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my condition。
Nothing was broken—except maybe Jared’s nose。 I shook my head slowly。 Jamie and Jared should not
be fighting。 I was causing them so much turmoil and unhappiness。 I sighed and went back to my
assessment。 There was a vast sore spot in the center of my back； and the side of my face felt raw and
As I realized that； I was unexpectedly overwhelmed by relief。
I was alive。 Jared had had his chance to kill me and he had not used it。 He’d gone after Jamie instead； to
make things right between them。 So whatever damage I was doing to their relationship； it was probably
not irreparable。
It had been a long day—the day had already been long even before Jared and the others had shown up；
and that seemed like eons ago。 I closed my eyes where I was and fell asleep on the rice。
CHAPTER 28
Unenlightened
It was disorienting to wake in the absolute dark。 In the past months； I’d gotten used to having the sun tell
me it was morning。 At first I thought it must still be night； but then； feeling the sting of my face and the
ache of my back； I remembered where I was。
Beside me； I could hear the sound of quiet； even breathing； it did not frighten me； because it was the
most familiar of sounds here。 I was not surprised that Jamie had crept back and slept beside me last
night。
Maybe it was the change in my breathing that woke him； maybe it was just that our schedules had
bee synchronized。 But seconds after I was conscious； he gave a little gasp。
“Wanda？” he whispered。
“I’m right here。”
He sighed in relief。
“It’s really dark here；” he said。
“Yes。”
“You think it’s breakfast time yet？”
“I don’t know。”
“I’m hungry。 Let’s go see。”
I didn’t answer him。
He interpreted my silence correctly； as the balk it was。 “You don’t have to hide out here； Wanda；” he
said earnestly； after waiting a moment for me to speak。 “I talked to Jared last night。 He’s going to stop
picking on you—he promised。”
I almost smiled。 Picking on me。
Mel？ Is this best？
I don’t know。She was torn。 She knew she couldn’t be objective； she wanted to see Jared。
That’s crazy； you know。
Not as crazy as the fact that you want to see him； too。
“Fine； Jamie；” I agreed。 “But don’t get upset when it’s not the same as before； okay？ If things get ugly…
Well； just don’t be surprised。”
“It’ll be okay。 You’ll see。”
I let him lead the way out of the dark； towing me by the hand he still held。 I braced myself as we entered
the big garden cavern； I couldn’t be sure of anyone’s reaction to me today。 Who knew what had been
said as I slept？
But the garden was empty； though the sun was bright in the morning sky。 It reflected off the hundreds of
mirrors； momentarily blinding me。
Jamie was not interested in the vacant cave。 His eyes were on my face； and he sucked in a sharp breath
through his teeth as the light touched my cheek。
“Oh；” he gasped。 “Are you okay？ Does that hurt bad？”
I touched my face lightly。 The skin felt rough—grit crusted in the blood。 It throbbed where my fingers
brushed。
“It’s fine；” I whispered； the empty cavern made me wary—I didn’t want to speak too loudly。 “Where is
everybody？”
Jamie shrugged； his eyes still tight as they surveyed my face。 “Busy； I guess。” He didn’t lower his voice。
This reminded me of last night； of the secret he wouldn’t tell me。 My eyebrows pulled together。
What do you think he’s not telling us？
You know what I know； Wanda。
You’re human。 Aren’t you supposed to have intuition or something？
Intuition？ My intuition tells me that we don’t know this place as well as we thought we did；
Melanie said。
We pondered the ominous sound of that。
The kitchen was not even half full—an oddity for this time of the morning。 But I barely noticed that；
because the smell ing from the banked stone oven overruled every other thought。
“Oooh；” Jamie moaned。 “Eggs！”
Jamie pulled me faster now； and I had no reluctance to keep pace with him。 We hurried； stomachs
growling； to the counter by the oven where Lucina； the mother； stood with a plastic ladle in her hand。
Breakfast was usually serve…yourself； but then breakfast was also usually tough bread rolls。
She looked only at the boy as she spoke。 “They tasted better an hour ago。”
“They’ll taste just fine now；” Jamie countered enthusiastically。 “Has everyone eaten？”
“Pretty much。 I think they took a tray down to Doc and the rest。…” Lucina trailed off； and her eyes
flickered to me for the first time； Jamie’s eyes did the same。 I didn’t understand the expression that
crossed Lucina’s features—it disappeared too quickly； replaced by something else as she appraised the
new marks on my face。
“How much is left？” Jamie asked。 His eagerness sounded a trifle forced now。
Lucina turned and bent； tugging a metal pan off the hot stones in the bottom of the oven with the bowl of
the ladle。 “How much do you want； Jamie？ There’s plenty；” she told him without turning。
“Pretend I’m Kyle；” he said with a laugh。
“A Kyle…sized portion it is；” Lucina said； but when she smiled； her eyes were unhappy。
She filled one of the soup bowls to overflowing with slightly rubbery scrambled eggs； stood up； and
handed it to Jamie。
She eyed me again； and I understood whatthis look was for。
“Let’s sit over there； Jamie；” I said； nudging him away from the counter。
He stared in amazement。 “Don’t you want any？”
“No； I’m —” I was about to say “fine” again； when my stomach gurgled disobediently。
“Wanda？” He looked at me； then back at Lucina； who had her arms folded across her chest。
“I’ll just have bread；” I muttered； trying to shove him away。
“No。 Lucina； what’s the problem？” He looked at her expectantly。 She didn’t move。 “If you’re done
here； I’ll take over；” he suggested； his eyes narrowing and his mouth setting in a stubborn line。
Lucina shrugged and set the ladle on the stone counter。 She walked away slowly； not looking at me
“Jamie；” I muttered urgently under my breath。 “This food isn’t meant for me。 Jared and the others
weren’t risking their lives so that I could have eggs for breakfast。 Bread is fine。”
“Don’t be stupid； Wanda；” Jamie said。 “You live here now； just like the rest of us。 Nobody minds it
when you wash their clothes or bake their bread。 Besides； these eggs aren’t going to last much longer。 If
you don’t eat them； they’ll get thrown out。”
I felt all the eyes in the room boring into my back。
“That might be preferable to some；” I said even more quietly。 No one but Jamie could possibly hear。
“Forget that；” Jamie growled。 He hopped over the counter and filled another bowl with eggs； which he
then shoved at me。 “You’re going to eat every bite；” he told me resolutely。
I looked at the bowl。 My mouth watered。 I pushed the eggs a few inches away from me and then folded
my arms。
Jamie frowned。 “Fine；” he said； and shoved his own bowl across the counter。 “You don’t eat； I don’t
eat。” His stomach