“That’s the whole point,” she said, and the flames around her grew. “We want them to come. That’s why I drew pentagrams in the houses ”

“You drew them?” said Gabriel. “But why do you want the Guides to come?”

“So we can destroy them.” Her gaze settled on Hunter. “I think you might know about the last two we killed? Convenient rock slide, huh?”

Hunter lifted the gun.

“Go ahead,” she said. “Shoot me. We want a war.”

He cocked the gun.

Then high-pressure water was blasting into them all, knocking them to the ground and soaking their clothes.

And putting out every last inch of flame.

CHAPTER 42

The holding cell was a lot easier to take the second time around.

Because this time Gabriel was sharing space with Nick and Hunter.

They sat against the back wall, their clothes still damp from the fire hoses. Gabriel was freezing, but he couldn’t ask his twin to warm the air. Nick looked exhausted, as if it were a good thing the wall was there to hold him upright.

“You sure Layne will be all right?” Gabriel said.

Nick didn’t even open his eyes. “For the fifteenth time, yes.

I’m sure.”

She’d been loaded onto a stretcher while cops were handcuff-ing them. Gabriel had tried to tell them Nick wasn’t involved, but they’d ignored him. Calla Dean had disappeared.

And what would he say about her anyway?

He glanced at Nick. “I bet an arrest record will help the college search.”

“I’ll use it as my learning experience for the application es-says.” Nick looked over, and Gabriel could read the worry in his eyes. “What do you think’s going to happen?”

“You’ll be fine. I think I’m screwed.” Gabriel considered what had happened in the hallway, the way Hunter had pulled a gun on a fireman though he’d lost the weapon in the water. “I don’t think I’m the only one, either.”

Hunter sat a few feet down the wall, damp hair trailing into his eyes. He hadn’t said a word since they’d been arrested.

“I can say it was me,” said Nick. “We can switch ”

“No,” said Gabriel. “I know what I did. I don’t need you to cover for me anymore. I can take it.”

But he kept thinking about Calla Dean. He should have been worried about other Elementals in town, about her threats of war, her purposeful attempts to draw the Guides near. He should have been worried about how she was the real arsonist, but he’d never be able to prove it.

Instead, he kept thinking about what she’d said to Hunter.

So we can destroy them. I think you might know about the last two.

The last two. Hunter’s father and uncle.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then remembered that Hunter had never been his friend. Not really.

Gabriel shut his mouth and faced forward.

A policeman came to the gate, a ring of keys jingling in his hand. “Hunter Garrity?”

Hunter got to his feet, his expression resigned. “Yeah.”

“You’re out. Your grandfather is here to pick you up.”

Hunter’s eyebrows went up. “I’m what?”

“Turns out the fireman who reported you with a gun changed his story. Said he made a mistake in all the smoke, and since we didn’t find one at the scene . . .” The officer paused. “He also said you helped pull half a dozen kids out of that library.”

Hunter stood there staring at him, like he wasn’t sure if he should trust this stroke of luck.

“Go,” said Gabriel. “Get out while you can.”

But Hunter sat back down against the wall. “I’m not leaving until they do.” He jerked his head toward Gabriel. “I didn’t pull those kids out. He did.”

Gabriel didn’t look at him. He swore under his breath.

“Don’t do me any favors.”

“Doesn’t matter,” said the officer. “You’re all out.”

Now Gabriel and Nick snapped their heads up at the same time. “What?”

“Your brother is here to take you home. Seems the librarian heard that Ryan Stacey boy admit the whole thing. Too bad the smoke got to him before he finished his little design.”

The officer didn’t sound like there was anything too bad about that at all.

“He’s dead?” asked Nick.

“He’s in the hospital.” The officer didn’t sound too broken up about that, either. “You kids coming or what? I’ve got real criminals to book.”

Gabriel was ready to face Michael in the waiting room of the police station.

He wasn’t ready for the firefighters.

More than a dozen men, plus Hannah and one other woman.

Most of them, including Hannah, were wearing fire pants and suspenders, their faces smudged with soot, though a few just wore Tshirts with the fire house insignia and jeans.

Gabriel stopped short in the doorway and swallowed. He glanced at Michael, standing at the counter and signing a form.

No answers there.

Then some of the firemen separated, revealing a guy in a matching T-shirt in a wheelchair, his leg in a Velcroed cast from ankle to thigh. He glanced between Nick and Gabriel. “Which one of you is the kid who pulled me out of the house on Winterbourne?”

Then Gabriel recognized him. This was the guy who’d fallen through the floor. Gabriel didn’t know what to say.