p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="67dcc407b032270d1d8acbdea33c2867"Almost all of the wizards were gone. All of the Ordinary Wizards em style="box-sizing: border-box;"were /emgone. Only Nadia, Septimus, and Marcia remained./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f29fdc84a52d6cda7440be3915e12afb""I know you haven't learned this yet," said Septimus, face turning red from the effort of talking and keeping out thespan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;" Darke/span, "but we need you to help."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c54e56e1371b4d2f0e132c74b38eb681"Madam Marcia was trembling from the effort. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1af0abf35a5432f39763cd515966ee89""I need you to reach out until you feel the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. It will be a scary feeling, but you can't back down. Once you feel the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, push back on it. Like closing a door. Consider it as a solid object instead of a wispy, half-there substance. Whatever you do, don't push hard enough to fall in. Just enough to hold it back. It's a fine balance, but one that could make the difference between life and death."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="860fd4587c2ae7eb2e724587d1d2a7c1"Nadia nodded. She scanned the room to make sure everything was in place./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="bdd54f7ea67c5dcfabd3b60f4ed0e4b2"Ms. Woods had left to go to the docks and get everyone on boats and sailing away from the Castle. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanwould find it incredibly difficult to cross such a wide body of water, so they should be protected once they were a good ways out of the docks. Once Nadia's mother came back, the plan-the most risky part of the plan-could be put into action. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="05af0be09c9f06a4e6d8a93bb5dd8bed"Nadia closed her eyes and concentrated. She searched around the room for the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, then past the room, then past the force field that had been put up around the Wizard Tower./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="138ad6ed1f8b9b4a2795ee35ec7af9a8"She felt the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2ea0fde79bd6ac745d5c628f30ebdd68"Nadia resisted the urge to scream. It whispered of death, destruction and chaos. It knew no limits or boundaries. It would not stop until it had devoured the Castle, and anyone remaining inside. It was impossible to defeat. Their efforts were hopeless. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="000257cc57c921cc03a3054ae587e750"Nadia felt a bleak defeat wash over her. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to sink into the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanand just give up-it would be the easier option. But she was just able to push against the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, to gently hold it back. She tried to think of it as an angry toddler, trying to rush past her. She couldn't use too much force, or the toddler would fall over and get angrier. So she applied just the right amount of pressure and held the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Dark /spangently./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="7db34d676e96a48c8a7c093cb0655728"Someone came into the room. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Please be Mom,/em Nadia prayed, trying with difficulty not to break her concentration. Sweat rolled down her face and her legs shook like jelly. While at first it had been easy to hold back the metaphorical toddler, now it had morphed into a full-grown adult, shoving her backwards. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanwas getting more powerful, and angry. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8ace81de4b5b780843432633e6f6a432"She heard talking. She tried to block it out with humming. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="696d3087c3ec7f28edcbdfb2d63df747"Then hands were lifting her into the air. Her concentration almost broke. As it was, she felt as if she could barely breath. Her head felt like it would pop any second. Her body shook with pain and effort. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I cannot let the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanthrough. I cannot. Let. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. Through!/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="24f2e746f14c425a995c28802424ecb5"They were going downstairs. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Walk faster, /emNadia moaned. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="980a31a1db952a09d3c11eedb0fd56e6"A sudden chill washed over her and she felt her control over the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanbreaking. Whoever was carrying her started to run. This completely severed her concentration and she just managed to mentally pull back from the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darkeness /spanbefore it completely devoured her. She went limp in Maxx's arms, shaking and gasping for air./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2afc00131bee719eccae3f5158e58993""You did great," Maxx told her, brushing hair out of her face. "You did great."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8630f31be25af6cdb2ccc21d1f195ef1"Nadia was too out of breath to speak. She just smiled and attempted to calm her racing heart. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3f396ac486d225caa9e72b6dd0d2f9d0"Behind her there were more footsteps. Probably the others carrying Septimus and Marcia. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a69d49d77733fd1332db7dd391668b04""Get ready to run, people," Beetle said. "The boat's ready, and it looks like these two are losing their concentration."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ccddc2e9a6c6fb240d2c1a9c8f61c982"Maxx placed Nadia carefully on the floor, keeping one hand firmly fastened around her arm to keep her from falling over. She sagged into him, conserving as much of her energy as she could./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2170358afb43d871618fb3f91642278f"Marcia gasped and Nadia could tell her concentration had been severed. A strangled whimper came from Septimus as all of the effort was piled on him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ee556c8fdd94947e5a3d6adde6c7add9"Ms. Woods had been half carrying, half dragging Marcia over the floor. Now she set the woman upright and helped Beetle and Jenna with Septimus. