into her vision. Long brown hair wafted in from the direction Titus had told her not to turn. It drifted listlessly through the air between her and the teacher as if suspended in water. The breathing was hot in her ear.

Tess focused on Ms. Plaiz, who was saying, “As I said, the containers contain slaked lime or calcium hydroxide…”

Tess swallowed hard. Sweat ran down her forehead. There was an angry hiss, then the breath on her neck vanished. One by one the lights drifted off, perhaps, like Shade, bored from the lack of attention. She waited until the last one disappeared before venturing a glance to her right.

There was nothing there.

“What was behind me?” Tess asked Titus as she stormed hastily away from Ms. Plaiz's classroom after t...

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