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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 grumbled audibly。 He folded his arms across his chest。

 We stared at each other for two long minutes; both our stomachs rumbling as we inhaled the smell of the 
eggs。 Every now and then; he would peek down at the food out of the corner of his eye。 That’s what 
beat me—the longing look in his eyes。

 “Fine;” I huffed。 I slid his bowl back to him and then retrieved my own。 He waited until I took the first 
bite to touch his。 I stifled a moan as the taste registered on my tongue。 I knew the cooled; rubbery eggs 
weren’t the best thing I’d ever tasted; but that’s how it felt。 This body lived for the present。

 Jamie had a similar reaction。 And then he started shoveling the food into his mouth so fast it seemed he 
didn’t have time to breathe。 I watched him to make sure he didn’t choke。

 I ate more slowly; hoping that I’d be able to convince him to eat some of mine when he was done。

 That was when; with our minor standoff over and my stomach satisfied; I finally noticed the atmosphere 
in the kitchen。

 I would have expected; with the excitement of eggs for breakfast after months of monotony; more of a 
feeling of celebration。 But the air was somber; the conversations all whispered。 Was this a reaction to the 
scene last night? I scanned the room; trying to understand。

 Peoplewere looking at me; a few here and there; but they weren’t the only ones talking in serious 
whispers; and the others paid me no mind at all。 Besides; none of them seemed angry or guilty or tense or 
any of the other emotions I was expecting。

 No; they weresad。 Despair was etched on every face in the room。

 Sharon was the last person I noticed; eating in a distant corner; keeping to herself as usual。 She was so 
posed as she mechanically ate her breakfast that at first I didn’t notice the tears dripping in streaks 
down her face。 They fell into her food; but she ate as if she were beyond noticing。 

 

 Jamie looked at Sharon and sighed before he answered me。 “No; Doc’s fine。”

 “Aunt Mag

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