"You can do this, Liana."

    She lifted the ball of smoke in the air, straining as she tried to solidify it. She reached out with her hand, trying to condense the sphere, but her efforts came to no avail. Exasperated, she dropped the smoke, running her fingers through her hair. "I can't do this."

    Taylor put a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched at his touch. Embarrassed, he retracted his hand. "You have to."

    "I can't! I'm not strong enough!"

    "Yes, you are! Try again!" he motioned to the torch.

    Liana sighed and curled the smoke into a sphere, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes, imagining for the hundredth time invisible hands clasping around the ball, constricting it to a small cube. But this time, she stretched not only her mind, but her heart into the motion. It would save so many lives, if she could condense the acid fog. Lives of children. Lives like Iris's, Travis's, her own, and...

    Taylor's.

    With that warm thought in mind came a gasp.

    She opened her eyes as a grey, blurry cube dropped into her hand, smooth- textured and warm. Taylor smiled as she tossed him the cube. "I knew you could do it." He opened his arms for a hug, and she complied, blinking away tears of relief.

    Swish!

    Her knife flew through the air, impaling the target with a satisfying thunk.

    "Oooh, scary."

    She wrenched it from the tree, remembering she was supposed to be patrolling with Kian and Travis. "Remember when I used to suck at knife throwing?"

    Travis stifled a laugh. "It bounced off the wall on your first try."

    "Taylor told?" Liana sighed.

    "Of course he did. It's hilarious!" Kian grinned, but his smile faltered as he glanced at something far behind her. "Crap."

    She turned her head and saw now familiar white uniforms.

    Blackthorne. They're coming for Blackthorne.

Everyone: Wow, Falcon, really awesome gift for reaching 400 reads. A cliffhanger? Is this how you repay us?

Me: *Laughs maniacally* Hasta manana! (Hopefully)

Bai