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upset.”
    “Something happened last night.” I suck in a deep breath. “I got my mark.”
    He leaps to his feet, bursting with excitement. “You did? That’s so fuckin’ awesome, Alana. Now we can finally work together.” He crosses the room and hugs me.
    His enthusiasm makes leaving harder. I’ve been so worried about losing him, but I didn’t even think about how difficult it was going to be on him for me to leave. Same with my parents. I just ran out and fell asleep on my last night with them.
    “I didn’t get the Keeper’s mark, Jayse,” I whisper hoarsely.
    He jerks back. “ What ?”
    “The mark that appeared, it wasn’t the Keepers’.”
    “Then what was it?”
    Sighing, I show him the back of my neck.
    He grows quiet for a second. “I know you don’t like the Guardians, but I’m sure it’s not going to be as bad as you think.”
    “I have to move, Jayse … to Virginia to attend their Academy.” I wander to the window. “I’m going to be living clear across the country.”
    “When do you have to leave?” he asks, moving up beside me.
    I stare across the foggy field at the two-story home I grew up in. “Today.”
    “You know I’ll visit you all the time, right? If I have to, I’ll ask to be put on all jobs on the East Coast.”
    I smile at him, but it’s forced. Jayse knows as well as I do that he hasn’t been a Keeper long enough to request being put in certain locations.
    “I’m going to miss you.” I glance around at the bedroom. Memories are everywhere: the first time Jayse and I stayed up all night watching horror movies, even though we weren’t supposed to: when we stole his mom’s spellbook and tried to perform a spell; when we promised to be best friends no matter what … “I won’t even know what to do with myself without my partner in crime.”
    “We’ll still see each other all the time,” he tries to reassure me. “I’ll make sure of it.”
    I hope he’s right—I really do—but I have an unsettling feeling that this might be the last time I see Jayse in a very long time.

Chapter 7
     
    I spend the morning with Jayse and his family, eating breakfast and reminiscing. I wish I could stay longer, but eventually my mom texts me that it’s time to come home and pack.
    I try not to cry as Jayse walks me across the field to my house, but a few tears escape. I can’t help thinking about all the times we’ve walked across this field to meet up and hang out or to sneak out to some club in the middle of the night. Now we may never get to do it again.
    While I want to believe that things won’t change, that eventually I’ll return home and life will go back to normal, I know it won’t. Even before I got my Guardian mark, Jayse and I spent less time in the field.
    “Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” I ask.
    “I’m sorry. I wish I could, but I …” He presses his lips together, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
    “You’re doing something for the Keepers today, aren’t you?” I make a guess based on how guilty he looks. “You don’t need to coddle me. You’ve been a Keeper for almost a year and have never held stuff back.”
    “But I feel like such an asshole for even mentioning.”
    “I’ll be okay...  Sure I’m upset, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear what you’re up to.”
    “It’s not just that … I’m …” He exhales audibly, staring at the trees surrounding the field. “Now that you have the Guardian mark, I’m not supposed to share certain info with you about my assignments.”
    I suppress a sigh. And so it begins. I knew this was coming. I just didn’t imagine it would sting this badly.
    “I’m sorry.” Jayse glances at me from the corner of his eye. “I wish I could tell you more, but—”
    “It’s not your fault, so please stop worrying.” I give him a stern look. “In fact, promise me you’ll stay positive and be the most badass Keeper ever.”
    He smiles through a chuckle. “Okay, but only if you