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="deabe21fe278d00b1c4ba7c86efa9876""Get ready to run," Maxx warned everyone in a low voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="21d18bc6cd34f7ae8c004ba891aa9843"Septimus sucked in a breath and cried out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="df16ce3d7b3af1c51d56d2659e50b5d2""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Go!/em"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="64210920ad3eb5b4f84cbbf4308f2aa0"Nadia took off down the Ice Tunnel. She could hear everyone behind her slipping and sliding, trying to stay upright. A tremendous crashing could be heard from above them, and Nadia knew what was coming./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1fe0d87cdf89532e921ee88c8d69cb7a"The tunnel was a dim, cold, noisy tube of chaos. The group hurtled for the exit they could see in the distance. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We're not going to make it, /emNadia realized. She urged her legs to move faster, for her friends to try harder. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We can make it. But we're going to have to be insanely fast./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b56893de2d224aaa65f4a1d55a7c5628"Nadia's heart had started right back up again, pounding painfully against her ribcage. Every breath was a struggle, and her legs and arms ached./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="246cec686b16e4c5f2b3827c49af605d"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Go, go, go, go, go /emwas the only thought Nadia let in her head. She couldn't afford anything else./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1a10fd2eb3ba44bd4fdf79e954dda78d"They burst into harsh sunlight and warm sand. Nadia glanced wildly around the beach for their getaway boat and spotted a familiar, weathered, tiny woman waving her arms frantically from em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Muriel/em. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="228f0fa3a3fc7447c054988c9dfbee82"The group sprinted toward the boat. Someone fell. Nadia couldn't afford to look back. She leapt onto the boat and collapsed on the deck, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b3b75d289173a5daad2fe41537b22961""Come on!" Jannit Marten screamed at the remainder of Nadia's friends. The boat shook and bobbed as more and more people hurled themselves onto it. Finally, they started to move./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="526fb71e08aa4a29f4ef0eaf24c76716"Maxx pulled Nadia up. "Look," he said quietly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a62c1364b4eaca599d4b0c26480a6fae"Nadia watched as the Wizard Tower, standing tall and proud, hundreds of years old and the only thing that had been safe from the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darkeness/span, toppled slowly to the ground. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3a79fc68d1ef5a89af3bb75391719e8e"She felt tears running down her face as she surveyed the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanblotch that had once been her happy Castle. She did nothing to wipe them away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4da762e8383a561e4ef2cecebb917ca1"Finally, she turned and looked over her group. Maxx was staring at the Castle with pure horror on his face. Ms. Woods was cupping her hands over her mouth, eyes filled with tears. Septimus and Marcia were leaning against one another. Jenna was sobbing in Beetle's arms as he looked on in a horrified, disbelieving expression. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="731a471b60ff50e84926093648891bf5""What now?" Nadia asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f29fdc84a52d6cda7440be3915e12afb""I know you haven't learned this yet," said Septimus, face turning red from the effort of talking and keeping out thespan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;" Darke/span, "but we need you to help."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c54e56e1371b4d2f0e132c74b38eb681"Madam Marcia was trembling from the effort. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1af0abf35a5432f39763cd515966ee89""I need you to reach out until you feel the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. It will be a scary feeling, but you can't back down. Once you feel the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, push back on it. Like closing a door. Consider it as a solid object instead of a wispy, half-there substance. Whatever you do, don't push hard enough to fall in. Just enough to hold it back. It's a fine balance, but one that could make the difference between life and death."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="860fd4587c2ae7eb2e724587d1d2a7c1"Nadia nodded. She scanned the room to make sure everything was in place./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="bdd54f7ea67c5dcfabd3b60f4ed0e4b2"Ms. Woods had left to go to the docks and get everyone on boats and sailing away from the Castle. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanwould find it incredibly difficult to cross such a wide body of water, so they should be protected once they were a good ways out of the docks. Once Nadia's mother came back, the plan-the most risky part of the plan-could be put into action. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="05af0be09c9f06a4e6d8a93bb5dd8bed"Nadia closed her eyes and concentrated. She searched around the room for the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, then past the room, then past the force field that had been put up around the Wizard Tower./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="138ad6ed1f8b9b4a2795ee35ec7af9a8"She felt the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2ea0fde79bd6ac745d5c628f30ebdd68"Nadia resisted the urge to scream. It whispered of death, destruction and chaos. It knew no limits or boundaries. It would not stop until it had devoured the Castle, and anyone remaining inside. It was impossible to defeat. Their efforts were hopeless. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="000257cc57c921cc03a3054ae587e750"Nadia felt a bleak defeat wash over her. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to sink into the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanand just give up-it would be the easier option. But she was just able to push against the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span, to gently hold it back. She tried to think of it as an angry toddler, trying to rush past her. She couldn't use too much force, or the toddler would fall over and get angrier. So she applied just the right amount of pressure and held the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Dark /spangently./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="7db34d676e96a48c8a7c093cb0655728"Someone came into the room. