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  “Glad to hear you’re feeling better, Marik,” I said, starting for the exit with drunken steps. By then, Jinky had joined us.

  “Penelopa came over with an herbal remedy,” Marik said, following me through the doorway.

  His use of Penny’s full name did not elude me. Penelopa scrambled to one apple, which I had known all along but had never interpreted as Penny’s rightful role in it all, her connection to the Pink Lady cameo, her ties to the life-giving symbol, and her magical destiny.

  “It was something my amma mixed up for him, some kind of herbal infusion,” Penny said. “Like I told you, she’s good with home remedies. Maybe some of them learned from the Bleika Norn.”

  So this was how it would have to be. An understanding between us that would be danced around and batted back and forth but would never be put into words. The four of us walked as a group toward our bank of lockers.

  “That’s cool,” I said.

  “Maybe the whole concept of a metaphysical shop here in Norse Falls isn’t such a bad idea, after all,” Penny said.

  “Finally she admits it.” Jinky lifted her chin in a small display of pride.

  “It’s better than a hat store, anyway,” I said.

  “I don’t know,” Penny said. “I think you single-handedly brought them back into style, around here, anyway. I’m thinking of getting a beret.”

  “What color?” I asked.

  “Something in the gray family,” Penny said, “not dark, more of a —”

  “Dove gray?”

  “Yes.” Penny’s eyes sparked.

  Naturally, she’d be the bird of peace. And I got it in one guess. My father’s daughter or what?

  Having left my grams, my dad, and Sage — the term of address I now called my dad’s steady girlfriend — back at Gram’s condo slaving over the holiday meal, Jack and I slipped out for a little alone time. We stood in the sand gaping at the vast Pacific. It was oddly comforting to feel insignificant in the face of such power. We were just two kids on vacation at the beach. Never mind that Jack, due to his Winter People ancestry, had never been to the ocean. Never mind that I had Stork and selkie lineage. Never mind that we both knew firsthand of a few of life’s marvels and mysteries.

  “So what do you think?” I asked.

  “It’s incredible.”

  I grabbed his hand. “And are you ready for a swim?”

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  “Not scared?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “In keeping with the occasion, I’m thankful.”

  Thankful, indeed an appropriate theme for Thanksgiving Day. This year I felt the spirit of the holiday intensely. I was humbled by the wonder and precariousness of life and just plain old grateful to be alive. I knew that I hadn’t, in any way, single-handedly prevented Ragnarök. Everything and everyone in my circle of love — corny as that sounded — had played a role. The now-pregnant-with-twins Jaelle and her hopes for a child. My mom and Stanley’s new relationship, which led to Leira. The ancestry I inherited from Afi and Amma. Hulda’s invaluable wisdom and guidance. Jinky’s shaman skills. Marik’s zest for life. Penny’s friendship and transformation. Old Grim and even Dorit coming around. The influence Sage had on my hero dad’s young soul. And Jack, of course. No longer my superpower sidekick, no longer connected with me on a telekinetically charged level, but we had each other’s back. We had each other, period.

  “Do you think you could get used to it — you know, live here?”

  He rolled his shoulders forward. “I don’t know.”

  It was noncommittal and the correct answer. I still dreamed of a career in fashion. New York and LA were the two U.S. epicenters of the industry, but I also knew that Jack’s spirit thrived when surrounded by nature. Anyway, those kinds of decisions seemed far off and trivial in the face of land, sky, and sea melding before us.

  “Come on,” I yelled, yanking on his arm.

  We ran full out and barreled straight into the frigid ocean. When the water was thigh-high, I jumped on Jack’s bare back and wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. A breaker crashed over us with the force of a semi, sending us spiraling. With the wave’s retreat, I found myself on my hands and knees, with sand in my eyes and mouth, my hair plastered to my face, and gasping for air. I looked over to where Jack lay just a few feet away on his back. I crawled over to him, shaking his shoulder.

  “Are you OK?” I asked.

  One of his eyes opened slowly. The other soon joined it, and then a smile parted his lips. “Oh, yeah.”

  I looked up to see another wave headed our way, a big one. When, moments later, we were still hanging on to each other, and laughing, even, I took it as an omen: stronger together with or without our powers. Stronger. Together.

  CHECK OUT THE FIRST TWO BOOKS ABOUT KATLA LEBLANC

  STORK

  WENDY DELSOL

  Hardcover ISBN 978-0-7636-4844-2

  Paperback ISBN 978-0-7636-5687-4

  Also available as an e-book and in audio

  FROST

  WENDY DELSOL

  Hardcover ISBN 978-0-7636-5386-6

  Paperback ISBN 978-0-7636-6249-3

  Also available as an e-book and in audio

  www.candlewick.com

  WENDY DELSOL is the author of Stork and Frost and also writes fiction for adults. About Flock, the third book in the trilogy that features Katla Leblanc, she says, “I’ve so enjoyed my time with the residents of Norse Falls; my farewell is bittersweet. And I’ll always wonder what mischief they’re up to without me.” Wendy Delsol lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with her family.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2012 by Wendy Delsol

  Cover photographs: copyright © 2012 by Cavan Images/Getty Images (girl); copyright © 2012 by Rich Seymour/iStockphoto (sky); copyright © 2012 by Bob Balestri/iStockphoto (birds)

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  First electronic edition 2012

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  Delsol, Wendy.

  Flock / Wendy Delsol. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Sequel to: Frost.

  Summary: Katla’s hopes of dodging unfinished business during her senior year are dashed by the arrival of two “Icelandic exchange students,” Marik and Jinky, who have come to collect Katla’s frail baby sister and take her to the water queen.

  ISBN 978-0-7636-6010-9 (hardcover)

  [1. Supernatural — Fiction. 2. Interpersonal relations — Fiction. 3. Students, Foreign — Fiction. 4. High schools — Fiction. 5. Schools — Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.D3875Flo 2012

  [Fic] — dc23 2011048371

  ISBN 978-0-7636-6213-4 (electronic)

  Candlewick Press

  99 Dover Street

  Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

  visit us at www.candlewick.com