEGUN TO CRY, AND NOW SO WAS HE.

PERHAPS THIS WAS RIGHT FOR HIM, TO DIE IN A FIRE LIKE MAMA, PAPA AND SELENA HAD -

. . . . . BUT NOT ARADIA . . . .

NOW HE WAS COUGHING, AND COULDN’T STOP COUGHING.  AND SO WAS SHE.  HIS LEGS BUCKLED, HIS GRIP ON HER WEAKENED . . .