A Radiant Sky
she?”
    Raven stiffened. “I’m Raven,” she said.
    “I don’t understand.” The girl had backed herself up onto the porch, one hand behind her on the doorknob. “Why would one of you ”—she pointed at me—“be with one of them ?” And she pointed at Raven. “Why would you be together ?”
    Raven and I glanced at each other.
    “What do you mean?” I asked slowly. “One of who?”
    “A light-haired one and a dark-haired one.”
    “You know about that?” I said in surprise.
    She nodded.
    “You don’t have to worry,” I said. “She and I are on the same side.” The girl withdrew even farther, panic flashing across her face. “A different side!” I added quickly. “Not dark or light. Something new.”
    “New?”
    I nodded. “We want to stop both sides. Keep them from hurting each other, or anyone else.”
    “Oh.” She looked confused.
    “I’ll explain more, if you want.”
    The girl twisted one of her ponytails around her finger. “Your name’s Skye?” she asked.
    “Yep. What’s your name?”
    She looked at me quizzically.
    “Earth,” she said at last.
    “What?” said Raven, just a tad too aggressively, perhaps forgetting we were talking to a small child and taking a step forward. “Are you trying to be cute or something?”
    “I’ve heard of you,” Earth said quietly. Raven stopped in her tracks, and I stared.
    “You’ve heard of me ?” I asked hoarsely.
    At the sound of a pickup truck rumbling into the driveway, Earth’s eyes grew wide. The door opened and slammed closed, and Aaron Ward came hurtling forward.
    “Hey!” he shouted, bounding past us and taking the rickety porch steps three at a time—which, judging from the state of them, maybe he shouldn’t have done. “Hey! Get away from my daughter. What the hell are you thinking, coming here, out in the open whereanyone can see you? Are you crazy?”
    There was no mistaking Aaron Ward. He looked the same as in the picture—but older, like in my vision. His dark hair was wavy and shot through with gray, and there were lines on his face from too much time weathering the sun. The only difference was his eyes. All trace of mischief, of conspiratorial smile, was gone. It had been replaced by something gruff and surly. “Get off my porch and leave us alone,” he spat. “And you can take your spies . . .” he said, motioning toward the trees and bushes along the side of the property, “with you.”
    “Dad!” Earth said, rolling her eyes dramatically. “It’s Skye .”
    Aaron shut his mouth and stared at me, hard. He squinted, as if trying to place me, to determine if what his daughter said was true.
    “What’s she doing here?” He nodded toward Raven, his voice so low it was practically a growl.
    “Please.” Raven put a hand on her hip. “Nobody mask their disdain on my account.”
    “She’s with me. Don’t worry, she’s cool. She’s not a . . . Guardian.”
    “Can they stay for dinner?” Earth asked, looking up at her dad with big, brown eyes. “Please?” Aaron stared at us alittle longer, then seemed to come to some kind of decision.
    “I hope you like takeout,” he grumbled, opening the door.
    Earth made a face at me as we walked inside.
    “We always get takeout,” she whispered.
    The four of us sat around a white metal table in the kitchen.
    “Water?” Aaron said gruffly, holding out a glass pitcher.
    I nodded politely. “Thank you.”
    He took a bite of apple pie, chewing thoughtfully. He’d gotten two slices, and we’d cut them into four. Earth insisted.
    “We don’t have guests a lot,” she said earnestly. Aaron glanced at her, almost amused. I could tell that this kid was a handful. I already liked her.
    I studied her. If she was Aaron’s daughter, then she had traces of Rebel blood in her. And possibly some of the special Rogue powers her father had. She clearly knew about the Order and the Rebellion. Maybe even knew about her own heritage.
    “Who was that out in the yard?” I

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