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~~((National Yo-Yo Day - page 13 of 20))~~
Hector wasn't sure if he felt worse for Roman or for the company he'd chartered the plane from. He considered informing Garovel that their ride back to Atreya had just been chewed up and spit out by an angry sky, but he wasn't sure what that would accomplish other than making the reaper worry. He planned to tell him eventually, just not yet. The priority was locating everyone. He jogged back toward the airport as he reached out with the Scarf, trying to sense human figures among all the rubble.

Instead, he sensed an enormous bird approaching, and he slowed down just before feeling the gust of wind from her landing.

Before even saying anything, however, she revealed herself to his eyes. She wasn't quite as tall or bulky as Hanton had been, but her plumage was similarly red-and-brown, though she had a bit of gold around her eyes and along the tips of her wings and tail.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "Someone might see you."

She didn't answer him. She only stared at him.

"Pauline? Are you okay?"

'Yes. I'm fine.'

He took a breath. "Good. We need to find the others."

'That we do.'

He couldn't help squinting at her. Something in the tone of her psychic voice was bothering him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

'Lord Goffe... you're the only human I can sense here now.'


Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Six: 'O, avatar of clarity...'
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Hector didn't understand. "What?"

'The others have all disappeared,' said Pauline. 'You're the only one left.'

She wasn't saying that everyone had been... killed. Right?

"What are you talking about?" Hector walked past her and continued toward the terminal. "I saw them heading underground. I'm sure they're fine."

'Perhaps they are,' she said, 'but something happened to them when they went down there, and I don't know what it was. They simply vanished from my sight.'