ground。
We got to the jeep’s hiding place before the sun had climbed over the eastern peaks； though the sky
was already light blue。 We ducked into the shallow cave just as the first rays painted the desert sand
gold。
Jared grabbed two bottles of water out of the backseat； tossed one to me； and then lounged against the
wall。 He gulped down half a bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he spoke。
“I could tell you were in a hurry to get out of there； but we need to wait until dark if you’re planning a
smash and grab。”
I swallowed my mouthful of water。 “That’s fine。 I’m sure they’ll wait for us now。”
His eyes searched my face。
“I saw your Seeker；” he told me； watching my reaction。 “She’s… energetic。”
I nodded。 “And vocal。”
He smiled and rolled his eyes。 “She doesn’t seem to enjoy the acmodations we provided。”
My gaze dropped to the floor。 “Could be worse；” I mumbled。 The strangely jealous hurt I’d been feeling
leaked； uninvited； into my voice。
“That’s true；” he agreed； his voice subdued。
“Why are they so kind to her？” I whispered。 “She killed Wes。”
“Well； that’s your fault。”
I stared up at him； surprised to see the slight curve of his mouth； he was teasing me。
“Mine？”
His small smile wavered。 “They didn’t want to feel like monsters。 Not again。 They’re trying to make up
for before； only a little too late—and with the wrong soul。 I didn’t realize that would… hurt your feelings。
I would have thought you’d like it better that way。”
“I do。” I didn’t want them to hurt anyone。 “It’s always better to be kind。 I just…” I took a deep breath。
“I’m glad I know why。”
Their kindess was for me； not for her。 My shoulders felt lighter。
“Long night；” he mented。 “And we’ve got another one ing。 We should sleep。”
I was glad for his suggestion。 I knew he had many questions about exactly what this raid meant。 I also
knew he would have already put several things together。 And I didn’t want to discuss any of it。
I stretched out on the smooth patch of sand beside the jeep。 To my shock； Jared came to lie beside me；
right beside me。 He curled around the curve of my back。
“Here；” he said； and he reached around to slide his fingers under my face。 He pulled my head up from
the ground and then moved his arm under it； making a pillow for me。 He let his other arm drape over my
waist。
It took a few seconds before I was able to respond。 “Thanks。”
He yawned。 I felt his breath warm the back of my neck。 “Get some rest； Wanda。”
Holding me in what could only be considered an embrace； Jared fell asleep quickly； as he had always
been able to do。 I tried to relax with his arm warm around me； but it took a long time。
This embrace made me wonder how much he had already guessed。
My weary thoughts tangled and twisted。 Jared was right—it had been a very long night。 Though not half
long enough。 The rest of my days and nights were going to fly by as if they were only minutes。
The next thing I knew； Jared was shaking me awake。 The light in the little cavern was dim and orangey。
Sunset。
Jared pulled me to my feet and handed me a hiker’s meal bar—this was the kind of rations they kept
with the jeep。 We ate； and drank the rest of our water； in silence。 Jared’s face was serious and focused。
“Still in a hurry？” he asked as we climbed into the jeep。
No。 I wanted the time to stretch out forever。
“Yes。” What was the point in putting it off？ The Seeker and her body would die if we waited too long；
and I would still have to make the same choice。
“We’ll hit Phoenix； then。 It’s logical that they wouldn’t notice this kind of raid。 It doesn’t make sense for
humans to take your cold…storage tanks。 What possible use could we have for them？”
The question didn’t sound at all rhetorical； and I could feel him looking at me again。 But I stared ahead
at the rocks and said nothing。
It had been dark for a while by the time we traded vehicles and got to the freeway。 Jared waited a few
careful minutes with the inconspicuous sedan’s lights off。 I counted ten cars passing by。 Then there was a
long darkness between the headlights； and Jared pulled onto the road。
The trip to Phoenix was very short； though Jared kept the speed scrupulously below the limit。 Time was
city。 I saw the hospital from the road。 We followed another car up the exit ramp； moving evenly； without
hurry。
Jared turned into the main parking lot。
“Where now？” he asked； tense。
“See if this road continues around the back。 The tanks will be by a loading area。”
Jared drove slowly。 There were many souls here； going in and out of the facility； some of them in scrubs。
Healers。 No one paid us any particular attention。
The road hugged the sidewalk； then curved around the north side of the building plex。
“Look。 Shipping trucks。 Head that way。”
We passed between a wing of low buildings and a parking garage。 Several trucks； delivering medical
supplies no doubt； were backed into receiving ports。 I scanned the crates on the dock； all labeled。
“Keep going… though we might want to grab some of those on the way back。 See—Heal… Cool…
Still？ I wonder what that one is。”
I liked that these supplies were labeled and left unguarded。 My family wouldn’t go without the things
they needed when I was gone。When I was gone； it seemed that phrase was tacked on to all of my
thoughts now。
We rounded the back of another building。 Jared drove a little faster and kept his eyes forward—there
were people here； four of them； unloading a truck onto a dock。 It was the exactness of their movements
that caught my attention。 They didn’t handle the smallish boxes roughly； quite the contrary； they placed
them with infinite care onto the waist…high lip of concrete。
I didn’t really need the label for confirmation； but just then； one of the unloaders turned his box so the
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 sh