Free Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards Page B

my mother were here,” I whisper. “She’d know what to do.”
    Ash’s arms tighten around me, but he says nothing.
    Thirty minutes later, Harold returns with the others. He helps Michael bring MJ into
     the church on a makeshift stretcher while Day carries the few charred possessions
     they’ve managed to salvage from the wreckage. Our whole lives fit into one bag. I
     briefly think about the birthday gifts I was given yesterday. They would have gone
     up in flames along with the house. I lightly touch the pendant around my neck, grateful
     that I never took it off. It’s covered in soot, but it seems intact.
    They bring MJ into Harold’s bedroom and make him comfortable, and everyone sorts out
     where they’re going to sleep now that we’re homeless. We all get comfortable while
     Sumrina clatters about the tiny kitchen, the bustle of her cerulean dress knocking
     into our chairs as she moves about. She manages to find an old apron tucked in the
     back of one of the cupboards and ties it around her wide hips. Rolling up her sleeves,
     she sweeps her silken black hair up into a bun and starts making dinner, despite Harold’s
     protests. She seems to need the distraction.
    Michael finishes setting up the beds downstairs and reenters the kitchen. The small
     room doesn’t have any of the homeyness that our kitchen did. There’s no floral wallpaper,
     no smell of bread baking in the oven, no woman’s touch, but that’s hardly surprising,
     since only Harold and Ash live here, and it’s not like Ash has any real need for a
     kitchen—he can’t eat human food.
    Day sits beside me. “We’ll find her, Nat.”
    I take in a shaky breath.
    “At least she’s alive—that’s something to hold on to,” Day continues.
    I don’t say anything. There’s no guarantee my sister is alive.
    Night starts to creep in through the windows, and the air-raid siren wails across
     the city, letting us know curfew has started. Harold lights some candles while Day
     phones Beetle to tell him what happened. The instant he arrives, he begins a tirade
     about how he’s going to kill every single Sentry in the country for what they did.
     Right now, that sounds like a really good idea. I want them to suffer too.
    “I’ve already put the word out around Humans for Unity to look for her,” Beetle says.
     “They’re sending out teams as we speak.”
    “I want to join them,” I say.
    “Me too,” Ash replies.
    “No way,” Beetle says firmly. “There are Sentry guards swarming all over the place,
     and it’s after curfew. The last thing we need is for you both to get arrested. We’re
     taking care of it.”
    I sigh, frustrated. But he’s right.
    Everyone offers suggestions of where we should look for Polly while Sumrina serves
     dinner. I don’t join in the conversation, knowing in my heart we won’t find Polly
     in Black City; I somehow doubt Purian Rose would risk keeping her so close by. She’s
     probably on a Transporter to Centrum by now. A terrible, aching pain balls up in my
     chest, and I push my plate aside, my appetite lost.
    “How are Sigur and the other Darklings doing?” Harold asks Beetle.
    “Not so good,” Beetle replies. “There was a lot of shouting, a lot of tears. Roach
     is still with them, trying to work out what to do next. They were hoping to see—”
    THUD!
    There’s a smash of slate tiles as something heavy lands on the church roof, making
     us all start. It’s quickly followed by a scratching, scuffling sound as the animal—or
     person—slides down the side. There’s a moment’s silence, then another
thud
as whatever it is hits the gravel pavement outside.
    “What the fragg . . . ?” Ash says, kicking back his chair.
    I grab a knife and follow him through the church.
    Ash yanks open the front door. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”
    A teenage boy emerges from the shadows, his gold wristbands glinting as he raises
     his hands. He’s dressed in a leather vest and pants, which