Din closed the book he'd been reading. It was called The Parker Inheritance, and Cara had recommended it to him. So he knew she'd understand the note. 

Hoping nobody noticed him, he slipped a piece of paper into her locker.

----

Cara opened her locker to find a note in it. 

Only one person was going to St. Ives. 
Will you meet me in Maple Park after school?
-D

In the distance, the clock tower chimed three times. 

Cara took off running.

--------

Cara skidded to a halt in Maple Park and glanced around. At first glance, there was no one. But then she spotted the familiar silver of Din's jacket.

"Din?" she asked.

"You got my note," he said, sounding relieved. Cara nodded. 

"That was clever," she told him. 

"Thanks. Any idea why someone tried to kill you?"

"No. You?"

"Uh...yes, actually."

"Who?"

"Omera. A couple days after, uh...the incident, we had a huge fight and she threatened you."

"Oh...I may or may not have overheard that conversation," Cara admitted.

"Cara! Really?" 

"Yeah. Sorry, I-" 

Cara was cut off by leaves rustling in the tree above them. They both looked up.

There was an arrowhead poking out of the leaves above them.

"Cara. Run," Din said. Cara shook her head firmly. "No way."

"Run!"

"No!"

Din removed his hood. "Cara. Go. Please."

Cara hesitated. "But-"

"Go!"

Cara ran. 

Din put his hood up again and quietly clambered up the tree, knowing that whoever was up there was most likely focused on Cara and therefore would not notice him.

A figure came into view. Din knocked it out of the tree and jumped down himself after it.

Sitting on the grass, a few feet away from the bow, was Omera.