Free Destined by Aprilynne Pike Page B

robes flared out as he spun to face the far wall of the Garden.
    “Jamison!” Laurel said, leaping after him, Tamani close by her side, David and Chelsea following with confusion written on their faces. “You can’t honestly be doing what she said!”
    “Quiet,” Jamison whispered, pulling them a few steps away. “I beg you to trust me. Please.”
    Fear raced through Laurel, but she knew that if there was anyone in the world worthy of her trust it was Jamison. Tamani hesitated a moment longer, staring back at the California sentries now coming in through the gate, conferring with their peers. But when Laurel tugged on his fingertips, Tamani turned to follow the elderly Winter faerie.
    “This way,” Jamison said, indicating a tree with a barrel-shaped trunk and a wide berth of shading leaves. “Hurry! Before my Am Fear-faire realise I’m leaving.”
    Behind the tree they were out of sight of most of the Garden’s occupants. Pausing only to take a deep, slow breath, Jamison placed his hands together, then swished them at the stone wall. The slim branches of the tree rose from beside Laurel – one brushing her cheek as it passed – and vines snaked up from the ground to dig into the stones like spindly fingers, pulling them apart just far enough to create a small exit.
    Once Laurel and her friends were through the wall, Jamison gestured again and the vines and branches retreated, returning the wall to its former pristine state. Jamison stood still for a moment, perhaps listening for some sign that they’d been spotted, but it appeared they had managed to get out without being seen. He pointed up to the Winter Palace and began the climb.
    “Why are we sneaking out?” Chelsea whispered to Laurel as they scaled the steep hill after him. Without the benefit of the gentle, winding path that led out of the actual gate to the Garden, they were climbing almost straight up. It was a shortcut, but not an easy one.
    “I don’t know,” Laurel answered, wondering the same thing. “But I trust Jamison.”
    “Once we find out what’s going on, I’m returning to the Garden,” Tamani said, his voice a low murmur. “I won’t abandon my sentries.”
    “I know,” Laurel whispered, wishing there was a way to convince him to stay somewhere safe.
    On the long climb to the Winter Palace, Chelsea’s eyes were practically popping from their sockets as she tried to take everything in. Laurel tried to imagine the scene through Chelsea’s eyes, remembering her own first trip to Avalon – the crystalline bubbles far below them that housed the Summer faeries, the way the palace was held together by branches and vines, the footpaths paved with rich, dark earth.
    Sooner than Laurel could have imagined, they reached the white archway at the top of the slope. Even Tamani was clutching his sides and sucking in deep, noisy breaths.
    “Must continue,” Jamison gasped after giving them only a brief moment to rest. “The strenuous part is behind us.”
    As they traversed the palace grounds, Chelsea eyed the broken statues and crumbling wall. “Don’t they fix anything?” she whispered to Laurel.
    “Sometimes retaining an item’s natural power is more important than keeping up its outer appearance,” Jamison said over his shoulder.
    Chelsea’s eyes widened – she had spoken so softly even Laurel had scarcely been able to hear her – but she said nothing more as they mounted the steps and pushed open the great front doors.
    The palace was silent but for the footsteps of the small party; the white-uniformed staff were nowhere to be seen. Had they already received word of the attack? Laurel hoped they would be safe, wherever they had gone, but she had begun to wonder if “safe” was an option any of them had left.
    Jamison was already climbing the enormous stairs that led to the upper rooms. “Please, follow me,” he said, without looking back. He gave a small wave of his hands and the doors at the top swung slowly open. Even