Chapter 23

Niko sucked in a rough, painful sounding breath. The second he grabbed onto the shade, his eyes went wide, glazing over in a silvery film that rippled like rough waves in a storm. His next breath came out shaky and in a thin line of frost. Flakes of sparkling snow hung in the air.

“Hurry, Travis,” he whispered. “They’re very strong.”

Travis nodded and turned his attention to the poor girl cowering in the corner.

“Hey,” he murmured. “Hey, honey. Can you come over here?”

The little girl, who looked at him as though just realizing now she wasn’t alone with the shade, shook her head. Tears streamed down her face. Her very pale face. She looked ready to be sick.

“What’s your name?” Travis asked. When the shade reared back and thrashed around, he quickly added, “Don’t look over at that! Just look at me, okay? Just…just tell me your name. That’s not so scary, is it?”

First wiping at her cheeks, she shook her head and said, shaky and soft, “Nellie.”