Ethan sat behind the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road, while Anne Blackwood leaned back in the passenger seat, her gaze lost in the passing blur of gray monuments.
"The situation was more complicated than I anticipated," Anne said, breaking the silence. "I couldn't make my move."
Ethan glanced at her. "Too many people? Or were the 'Old Friends' you mentioned more troublesome than expected?"
"Not exactly." Anne reached into the neckline of her dress and pulled out a small, intricate pendant. It was made of a pale, pulsing crystal encased in blackened silver. "This is a gift my father gave me on my birthday. It's called the Life Saver. It's tuned to my life force; whenever a lethal threat is directed at me, it vibrates. It's how I've avoided every major disaster in my life."
Ethan reached out, taking the pendant between his fingers. It felt cold, yet it thrummed with a rhythmic heartbeat.
"Crul, scan this," Ethan commanded mentally.
