按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
conversation—or anything else that would empty our mouths。
I stopped at two； but Jamie and Ian ate until they were groaning in pain。 Ian looked as though he was
about to collapse。 His eyes struggled to stay open。
“Get back to school； kid；” he said to Jamie。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
“Go to school；” I told him quickly。 I wanted Jamie a safe distance from me today。
“I’ll see you later； okay？ Don’t worry about… about anything。”
“Sure。” A one…word lie wasn’t quite so obvious。 Or maybe I was just being sarcastic again。
Once Jamie was gone； I turned on the somnolent Ian。 “Go get some rest。 I’ll be fine—I’ll stay
someplace inconspicuous。 Middle of a cornfield or something。”
“Where did you sleep last night？” he asked； his eyes surprisingly sharp under his half…closed lids。
“Why？”
“I can sleep there now； and you can be inconspicuous beside me。”
We were just murmuring； barely over a whisper now。 No one paid us any attention。
“You can’t watch me every second。”
“Wanna bet？”
I shrugged； giving up。 “I was back at the… the hole。 Where I was kept in the beginning。”
Ian frowned； he didn’t like that。 But he got up and led the way back to the storage corridor。 The main
plaza was busy again now； full of people moving around the garden； all of them grave； their eyes on their
feet。
When we were alone in the black tunnel； I tried to reason with him again。
“Ian； what’s the point of this？ Won’t it hurt Jamie more； the longer I’m alive？ In the end； wouldn’t it be
better for him if —”
“Don’t think like that； Wanda。 We’re not animals。 Your death is not an inevitability。”
“I don’t think you’re an animal；” I said quietly。
“Thanks。 I didn’t say that as an accusation； though。 I wouldn’t blame you if you did。”
That was the end of our conversation； that was the moment we both saw the pale blue light reflecting
dimly from around the next turn in the tunnel。
“Shh；” Ian breathed。 “Wait here。”
He pressed my shoulder down gently； trying to stick me where I stood。 Then he strode forward； making
no attempt to hide the sound of his footsteps。 He disappeared around the corner。
“Jared？” I heard him say； feigning surprise。
“I know it’s with you；” Jared answered。 He raised his voice； so that anyone between here and the main
plaza would hear。 “e out； e out； wherever you are；” he called； his voice hard and mocking。
CHAPTER 29
Betrayed
Maybe I should have run the other way。 But no one was holding me back now； and though his voice
was cold and angry； Jared was calling to me。 Melanie was even more eager than I was as I stepped
carefully around the corner and into the blue light； I hesitated there。
Ian stood just a few feet ahead of me； poised on the balls of his feet； ready for whatever hostile
movement Jared might make toward me。
Jared sat on the ground； on one of the mats Jamie and I had left here。 He looked as weary as Ian；
though his eyes； too； were more alert than the rest of his exhausted posture。
“At ease；” Jared said to Ian。 “I just want to talk to it。 I promised the kid； and I’ll stand by that promise。”
“Where’s Kyle？” Ian demanded。
“Snoring。 Your cave might shake apart from the vibrations。”
Ian didn’t move。
“I’m not lying； Ian。 And I’m not going to kill it。 Jeb is right。 No matter how messed up this stupid
situation is； Jamie has as much say as I do； and he’s been totally suckered； so I doubt he’ll be giving me
the go…ahead anytime soon。”
“No one’s been suckered；” Ian growled。
Jared waved his hand； dismissing the disagreement over terminology。 “It’s not in any danger from me； is
my point。” For the first time he looked at me； evaluating the way I hugged the far wall； watching my
hands tremble。 “I won’t hurt you again；” he said to me。
I took a small step forward。
“You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to； Wanda；” Ian said quickly。 “This isn’t a duty or a
chore to be done。 It’s not mandatory。 You have a choice。”
Jared’s eyebrows pulled low over his eyes—Ian’s words confused him。
“No；” I whispered。 “I’ll talk to him。” I took another short step。 Jared turned his hand palm up and curled
his fingers twice； encouraging me forward。
I walked slowly； each step an individual movement followed by a pause； not part of a steady advance。 I
stopped a yard away from him。 Ian shadowed each step； keeping close to my side。
“I’d like to talk to it alone； if you don’t mind；” Jared said to him。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
“No； Ian； it’s okay。 Go get some sleep。 I’ll be fine。” I nudged his arm lightly。
Ian scrutinized my face； his expression dubious。 “This isn’t some death wish？ Sparing the kid？” he
demanded。
“No。 Jared wouldn’t lie to Jamie about this。”
Jared scowled when I said his name； the sound of it full of confidence。
“Please； Ian；” I pleaded。 “I want to talk to him。”
Ian looked at me for a long minute； then turned to scowl at Jared。 He barked out each sentence like an
order。
“Her name isWanda； notit。 You will not touch her。 Any mark you leave on her； I will double on your
worthless hide。”
I winced at the threat。
Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness。
It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappeared。 I looked at
Jared’s face first； while he still stared after Ian。 When he turned to meet my gaze； I dropped my eyes。
“Wow。 He’s not kidding； is he？” Jared said。
I treated that as a rhetorical question。
“Why don’t you have a seat？” he asked me； patting the mat be…side him。
I deliberated for a moment； then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole； putting the length
of the mat between us。 Melanie didn’t like this； she wanted to be near him； for me to smell his scent and
feel the warmth of his body beside me。
I did not want that—and it wasn’t because I was afraid he would hurt me； he didn’t look angry at the
moment； only tired and wary。 I just didn’t want to be any closer to him。 Something in my chest was
hurting to have him so near—to have him hating me in such close proximity。
He watched me； his head tilted to the side； I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to look
away。
“I’m sorry about last night—about your face。 I shouldn’t have done that。”
I stared at my hands； knotted together in a double fist on my lap。
“You don’t have to be afraid of me。”
I nodded； not looking at him。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
I shrugged。 I couldn’t find my voice with the weight of his antagonism in the air between us。
I heard him move。 He scooted down the mat until he sat right beside me—the way Melanie had hoped
for。 Too close—it was hard to think straight； hard to breathe right—but I couldn’t bring myself to scoot
away。 Oddly； for this was what she’d wanted in the first place； Melanie was suddenly irritated。
What？I asked； startled by the intensity of he