Chapter 28 · Untitled Chapter

"Qin, it's moving."

Luke's gun hangs useless at his side. Fifty yards away, the tower leans over the rail yard, its rusted frame groaning beneath Amy's boots.

"She's still reading," he says.

"Then get her down."

"With what? A miracle?"

Amy's voice carries across the tracks. Thin. Clear. Every name makes the ground hum under my feet.

"She doesn't know what she's doing," Luke says.

"She knows enough to climb it."

The paper in Amy's hand snaps in the wind. She doesn't look up. She keeps reading like her mother can hear every word.

"Amy!" I shout.

She doesn't even turn.

Luke catches my sleeve. "Qin, wait. That tower's coming down."

"I know."

"The legs are barely in their sockets."

"I said I know."

"If you climb, you'll bring it down faster."

I tear free. "Then pray I get there first."

I run.

The rail yard tears at my boots. I clear a stack of crossbeams and slam into the tower's base. Up close, the damage is worse. Half the bolts are gone. The wood is split and blackened.

Blood stains the grain.

Old blood. Edith's work.

"Qin!" Luke yells.