Technically speaking, it was the light reapers who were the bad guys in heaven’s sight, having been kicked out and banding together to protect those the dark reapers targeted. They saved lives at the expense of the soul. So who was doing the most good? I didn’t know anymore.

Nakita was silent beside me, scanning faces. I wasn’t sure if Tammy was going to be picked up by her mother, or if she was going to ride the bus home. “Maybe trying to find her at the school isn’t such a good idea,” I said. “Maybe we need to get closer,” I added when Nakita said nothing.

“Why don’t you try to use the time lines to find her?” she finally said. “Kairos always showed me the mark’s aura in the time lines so I could recognize him or her by that.”

I winced. “Tammy’s aura, huh?” I offered. “That’s great. Except I can’t see auras.”

“I can,” Nakita said. “Kairos would show me the time line where he flashed, and the aura that mixed with his was the one we were looking for. We can do this, Madison.” Her brow furrowed. “We can find her before Barnabas does, I bet.”

A knot of tension eased in me, and I smiled. Barnabas. The rivalry was that bad, even now. “Worth a try,” I said cheerfully, then turned my back on the school and sat down. The bars of the fence pushed into my back, and the grass tickled my ankles. Dappled sun made a cool wash of light on me. Taking a breath I didn’t need other than to speak with, I exhaled, trying to settle myself using the technique that Barnabas had taught me. My hand crept up, and I grasped the stone that was at the center of my amulet. The silver wires cradling it were warm, and I closed my eyes. It was my amulet that let me see the time lines, and if I could use it to see auras, it would be a very good sign that I was becoming better at this.