Free Of Enemies and Endings by Shelby Bach Page A

research. I knew I could turn evil just like Solange.
    â€œNot necessarily,” said Henry. “There’s a world of difference between promising something you never deliver and offering to help them do something immediately.”
    The Director stared at me instead of Henry. I shrank back between Chase and Lena.
    Then the door banged open. It was Rufus, one of the elves who manned the emergency phones and M3 lines these days. He was too out of breath to speak at first, but he would only interrupt the meeting for one reason. Someone had called in another attack.
    â€œWho?” the Director asked Rufus.
    â€œMarty Mason’s farm in Idaho. He graduated more than ten years ago,” Rufus said, “so he thought he was safe. But dragons have burned down his house. His family is fleeing to the nearest Door Trek door, but he called on his cell phone for backup.”
    â€œHow many dragons?” Hansel asked.
    â€œMarty saw at least four. He also said that he spotted smoke farther out,” Rufus said.
    I struggled to my feet. My legs were still wobbly, but I was on duty until dinner.
    â€œSit down, Aurora,” added the Director. “As talented as the rising ninth graders may be, you had your own battle just a few hours ago.”
    Chase stood up. “I’ll go.”
    The Director nodded. “You and Ben go, and take as many students from Ben’s grade as you can find in the next few minutes.”
    Chase followed Ben out the door. He didn’t look back. I could hear him yelling that he had to grab his sword and a sandwich from the Table—he couldn’t fight on an empty stomach.
    Then we all were dismissed.
    Lena buried her face in her palms, muttering about stupid rings and stupid bats and stupid Directors. If rescuing me hadn’t put her behind schedule, then getting an ultimatum from the Canon definitely did. “Did the exploding bats just put you over the edge?” I whispered to Lena, only kind of joking.
    She dropped her hands. “I don’t want to make them,” she whispered. Her fingers curled around the edge of the bench, like she was anchoring herself to her seat. “I keep thinking about what happened in the Snow Queen’s palace. I mean, the Bats of Destruction were great at first, but when General Searcaster got control of them . . .”
    She had been blaming herself for our capture for months. Honestly though, it would have probably happened even if General Searcaster hadn’t turned the bats against us. “It’s not your fault, Lena.”
    She nodded, but the frown didn’t leave her face. “That’s what Gran says too. But, Rory, we were just lucky that time. What if I make some of the exploding kind and she gets them, too?”
    They could kill hundreds of Characters in minutes. “You’ve told that to the Director?”
    â€œShe says that we just won’t use the bats in direct battles with the Snow Queen and General Searcaster,” Lena said, keeping her voice low so none of the others could overhear. “They’re the only magic users strong enough to take over another weapon.”
    If Lena still felt this guilty over the regular bats, I didn’t want to find out how she would feel if the exploding bats fell in the wrong hands. “There’s a lot wrong with that plan,” I said cautiously.
    â€œWhat choice do I have?” Lena said. “She’s the Director .”
    â€œYou just have to give her something, not necessarily what she wants,” I said.
    Lena’s head popped up again. That idea had clearly never occurred to her. “The Director shot down the shield idea . . . ,” she said, thinking aloud.
    â€œAn offensive weapon, then,” I said, relieved. “Something that helps her feel like we’re not so outnumbered.”
    Then I saw what I’d been hoping for—that flash in Lena’s eyes, the one that meant an idea