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black letters faced me directly。
“This is the place we want。 They’re unloading occupied tanks right now。 The empty ones won’t be far…
Ah！ There； on the other side。 That shed is half full of them。 I’ll bet the closed sheds are all the way full。”
Jared kept driving at the same careful speed； turning the corner to the side of the building。
He snorted quietly。
“What？” I asked。
“Figures。 See？”
He jerked his chin toward the sign on the building。
This was the maternity wing。
His eyes flashed to my face when I said that； and then back to the road。
“We’ll have to wait for a bit。 Looked like they were almost finished。”
Jared circled the hospital again； then parked at the back of the biggest lot； away from the lights。
He killed the engine and slumped against the seat。 He reached over and took my hand。 I knew that he
was about to ask； and I tried to prepare myself。
“Wanda？”
“Yes？”
“You’re going to save the Seeker； aren’t you？”
“Yes； I am。”
“Because it’s the right thing to do？” he guessed。
“That’s one reason。”
He was silent for a moment。
“You know how to get the soul out without hurting the body？”
My heart thumped hard once； and I had to swallow before I could answer。 “Yes。 I’ve done it before。 In
an emergency。 Not here。”
“Where？” he asked。 “What was the emergency？”
It was a story I’d never told them before； for obvious reasons。 It was one of my best。 Lots of action。
Jamie would have loved it。 I sighed and began in a low voice。
“On the Mists Planet。 I was with my friend Harness Light and a guide。 I don’t remember the guide’s
name。 They called me Lives in the Stars there。 I already had a bit of a reputation。”
Jared chuckled。
“We were making a pilgrimage across the fourth great ice field to see one of the more celebrated crystal
cities。 It was supposed to be a safe route—that’s why there were only three of us。
“Claw beasts like to dig pits and bury themselves in the snow。 Camouflage； you know。 A trap。
“One moment； there was nothing but the flat； endless snow。 Then； the next moment； it seemed like the
entire field of white was exploding into the sky。
“An average adult Bear has about the mass of a buffalo。 A full…grown claw beast is closer to the mass of
a blue whale。 This one was bigger than most。
A car drove slowly down the side of the parking lot。 We sat silent until it had passed。
“I hesitated。 I should have started running； but… my friend was dying there on the ice。 Because of that
hesitation； I would have died； too； if the claw beast hadn’t been distracted。 I found out later that our
guide—I wish I could remember his name！—had attacked the claw beast’s tail； hoping to give us a
chance to run。 The claw beast’s attack had stirred up enough snow that it was like a blizzard。 The lack of
visibility would help us escape。 He didn’t know it was already too late for Harness Light to run。
“The claw beast turned on the guide； and his second left leg kicked us； sending me flying。 Harness
Light’s upper body landed beside me。 His blood melted the snow。”
I paused to shudder。
“My next action made no sense； because I had no body for Harness Light。 We were midway between
cities； much too far to run to either。 It was probably cruel； too； to take him out with no painkillers。 But I
couldn’t stand to let him die inside the broken half of his Bear host。
“I used the back of my hand—the ice…cutting side。 It was too wide a blade… It caused a lot of damage。
I could only hope that Harness Light was far gone enough that he wouldn’t feel the extra pain。
“Using my soft inside fingers； I coaxed Harness Light from the Bear’s brain。
“He was still alive。 I barely paused to ascertain this。 I shoved him into the egg pocket in the center of my
body； between the two hottest hearts。 This would keep him from dying of cold； but he would only last a
few short minutes without a body。 And where would I find a host body in this empty waste？
“I thought of trying to share my host； but I doubted I could stay conscious through the procedure to
insert him into my own head。 And then； having no healing medicine； I would die quickly。 With all those
hearts； Bears bled very fast。
“The claw beast roared； and I felt the ground shake as its huge paws thudded down。 I didn’t know
where our guide was； or if he lived。 I didn’t know how long it would take the claw beast to find us
half…buried in the snow。 I was right beside the severed Bear。 The bright blood would draw the monster’s
eyes。
“And then I got this crazy idea。”
I paused to laugh quietly to myself。
“I didn’t have a Bear host for Harness Light。 I couldn’t use my body。 The guide was dead or had fled。
But there wasone other body on the ice field。
“It was insanity； but all I could think of was Harness Light。 We weren’t even close friends； but I knew he
was slowly dying； right between my hearts。 I couldn’t endure that。
“I made it to the beast’s back and ran up the double spine； digging in with my knives so that it couldn’t
shake me off。
“It only took seconds to get up to the beast’s head。 But that was where the greatest difficulty waited。
My ice cutters were only… about as long as your forearm； maybe。 The claw beast’s hide was twice as
thick。 I swung my arm down as hard as I could； slashing through the first layer of fur and membrane。 The
claw beast screamed and reared back on its hindmost legs。 I almost fell。
“I lodged four of my hands into its hide—it screamed and thrashed。 With the other two； I took turns
cutting at the gash I’d made。 The skin was so thick and tough； I didn’t know if I would be able to saw
through。
“The claw beast went berserk。 It shook so hard that it was all I could do to hold on for a moment。 But
time was running out for Harness Light。 I shoved my hands into the hole and tried to rip it open。
“Then the claw beast threw itself backward onto the ice。
“If we hadn’t been over its lair； the pit it had dug to hide in； that would have crushed me。 As it was；
though it knocked me silly； the fall actually helped。 My knives were already in the beast’s neck。 When I
hit the ground； the weight of the beast drove my cutters deep through its skin。 Deeper than I needed。
“We were both stunned； I was half smothered。 I knew I had to do something right away； but I couldn’t
remember what it was。 The beast started to roll； dazed。 The fresh air cleared my head； and I
remembered Harness Light。
“Protecting him from the cold as well as I could in the soft side of my hands； I moved him from my egg
pocket into the claw beast’s neck。
“The beast got to its feet and bucked again。 This time I flew off。 I’d let go of my hold to insert Harness
Light； you see。 The claw beast was infuriated。 The wound on its head wasn’t nearly enough to kill it—just
annoy it。
“The snow had settled enough that I was in plain sight； especially as I was painted with the beast’s
blood。 It’s a very bright color； a color you don’t have here。 It raised its pincers； and they sw