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Please be Mom,/em Nadia prayed, trying with difficulty not to break her concentration. Sweat rolled down her face and her legs shook like jelly. While at first it had been easy to hold back the metaphorical toddler, now it had morphed into a full-grown adult, shoving her backwards. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanwas getting more powerful, and angry. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8ace81de4b5b780843432633e6f6a432"She heard talking. She tried to block it out with humming. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="696d3087c3ec7f28edcbdfb2d63df747"Then hands were lifting her into the air. Her concentration almost broke. As it was, she felt as if she could barely breath. Her head felt like it would pop any second. Her body shook with pain and effort. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I cannot let the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanthrough. I cannot. Let. The span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke/span. Through!/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="24f2e746f14c425a995c28802424ecb5"They were going downstairs. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Walk faster, /emNadia moaned. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="980a31a1db952a09d3c11eedb0fd56e6"A sudden chill washed over her and she felt her control over the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanbreaking. Whoever was carrying her started to run. This completely severed her concentration and she just managed to mentally pull back from the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darkeness /spanbefore it completely devoured her. She went limp in Maxx's arms, shaking and gasping for air./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2afc00131bee719eccae3f5158e58993""You did great," Maxx told her, brushing hair out of her face. "You did great."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8630f31be25af6cdb2ccc21d1f195ef1"Nadia was too out of breath to speak. She just smiled and attempted to calm her racing heart. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3f396ac486d225caa9e72b6dd0d2f9d0"Behind her there were more footsteps. Probably the others carrying Septimus and Marcia. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a69d49d77733fd1332db7dd391668b04""Get ready to run, people," Beetle said. "The boat's ready, and it looks like these two are losing their concentration."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ccddc2e9a6c6fb240d2c1a9c8f61c982"Maxx placed Nadia carefully on the floor, keeping one hand firmly fastened around her arm to keep her from falling over. She sagged into him, conserving as much of her energy as she could./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2170358afb43d871618fb3f91642278f"Marcia gasped and Nadia could tell her concentration had been severed. A strangled whimper came from Septimus as all of the effort was piled on him. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ee556c8fdd94947e5a3d6adde6c7add9"Ms. Woods had been half carrying, half dragging Marcia over the floor. Now she set the woman upright and helped Beetle and Jenna with Septimus. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="deabe21fe278d00b1c4ba7c86efa9876""Get ready to run," Maxx warned everyone in a low voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="21d18bc6cd34f7ae8c004ba891aa9843"Septimus sucked in a breath and cried out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="df16ce3d7b3af1c51d56d2659e50b5d2""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Go!/em"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="64210920ad3eb5b4f84cbbf4308f2aa0"Nadia took off down the Ice Tunnel. She could hear everyone behind her slipping and sliding, trying to stay upright. A tremendous crashing could be heard from above them, and Nadia knew what was coming./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1fe0d87cdf89532e921ee88c8d69cb7a"The tunnel was a dim, cold, noisy tube of chaos. The group hurtled for the exit they could see in the distance. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We're not going to make it, /emNadia realized. She urged her legs to move faster, for her friends to try harder. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"We can make it. But we're going to have to be insanely fast./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b56893de2d224aaa65f4a1d55a7c5628"Nadia's heart had started right back up again, pounding painfully against her ribcage. Every breath was a struggle, and her legs and arms ached./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="246cec686b16e4c5f2b3827c49af605d"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Go, go, go, go, go /emwas the only thought Nadia let in her head. She couldn't afford anything else./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1a10fd2eb3ba44bd4fdf79e954dda78d"They burst into harsh sunlight and warm sand. Nadia glanced wildly around the beach for their getaway boat and spotted a familiar, weathered, tiny woman waving her arms frantically from em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Muriel/em. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="228f0fa3a3fc7447c054988c9dfbee82"The group sprinted toward the boat. Someone fell. Nadia couldn't afford to look back. She leapt onto the boat and collapsed on the deck, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b3b75d289173a5daad2fe41537b22961""Come on!" Jannit Marten screamed at the remainder of Nadia's friends. The boat shook and bobbed as more and more people hurled themselves onto it. Finally, they started to move./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="526fb71e08aa4a29f4ef0eaf24c76716"Maxx pulled Nadia up. "Look," he said quietly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a62c1364b4eaca599d4b0c26480a6fae"Nadia watched as the Wizard Tower, standing tall and proud, hundreds of years old and the only thing that had been safe from the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darkeness/span, toppled slowly to the ground. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3a79fc68d1ef5a89af3bb75391719e8e"She felt tears running down her face as she surveyed the span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Darke /spanblotch that had once been her happy Castle. She did nothing to wipe them away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4da762e8383a561e4ef2cecebb917ca1"Finally, she turned and looked over her group. Maxx was staring at the Castle with pure horror on his face. Ms. Woods was cupping her hands over her mouth, eyes filled with tears. Septimus and Marcia were leaning against one another. Jenna was sobbing in Beetle's arms as he looked on in a horrified, disbelieving expression. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="731a471b60ff50e84926093648891bf5""What now?" Nadia asked./p