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It felt very strange。
“I should roll him right back in there and kick him over the edge myself。”
I shook my head frantically； making it throb in pain。 “No。”
“Saves time。 Jeb made the rules clear。 You try to hurt someone here； there are penalties。 There’ll be a
tribunal。”
I tried to pull away from him； but he tightened his grip。 It wasn’t frightening； not like the way Kyle had
grabbed me。 But it was upsetting—it threw me off balance。 “No。 You can’t do that； because no one
broke the rules。 The floor collapsed； that’s all。”
“Wanda —”
“He’s your brother。”
“He did nothing。 He is human；” I whispered。 “This is his place； not mine。”
“We’re not having this discussion again。 Your definition of human is not the same as mine。 To you； it
means something… negative。 To me； it’s a pliment—and by my definition； you are and he isn’t。 Not
after this。”
“Human isn’t a negative to me。 I know you now。 But Ian； he’s yourbrother 。”
“A fact that shames me。”
I pushed away from him again。 This time； he let me go。 It might have had something to do with the moan
of pain that escaped my lips when I moved my leg。
“Are you okay？”
“I think so。 We need to find Doc； but I don’t know if I can walk。 I—I hit my leg； when I fell。”
A growl strangled in his throat。 “Which leg？ Let me see。”
I tried to straighten out my hurt leg—it was the right one—and groaned again。 His hands started at my
ankle； testing the bones； the joints。 He rotated my ankle carefully。
“Higher。 Here。” I pulled his hand to the back of my thigh； just above the knee。 I moaned again when he
pressed the sore place。 “It’s not broken or anything； I don’t think。 Just really sore。”
“Deep muscle bruise； at least；” he muttered。 “And how did this happen？”
“Must have… landed on a rock when I fell。”
He sighed。 “Okay； let’s get you to Doc。”
“Kyle needs him more than I do。”
“I have to go find Doc anyway—or some help。 I can’t carry Kyle that far； but I can certainly carry you。
Oops—hold on。”
He turned abruptly and ducked back into the river room。 I decided I wouldn’t argue with him。 I wanted
to see Walter before… Doc had promised to wait for me。 Would that first dose of painkiller wear off
soon？ My head swam。 There was so much to worry about； and I was so tired。 The adrenaline had
drained； leaving me empty。
Ian came back with the gun。 I frowned because this reminded me that I’d wished for it before。 I didn’t
like that。
“Let’s go。”
Without thinking； he handed the gun to me。 I let it fall into my open palms； but I couldn’t curl my hands
back of my head； the back of my leg—from resting on him too hard。
“How’d your clothes get so wet？” he asked。 We were passing under one of the fist…sized skylights； and
I could see the hint of a grim smile on his pale lips。
“I don’t know；” I muttered。 “Steam？”
We passed into darkness again。
“You’re missing a shoe。”
“Oh。”
We passed through another beam of light； and his eyes flashed sapphire。 They were serious now； locked
on my face。
“I’m…very glad that you weren’t hurt； Wanda。 Hurt worse； I should say。”
I didn’t answer。 I was afraid of giving him something to use against Kyle。
Jeb found us just before we hit the big cave。 There was enough light for me to see the sharp glint of
curiosity in his eyes when he saw me in Ian’s arms； face bleeding； the gun resting gingerly on my open
hands。
“You were right； then；” Jeb guessed。 The curiosity was strong； but the steel in his tone was stronger。 His
jaw was tight beneath the fan of his beard。 “I didn’t hear a shot。 Kyle？”
“He’s unconscious；” I said in a rush。 “You need to warn everyone—part of the floor collapsed in the
river room。 I don’t know how stable it is now。 Kyle hit his head really hard trying to get out of the way。
He needs Doc。”
Jeb raised one eyebrow so high it almost touched the faded bandanna at his hairline。
“That’s the story；” Ian said； making no effort to conceal his doubt。 “And she’s apparently sticking to it。”
Jeb laughed。 “Let me take that off your hands；” he said to me。
I let him have the gun willingly。 He laughed again at my expression。
“I’ll get Andy and Brandt to help me with Kyle。 We’ll follow behind you。”
“Keep a close eye on him when he wakes up；” Ian said in a hard tone。
“Can do。”
Jeb slouched off； looking for more hands。 Ian hurried me toward the hospital cave。
“Kyle’s head is harder than any rock in this place。”
The long tunnel felt longer than usual。 Was Kyle dying； despite my efforts？ Was he conscious again and
looking for me？ What about Walter？ Was he sleeping… or gone？ Had the Seeker given up her hunt； or
would she be back now that it was light again？
Will Jared still be with Doc？Mel added her questions to mine。Will he be angry when he sees you？
Will he know me？
When we reached the sunlit southern cave； Jared and Doc didn’t look like they’d moved much。 They
leaned； side by side； against Doc’s makeshift desk。 It was quiet as we approached。 They weren’t talking；
just watching Walter sleep。
They started up with wide eyes as Ian carried me into the light and laid me on the cot next to Walter’s。
He straightened my right leg carefully。
Walter was snoring。 That sound eased some of my tension。
“What now？” Doc demanded angrily。 He was bending over me as soon as the words were out； wiping
at the blood on my cheek。
Jared’s face was frozen in surprise。 He was being careful； not letting the expression give way to anything
else。
“Kyle；” Ian answered at the same time that I said； “The floor —”
Doc looked back and forth between us； confused。
Ian sighed and rolled his eyes。 Absently； he laid one hand lightly on my forehead。 “The floor crumbled by
the first river hole。 Kyle fell back and cracked his head on a rock。 Wanda saved his worthless life。 She
says she fell； too； when the floor gave。” Ian gave Doc a meaningful look。“Something；” he said the word
sarcastically； “bashed the back of her head pretty good。” He started listing。 “Her nose is bleeding but not
broken； I don’t think。 She’s got some damage to the muscle here。” He touched my sore thigh。 “Knees
sliced up pretty good； got her face again； but I think maybe I did that； trying to pull Kyle out of the hole。
Shouldn’t have bothered。” Ian muttered the last part。
“Anything else？” Doc asked。 At that moment； his fingers； probing along my side； reached the place
where Kyle had punched me。 I gasped。
Doc tugged my shirt up； and I heard both Ian and Jared hiss at what they saw。
“Let me guess；” Ian said in a voice like ice。 “You fell on a rock。”
“Good guess；” I agreed； breathless。 Doc was still touching my side； and I was trying to hold back
whimpers。
“Might have broken a rib； not sure；” Doc murmured。 “I wish I could give you something for the pain —”
“No； it will take some time to sleep that dose off；” Doc said。 He took my hand and started bending my
wrist； my elbow。
“I