The Night of the Solstice (25 page)

“All for one …” he whispered, as she looked up at him in dumb gratitude. “Better hurry. But don't run!”

Claudia walked until she was out of eyeshot, then galloped. She managed to slide into her chair just as Mrs. Anderson turned around to announce a spelling test. And then there was nothing to do but sit, pencil clutched in her fist, stomach aching, unable to ignore the killdeer outside. It was shrieking the same thing as before, over and over.

“Earthquake! Earthquake!

“Ground move, ground shake!”

From somewhere a chaffinch added a note in counterpoint: “Take wing! Take wing!”

Claudia wished she could. It was all up to Janie now.

L.J. Smith
has written more than twenty-five books for young adults and is the
New York Times
bestselling author of the Night World series, the Vampire Diaries series, and
Dark Visions
. She lives in the Bay Area of California, where she enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling. Her favorite place is a cabin in Point Reyes National Seashore. Visit her at ljanesmith.net.

From Aladdin · Published by Simon & Schuster