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“I truly love you； Ian。” It was the only way I could tell him goodbye。 The only way he would accept。 I
knew he would remember later and understand。 “With my whole soul； I love you。”
“I truly love you； too； my Wanderer。”
He nuzzled his face against mine until he found my lips； then he kissed me； slow and gentle； the flow of
molten rock swelling languidly in the dark at the center of the earth； until my shaking slowed。
“Sleep； Wanda。 Save it for tomorrow。 It will keep for the night。”
I nodded； moving my face against his； and sighed。
Ian was tired； too。 I didn’t have to wait long。 I stared at the ceiling—the stars had moved above the
cracks here。 I could see three of them now； where before there had been only two。 I watched them wink
and pulse across the blackness of space。 They did not call to me。 I had no desire to join them。
One at a time； Ian’s arms fell away from me。 He flopped onto his back； muttering in his sleep。 I didn’t
dare wait any longer； I wanted too badly to stay； to fall asleep with him and steal one more day。
I moved cautiously； but he was in no danger of waking。 His breathing was heavy and even。 He wouldn’t
open his eyes till morning。
I brushed his smooth forehead with my lips； then rose and slid out the door。
It was not late； and the caves were not empty。 I could hear voices bouncing around； strange echoes that
might have been ing from anywhere。 I didn’t see anyone until I was in the big cave。 Geoffrey； Heath；
and Lily were on their way back from the kitchen。 I kept my eyes down； though I was very glad to see
Lily。 In the brief glimpse I allowed myself； I could see that she was at least standing upright； her shoulders
straight。 Lily was tough。 Like Mel。 She’d make it； too。
I hurried to the southern corridor； relieved when I was safe in the blackness there。 Relieved and
horrified。 It was really over now。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
Before Mel could respond； a heavy hand dropped on my shoulder from the darkness。
“Going somewhere？”
CHAPTER 58
Finished
Iwas so tightly wound that I shrieked in terror； I was so terrified that my shriek was only a breathless
little squeal。
“Sorry！” Jared’s arm went around my shoulders； forting。 “I’m sorry。 I didn’t mean to scare you。”
“What are you doing here？” I demanded； still breathless。
“Following you。 I’ve been following you all night。”
“Well； stop it now。”
There was a hesitation in the dark； and his arm didn’t move。 I shrugged out from under it； but he caught
my wrist。 His grip was firm； I wouldn’t be able to shake free easily。
“You’re going to see Doc？” he asked； and there was no confusion in the question。 It was obvious that
he wasn’t talking about a social visit。
“Of course I am。” I hissed the words so that he wouldn’t hear the panic in my voice。 “What else can I
do after today？ It’s not going to get any better。 And this isn’t Jeb’s decision to make。”
“I know。 I’m on your side。”
It made me angry that these words still had the power to hurt me； to bring tears stinging into my eyes。 I
tried to hold on to the thought of Ian—he was the anchor； as Kyle somehow had been for Sunny—but it
was hard with Jared’s hand touching me； with the smell of him in my nose。 Like trying to make out the
song of one violin when the entire percussion section was bashing away…
“Then let me go； Jared。 Go away。 I want to be alone。” The words came out fierce and fast and hard。 It
was easy to hear that they weren’t lies。
“I should e with you。”
“You’ll have Melanie back soon enough；” I snapped。 “I’m only asking for a few minutes； Jared。 Give me
that much。”
Another pause； his hand didn’t loosen。
“Wanda； I would e to be with you。”
The tears spilled over。 I was grateful for the darkness。
Of course Jared could not be allowed to be there。 Only Doc could be trusted。 Only he had promised
me。 And I wasn’t leaving this planet。 I wasn’t going to go live as a Dolphin or a Flower； always grieving
for the loves I’d left behind me； all dead by the time I opened my eyes again—if I even had eyes。 This
wasmy planet； and they wouldn’t make me leave。 I would stay in the dirt； in the dark grotto with my
friends。 A human grave for the human I had bee。
“But Wanda； I… There’s so much that I need to say to you。”
“I don’t want your gratitude； Jared。 Trust me on that。”
“Whatdo you want？” he whispered； his voice strained and choked。 “I would give you anything。”
“Take care of my family。 Don’t let the others kill them。”
“Of course I’ll take care of them。” He dismissed my request brusquely。 “I meantyou。 What can I give
you？”
“I can’t take anything with me； Jared。”
“Not even a memory； Wanda？ What do you want？”
I brushed the tears away with my free hand； but others took their place too quickly for it to matter。 No； I
couldn’t take even a memory。
“What can I give you； Wanda？” he insisted。
I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady。
“Give me a lie； Jared。 Tell me you want me to stay。”
There was no hesitation this time。 His arms wound around me in the dark； held me securely against his
chest。 He pressed his lips against my forehead； and I felt his breath move my hair when he spoke。
Melanie was holding her breath in my head。 She was trying to bury herself again； trying to give memy
freedom for these last minutes。 Maybe she was afraid to listen to these lies。 She wouldn’t want this
memory when I was gone。
“Stay here； Wanda。 With us。 Withme。 I don’t want you to go。 Please。 I can’t imagine having you gone。 I
can’tsee that。 I don’t know how to… how to…” His voice broke。
He was a very good liar。 And he must have been very； very sure of me to say those things。
I rested against him for a moment； but I could feel the time pulling me away。 Time was up。 Time was up。
“Thank you；” I whispered； and I tried to extricate myself。
His arms tightened。 “I’m not done。”
Our faces were only inches apart。 He closed the distance； and even here； on the edge of my last breath
It wasn’t the same； though。 I could feel that。 This was for me。 It was my name that he gasped when he
held this body—and he thought of it as my body； thought of it as me。 I could feel the difference。 For one
moment； it was just us； just Wanderer and Jared； both of us burning。
No one had ever lied better than Jared lied with his body in my last minutes； and for that I was grateful。 I
couldn’t take it with me； because I wasn’t going anywhere； but it eased some of the pain of leaving。 I
could believe the lie。 I could believe that he would miss me so much that it might even mar some of his
joy。 I shouldn’t want that； but it felt good to believe it anyway。
I couldn’t ignore the time； the seconds ticking like a countdown。 Even on fire； I could feel them dragging
at me； sucking me down the dark corridor。 Taking me away from all this heat and feeling。
I managed to pull my lips away from his。 We panted in the dark； our breath warm