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what I was doing。”
The Seeker scowled at me and smoothed the front of her outfit。 “You’re not well； and I suppose I
startled you。”
“I wasn’t expecting to see you；” I whispered。 “Why are you here？”
“Let’s get you to a Healing facility before we speak。 If you have a flu； you should get it healed。 There’s
no point in letting it wear your body down。”
“I don’t have a flu。 I’m not ill。”
“Did you eat bad food？ You must report where you got it。”
Her prying was very annoying。 “I did not eat bad food； either。 I’m healthy。”
“Why don’t you have a Healer check？ A quick scan—you shouldn’t neglect your host。 That’s
irresponsible。 Especially when health care is so easy and effective。”
I took a deep breath and resisted the urge to shake her again。 She was a full head shorter than I was。 It
was a fight I would win。
A fight？ I turned away from her and walked swiftly toward my home。 I was dangerously emotional。 I
needed to calm down before I did something inexcusable。
“Wanderer？ Wait！ The Healer —”
“I need no Healer；” I said without turning。 “That was just… an emotional imbalance。 I’m fine now。”
She was soon bored。
“So； Wanderer… or do you still go by that name？ I don’t mean to be rude in calling you that。”
I didn’t look at her。 “I still go by Wanderer。”
“Interesting。 I pegged you for one that would choose her own。”
“Idid choose。 I chose Wanderer。”
It had long been clear to me that the mild spat I’d overheard the first day I woke in the Healing facility
was the Seeker’s fault。 The Seeker was the most confrontational soul I’d e across in nine lives。 My
first Healer； Fords Deep Waters； had been calm； kind； and wise； even for a soul。 Yet he had not been
able to help reacting to her。 That made me feel better about my own response。
I turned around to face her。 She was on my small couch； nestled in fortably as if for a long visit。 Her
expression was self…satisfied； the bulging eyes amused。 I controlled the desire to scowl。
“Why are you here？” I asked again。 My voice was a monotone。 Restrained。 I would not lose control
again in front of this woman。
“It’s been a while since I heard anything from you； so I thought I would check in personally。 We’ve still
made no headway in your case。”
My hands clamped down on the edge of the counter behind me； but I kept the wild relief from my voice。
“That seems… overzealous。 Besides； I sent you a message last night。”
Her eyebrows came together in that way she had； a way that made her look angry and annoyed at the
same time； as if you； not she； were responsible for her anger。 She pulled out her palm puter and
touched the screen a few times。
“Oh；” she said stiffly。 “I haven’t checked my mail today。”
She was quiet as she scanned through what I had written。
“I sent it very early in the morning；” I said。 “I was half asleep at the time。 I’m not sure how much of what
I wrote was memory or dream； or sleep…typing； maybe。”
I went along with the words—Melanie’s words—as they flowed easily from my mouth； I even added
my own lighthearted laugh at the end。 It was dishonest of me。 Shameful behavior。 But I would not let the
Seeker know that I was weaker than my host。
For once； Melanie was not smug at having bested me。 She was too relieved； too grateful that I had not；
for my own petty reasons； given her away。
I bit my lip hard。 Melanie wanted so badly to make another denial； to claim the boy was just part of a
dream。Don’t be stupid； I told her。That would be so obvious。 It said much for the repellent nature of the
Seeker that she could put Melanie and me on the same side of an argument。
I hate her。Melanie’s whisper was sharp； painful like a cut。
I know； I know。I wished I could deny that I felt… similarly。 Hate was an unforgivable emotion。 But the
Seeker was… very difficult to like。 Impossible。
The Seeker interrupted my internal conversation。 “So； other than the new location to review； you have
no more help for me on the road maps？”
I felt my body react to her critical tone。 “I never said they were lines on a road map。 That’s your
assumption。 And no； I have nothing else。”
She clicked her tongue quickly three times。 “But you said they were directions。”
“That’s what I think they are。 I’m not getting anything more。”
“Why not？ Haven’t you subdued the human yet？” She laughed loudly。 Laughing at me。
I turned my back to her and concentrated on calming myself。 I tried to pretend that she wasn’t there。
That I was all alone in my austere kitchen； staring out the window into the little patch of night sky； at the
three bright stars I could see through it。
Well； as alone as I ever was。
While I stared at the tiny points of light in the blackness； the lines that I’d seen over and over again—in
my dreams and in my broken memories； cropping up at strange； unrelated moments—flashed through my
head。
The first： a slow； rough curve； then a sharp turn north； another sharp turn back the other way； twisting
back to the north for a longer stretch； and then the abrupt southern decline that flattened out into another
shallow curve。
The second： a ragged zigzag； four tight switchbacks； the fifth point strangely blunt； like it was broken…
The third： a smooth wave； interrupted by a sudden spur that swung a thin； long finger out to the north
and back。
Inprehensible； seemingly meaningless。 But I knew this was important to Melanie。 From the very
beginning I’d known that。 She protected this secret more fiercely than any other； next to the boy； her
brother。 I’d had no idea of his existence before the dream last night。 I wondered what it was that had
broken her。 Maybe as she grew louder in my head； she would lose more of her secrets to me。
Maybe she would slip up； and I would see what these strange lines meant。 I knew they meant something。
That they led somewhere。
They led back to Jared； of course。 Back to both of them； Jared and Jamie。 Where else？ What other
location could possibly hold any meaning for her？ Only now I saw that it was notback； because none of
them had ever followed these lines before。 Lines that had been as much of a mystery to her as they were
to me； until…
The wall was slow to block me。 She was distracted； paying more attention to the Seeker than I was。
She fluttered in my head at a sound behind me； and that was the first I was aware of the Seeker’s
approach。
The Seeker sighed。 “I expected more of you。 Your track record seemed so promising。”
“It’s a pity you weren’t free for the assignment yourself。 I’m sure if you’d had to deal with a resistant
host； it would have been child’s play。” I didn’t turn to look at her。 My voice stayed level。
She sniffed。 “The early waves were challenging enough even without a resistant host。”
“Yes。 I’ve experienced a few settlings myself。”
The Seeker snorted。 “Were the See Weeds very difficult to tame？ Did they flee？”
I kept my voice calm。 “We had no trouble in the South Pole。 Of course； the North was another matter。
I