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to see Jared again。 Of course； I’d been similarly occupied。
Maybe he’s with Walter。 Maybe that’s where he’s been；Melanie thought hopefully。
That’s not why we’re going to see Walter。
No。 Of course not。Her tone was repentant； but I realized that Walter did not mean as much to her as he
did to me。 Naturally； she was sad that he was dying； but she had accepted that oute from the
beginning。 I； on the other hand； could not bring myself to accept it； even now。 Walter was my friend； not
hers。 I was the one he’d defended。
I hated this room。 In the darkness； with the odd shadows thrown by the weak glow； it seemed only
more forbidding。 There was a new smell—the room reeked of slow decay and stinging alcohol and bile。
Two of the cots were occupied。 Doc’s feet hung over the edge of one； I recognized his light snore。 On
the other； looking hideously withered and misshapen； Walter watched us approach。
“Are you up for visitors； Walt？” Ian whispered when Walter’s eyes drifted in his direction。
“Ungh；” Walter moaned。 His lips drooped from his slack face； and his skin gleamed wetly in the low
light。
“Is there anything you need？” I murmured。 I pulled my hands free—they fluttered helplessly in the air
between me and Walter。
His loosely rolling eyes searched the darkness。 I took a step closer。
“Is there anything we can do for you？ Anything at all？”
His eyes roamed till they found my face。 Abruptly； they focused through the drunken stupor and the
pain。
“Finally；” he gasped。 His breath wheezed and whistled。 “I knew you would e if I waited long
enough。 Oh； Gladys； I have so much to tell you。”
CHAPTER 31
Needed
Ifroze and then looked quickly over my shoulder to see if someone was behind me。
“Gladys was his wife；” Jamie whispered almost silently。 “She didn’t escape。”
“Gladys；” Walter said to me； oblivious to my reaction。 “Would you believe I went and got cancer？ What
are the odds； eh？ Never took a sick day in my life…” His voice faded out until I couldn’t hear it； but his
lips continued to move。 He was too weak to lift his hand； his fingers dragged themselves toward the edge
of the cot； toward me。
Ian nudged me forward。
“What should I do？” I breathed。 The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with the humid
heat。
“。 。 。 grandfather lived to be a hundred and one；” Walter wheezed； audible again。 “Nobody ever had
cancer in my family； not even the cousins。 Didn’t your aunt Regan have skin cancer； though？”
He looked at me trustingly； waiting for an answer。 Ian poked me in the back。
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。
“Maybe that was Bill’s aunt；” Walter allowed。
I shot a panicked glance at Ian； who shrugged。 “Help；” I mouthed at him。
He motioned for me to take Walter’s searching fingers。
Walter’s skin was chalk white and translucent。 I could see the faint pulse of blood in the blue veins on
the back of his hand。 I lifted his hand gingerly； worried about the slender bones that Jamie had said were
so brittle。 It felt too light； as if it were hollow。
“Ah； Gladdie； it’s been hard without you。 It’s a nice place here； you’ll like it； even when I’m gone。
Plenty of people to talk to—I know how you need to have your conversation。…” The volume of his
voice sank until I couldn’t make out the words anymore； but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to
share with his wife。 His mouth kept moving； even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side。
Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter’s shining face。
“I’m not good at… at deception；” I whispered； watching Walter’s mumbling lips to make sure he wasn’t
listening to me。 “I don’t want to upset him。”
“You don’t have to say anything；” Ian reassured me。 “He’s not lucid enough to care。”
“Do I look like her？”
“Not a bit—I’ve seen her picture。 Stocky redhead。”
“Here； let me do that。”
Ian gave me the rag； and I cleaned the sweat off Walter’s neck。 Busy hands always made me feel more
fortable。 Walter continued to mumble。 I thought I heard him say； “Thanks； Gladdie； that’s nice。”
I didn’t notice that Doc’s snores had stopped。 His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me； too
gentle to startle。
“How is he？”
“Delusional；” Ian whispered。 “Is that the brandy or the pain？”
“More the pain； I would think。 I’d trade my right arm for some morphine。”
“Maybe Jared will produce another miracle；” Ian suggested。
“Maybe；” Doc sighed。
I wiped absently at Walter’s pallid face； listening more intently now； but they didn’t speak of Jared
again。
Not here；Melanie whispered。
Alone；she added。
I thought about the last time I’d seen him—the kiss； the belief…He probably wanted some time to
himself。
I hope he isn’t out there convincing himself that you’re a very talented actress…slash…Seeker
again。…
That’s possible； of course。
Melanie groaned silently。
Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things； mostly Ian catching Doc up on what
was going on in the caves。
“What happened to Wanda’s face？” Doc whispered； but I could still hear him easily。
“More of the same；” Ian said in a tight voice。
Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue。
Ian told him a bit about tonight’s awkward class； about Geoffrey’s questions。
“It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer；” Doc mused。
I flinched； but they were behind me and probably didn’t notice。
“We’re lucky it was Wanda；” Ian murmured in my defense。 “No one else —”
“I know；” Doc interrupted； good…natured as always。 “I guess I should say； it’s too bad Wanda didn’t
have more of an interest in medicine。”
“I’m sorry；” I murmured。 Iwas careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious
about the cause。
A hand touched my shoulder。 “You have nothing to apologize for；” Ian said。
Jamie was being very quiet。 I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had
been napping。
“It’s late；” Doc noted。 “Walter’s not going anywhere tonight。 You should get some sleep。”
“We’ll be back；” Ian promised。 “Let us know what we can bring； for either of you。”
I laid Walter’s hand down； patting it cautiously。 His eyes snapped open； focusing with more awareness
than before。
“Are you leaving？” he wheezed。 “Do you have to go so soon？”
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”
He smiled and closed his eyes again。 His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength。
Ian sighed。
“You can go；” I told him。 “I don’t mind。 Take Jamie back to his bed。”
Ian glanced around the room。 “Hold on a sec；” he said； and then he grabbed the cot closest to him。 It
wasn’t heavy—he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter’s。 I stretched my arm to the limit；
trying not to jostle Walter； so that Ian could arrange the cot under it。 Then he grabbed me up