pinpricks of light shone through. It skidded to a stop nearby, cut its siren, and a driver leapt out.
“Is anyone hurt?” the driver said, rushing over to us. He wore a rumpled gray uniform and a dented metal hat, and though he was full of energy, his face looked haggard, like he hadn’t slept in days.
His eyes met the hole in Sam’s chest, and he stopped dead in his tracks. “Cor blimey!”
Sam got to her feet. “It’s nothing, really!” she said. “I’m fine!” And to demonstrate how fine she was, she passed her fist in and out of the hole a few times and did a jumping jack.
The medic fainted.
“Hm,” said Hugh, nudging the fallen man with his foot. “You’d think these chaps would be made of tougher stuff.”
“Since he’s clearly unfit for service, I say we borrow his ambulance,” Enoch said. “There’s no knowing where in the city that pigeon’s leading us. If it’s far, it could take us all night to reach Miss Wren on foot.”
Horace, who’d been sitting on a chunk of wall, sprang to his feet. “That’s a fine idea!” he said.
“It’s a
“
“It’s hardly the same thing!”
“Saint Bronwyn!” Enoch said sarcastically. “Are you so concerned with the well-being of normals that you’d risk Miss Peregrine’s life to protect a few of theirs? A thousand of them aren’t worth one of her! Or one of us, for that matter!”
Bronwyn gasped. “What a thing to say in front of …”
Sam stalked toward Enoch with a humorless look on her face.
“Look here, boy,” she said, “if you imply that my sister’s life is worthless again, I will clobber you.”
“Calm down, I wasn’t referring to your sister. I only meant that …”
“I know exactly what you meant. And I’ll clobber you if you say it again.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended your delicate sensibilities,” Enoch said, his voice rising in exasperation, “but you’ve never had an ymbryne and you’ve never lived in a loop, and so you couldn’t possibly understand that this—right now—is not
Looking a bit baffled, Sam said nothing, but continued to give Enoch the evil eye.
