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“Is Melanie still alive； Wanda？ Please？”
He was probably a tool。 The old man could have sent him just for this； Jeb was smart enough to see
how easily Jamie broke through my defenses。 It was possible that Jeb was seeking confirmation for his
theory； and he wasn’t against using the boy to get it。 What would Jeb do when he was certain of the
Jamie’s body shook beside me。
He’s suffering；Melanie cried。 She battered ineffectually at my control。
But I couldn’t blame this on Melanie if it turned out to be a huge mistake。 I knew who was speaking
now。
“She promised she would e back； didn’t she？” I murmured。 “Would Melanie break a promise to
you？”
Jamie slid his arms around my waist and clung to me for a long time。 After a few minutes； he whispered；
“Love you； Mel。”
“She loves you； too。 She’s so happy that you’re here and safe。”
He was silent long enough for the tears on my skin to dry； leaving a fine； salty dust behind。
“Is everybody like that？” Jamie whispered long after I thought he’d fallen asleep。 “Does everybody
stay？”
“No；” I told him sadly。 “No。 Melanie is special。”
“She’s strong and brave。”
“Very。”
“Do you think…” He paused to sniff。 “Do you think that maybe Dad is still there； too？”
I swallowed； trying to move the lump farther down my throat。 It didn’t work。 “No； Jamie。 No； I don’t
think so。 Not like Melanie is。”
“Why？”
“Because he brought the Seekers looking for you。 Well； the soul inside him did。 Your father wouldn’t
have let that happen if he were still there。 Your sister never let me see where the cabin was—she didn’t
even let me know that you existed for the longest time。 She didn’t bring me here until she was sure that I
wouldn’t hurt you。”
It was too much information。 Only as I finished speaking did I realize that the doctor wasn’t snoring
anymore。 I could hear no noise from his breathing。 Stupid。 I cursed myself internally。
“Wow；” Jamie said。
I whispered into his ear； so close that there was no way the doctor could possibly overhear。 “Yes； she’s
very strong。”
Jamie strained to hear me； frowning； and then glanced at the opening to the dark hall。 He must have
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n
before。 “Why would you do that？ Not hurt us？ Isn’t that what you want？”
“No。 I don’t want to hurt you。”
“Why？”
“Your sister and I have… spent a lot of time together。 She shared you with me。 And… I started to… to
love you； too。”
“And Jared； too？”
I gritted my teeth for a second； chagrined that he had made the connection so easily。 “Of course I don’t
want anything to hurt Jared； either。”
“He hates you；” Jamie told me； plainly grieved by the fact。
“Yes。 Everyone does。” I sighed。 “I can’t blame them。”
“Jeb doesn’t。 And I don’t。”
“You might； after you think about it more。”
“But you weren’t even here when they took over。 You didn’t pick my dad or my mom or Melanie。 You
were in outer space then； right？”
“Yes； but I am what I am； Jamie。 I did what souls do。 I’ve had many hosts before Melanie； and
nothing’s stopped me from… taking lives。 Again and again。 It’s how I live。”
“Does Melanie hate you？”
I thought for a minute。 “Not as much as she used to。”
No。 I don’t hate you at all。 Not anymore。
“She says she doesn’t hate me at all anymore；” I murmured almost silently。
“How… how is she？”
“She’s happy to be here。 She’s so happy to see you。 She doesn’t even care that they’re going to kill us。”
Jamie stiffened under my arm。 “They can’t！ Not if Mel’s still alive！”
You’ve upset him；Melanie plained。You didn’t have to say that。
It won’t be any easier for him if he’s unprepared。
“They won’t believe that； Jamie；” I whispered。 “They’ll think I’m lying to trick you。 They’ll just want to
kill me more if you tell them that。 Only Seekers lie。”
The word made him shudder。
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。
I shrugged。
“I won’t let them kill her。”
His voice； though quiet as a breath； was fierce with determination。 I was paralyzed at the thought of him
being more involved with this situation； with me。 I thought of the barbarians he lived with。 Would his
age protect him from them if he tried to protect me？ I doubted it。 My thoughts scrambled； searching for
some way to dissuade him without triggering his stubbornness。
Jamie spoke before I could say anything； he was suddenly calm； as if the answer was plain in front of
him。 “Jared will think of something。 He always does。”
“Jared won’t believe you； either。 He’ll be the angriest of them all。”
“Even if he doesn’t believe it； he’ll protect her。 Just in case。”
“We’ll see；” I muttered。 I’d find the perfect words later—the argument that would not sound like an
argument。
Jamie was quiet； thinking。 Eventually； his breathing got slower； and his mouth fell open。 I waited until I
was sure he was deeply under； and then I crawled over him and very carefully shifted him from the floor
to the bed。 He was heavier than before； but I managed。 He didn’t wake。
I put Jared’s pillow back where it belonged； and then stretched out on the mat。
Well；I thought；I just hurled myself out of the frying pan。 But I was too tired to care what this would
mean tomorrow。 Within seconds； I was unconscious。
When I woke； the crevices in the ceiling were bright with echoed sunlight； and someone was whistling。
The whistling stopped。
“Finally；” Jeb muttered when my eyes fluttered。
I rolled onto my side so that I could look at him； as I moved； Jamie’s hand slid from my arm。 Sometime
in the night he must have reached out to me—well； not to me； to his sister。
Jeb was leaning against the natural rock door frame； his arms folded across his chest。 “Morning；” he
said。 “Get enough sleep？”
I stretched； decided that I felt acceptably rested； and then nodded。
“Oh； don’t give me the silent treatment again；” he plained； scowling。
“Sorry；” I murmured。 “I slept well； thank you。”
Jamie stirred at the sound of my voice。
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。
I was ridiculously touched that it was my silly nickname that he spoke on the edge of sleep。
“Yes？”
Jamie blinked and pulled his tangled hair out of his eyes。 “Oh； hey； Uncle Jeb。”
“My room not good enough for you； kid？”
“You snore real loud；” Jamie said； and then yawned。
“Haven’t I taught you anything？” Jeb asked him。 “Since when do you let a guest and a lady sleep on the
floor？”
Jamie sat up suddenly； staring around； disoriented。 He frowned。
“Don’t upset him；” I told Jeb。 “He insisted on taking the mat。 I moved him when he was asleep。”
Jamie snorted。 “Mel always used to do that； too。”
I widened my eyes slightly at him； trying to convey a warning。
Jeb chuckled。 I looked up at him； and he had that same pouncing…cat expression he’d had yesterday。
The solved…puzzle expression。 He walked over and kicked the edge of the mattress。