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hurt； but the event seems to have answered any questions they might have had about what happened to
our guest here。”
I wondered how they were able to spy on the Seekers who searched for me—to see so much。 I felt
strangely exposed by the idea。 I didn’t like the picture in my head： the humans invisible； watching the
souls they hated。 The thought made the skin on the back of my neck prickle。
“So they packed up and left。 The Seekers gave up the search。 All the volunteers went home。 No one is
looking for it。” His profile turned toward me； and I hunched down； hoping it was too dark to see me in
here—that； like his face； I would appear as only a black shape。 “I imagine it’s been declared officially
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e
who’ll stand still long enough to hear it。”
Jared grumbled something incoherent； I could only pick out Jeb’s name。 Then he inhaled a sharp breath；
blew it out； and said； “All right； then。 I guess that’s the end of it。”
“That’s what it looks like。” Ian hesitated for a moment and then added； “Except… Well； it’s probably
nothing at all。”
Jared tensed again； he didn’t like having his intelligence edited。 “Go on。”
“No one but Kyle thinks much of it； and you know how Kyle is。”
Jared grunted his assent to that。
“You’ve got the best instincts for this kind of thing； I wanted your opinion。 That’s why I’m here； taking
my life into my hands to infiltrate the restricted area；” Ian said dryly； and then his voice was utterly serious
again。 “You see； there’s this one… a Seeker； no doubt about that—it packs a Glock。”
It took me a second to understand the word he used。 It wasn’t a familiar part of Melanie’s vocabulary。
When I understood that he was talking about a kind of gun； the wistful； envious tone in his voice made
me feel slightly ill。
“Kyle was the first to notice how this one stood out。 It didn’t seem important to the rest—certainly not
part of the decision…making process。 Oh； it had suggestions enough； from what we could see； but no one
seemed to listen to it。 Wish we could’ve heard what it was saying。…”
My skin prickled anxiously again。
“Anyway；” Ian continued； “when they called off the search； this one wasn’t happy with the decision。 You
know how the parasites are always so… verypleasant？ This was weird—it’s the closest I’ve ever seen
them e to an argument。 Not a real argument； because none of the others argued back； but the
unhappy one sure looked like it was arguing withthem。 The core group of Seekers disregarded
it—they’re all gone。”
“But the unhappy one？” Jared asked。
“It got in a car and drove halfway to Phoenix。 Then it drove back to Tucson。 Then it drove west again。”
“Still searching。”
“Or very confused。 It stopped at that convenience store by the peak。 Talked to the parasite that worked
there； though that one had already been questioned。”
“Huh；” Jared grunted。 He was interested now； concentrating on the puzzle。
“Then it went for a hike up the peak—stupid little thing。 Had to be burning alive； wearing black from
head to toe。”
A spasm rocked through my body； I found myself off the floor； cringing against the back wall of my cell。
My hands flew up instinctively to protect my face。 I heard a hiss echo through the small space； and only
“What wasthat？ ” Ian asked； his voice shocked。
I peeked through my fingers to see both of their faces leaning through the hole toward me。 Ian’s was
black； but part of Jared’s was lit； his features hard as stone。
I wanted to be still； invisible； but tremors I couldn’t control were shaking violently down my spine。
Jared leaned away and came back with the lamp in his hands。
“Look at its eyes；” Ian muttered。 “It’s frightened。”
I could see both their expressions now； but I looked only at Jared。 His gaze was tightly focused on me；
calculating。 I guessed he was thinking through what Ian had said； looking for the trigger to my behavior。
My body wouldn’t stop shaking。
She’ll never give up；Melanie moaned。
I know； I know；I moaned back。
When had our distaste turned to fear？ My stomach knotted and heaved。 Why couldn’t she just let me be
dead like the rest of them had？ When Iwas dead； would she hunt me still？
“Who is the Seeker in black？” Jared suddenly barked at me。
My lips trembled； but I didn’t answer。 Silence was safest。
“I know you can talk；” Jared growled。 “You talk to Jeb and Jamie。 And now you’re going to talk to
me。”
He climbed into the mouth of the cave； huffing with surprise at how tightly he had to fold himself to
manage it。 The low ceiling forced him to kneel； and that didn’t make him happy。 I could see he’d rather
stand over me。
I had nowhere to run。 I was already wedged into the deepest corner。 The cave barely had room for the
two of us。 I could feel his breath on my skin。
“Tell me what you know；” he ordered。
CHAPTER 19
Abandoned
Who is the Seeker in black？ Why is it still searching？” Jared’s shout was deafening； echoing at me from
all sides。
I hid behind my hands； waiting for the first blow。
“Ah—Jared？” Ian murmured。 “Maybe you should let me…”
Ian’s voice got closer； and the rocks grated as he tried to follow Jared into the small space that was
already too full。 “Can’t you see it’s too scared to talk？ Leave it alone for a sec —”
I heard something scrape the floor as Jared moved； and then a thud。 Ian cursed。 I peered through my
fingers to see that Ian was no longer visible and Jared had his back to me。
Ian spit and groaned。 “That’s twice；” he growled； and I understood that the punch meant for me had
been diverted by Ian’s interference。
“I’m ready to go for three；” Jared muttered； but he turned back around to face me； bringing light with
him； he’d grabbed the lamp with the hand that had struck Ian。 The cave seemed almost brilliant after so
much darkness。
Jared spoke to me again； scrutinizing my face in the new illuminations； making each word a sentence。
“Who。 Is。 The。 Seeker。”
I dropped my hands and stared into his pitiless eyes。 It bothered me that someone else had suffered for
my silence—even someone who had once tried to kill me。 This was not how torture was supposed to
work。
Jared’s expression wavered as he read the change in mine。 “I don’t have to hurt you；” he said quietly；
not as sure of himself。 “But I do have to know the answer to my question。”
This wasn’t even the right question—not a secret I was in any way bound to protect。
“Tell me；” he insisted； his eyes tight with frustration and deep unhappiness。
Was I truly a coward？ I would rather have believed that I was—that my fear of pain was stronger than
anything else。 The real reason I opened my mouth and spoke was so much more pathetic。
I wanted toplease him； this human who hated me so fiercely。
“The Seeker；” I began； my voice rough and hoarse； I hadn’t spoken in a long time。
He interrupted； impatient。 “We already know it’s a Seeker。”
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