was always with him。 When she didn’t speak； we both felt her there。
“Why is Melanie so quiet now？” Jamie asked me late one night。 For once； he wasn’t grilling me about
Spiders and Fire…Tasters。 We were both tired—it had been a long day pulling carrots。 The small of my
back was in knots。
“It’s hard for her to talk。 It takes so much more effort than it takes you and me。 She doesn’t have
anything she wants to say that badly。”
“What does shedo all the time？”
“She listens； I think。 I guess I don’t know。”
“Can you hear her now？”
“No。”
I yawned； and he was quiet。 I thought he was asleep。 I drifted in that direction； too。
“Do you think she’ll go away？ Really gone？” Jamie suddenly whispered。 His voice caught on the last
word。
I was not a liar； and I don’t think I could have lied to Jamie if I were。 I tried not to think about the
implications of my feelings for him。 Because what did it mean if the greatest love I’d ever felt in my nine
lives； the first true sense of family； of maternal instinct； was for an alien life…form？ I shoved the thought
away。
“I don’t know；” I told him。 And then； because it was true； I added； “I hope not。”
“Do you like her like you like me？ Did you used to hate her； like she hated you？”
“It’s different than how I like you。 And I never really hated her； not even in the beginning。 I was very
afraid of her； and I was angry that because of her I couldn’t be like everyone else。 But I’ve always；
always admired strength； and Melanie is the strongest person I’ve ever known。”
Jamie laughed。 “Youwere afraid ofher？ ”
“You don’t think your sister can be scary？ Remember the time you went too far up the canyon； and
when you came home late she ‘threw a raging hissy fit；’ according to Jared？”
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。
I was eager to keep the peace with all my new panions in any way I could。 I thought I was willing to
do anything； no matter how backbreaking or smelly； but it turned out I was wrong。
“So I was thinking；” Jeb said to me one day； maybe two weeks after everyone had “calmed down。”
I was beginning to hate those words from Jeb。
“Do you remember what I was saying about you maybe teaching a little here？”
My answer was curt。 “Yes。”
“Well； how ’bout it？”
I didn’t have to think it through。 “No。”
My refusal sent an unexpected pang of guilt through me。 I’d never refused a Calling before。 It felt like a
selfish thing to do。 Obviously； though； this was not the same。 The souls would have never asked me to do
something so suicidal。
He frowned at me； scrunching his caterpillar eyebrows together。 “Why not？”
“How do you think Sharon would like that？” I asked him in an even voice。 It was just one example； but
perhaps the most forceful。
He nodded； still frowning； acknowledging my point。
“It’s for the greater good；” he grumbled。
I snorted。 “The greater good？ Wouldn’t that be shooting me？”
“Wanda； that’s shortsighted；” he said； arguing with me as if my answer had been a serious attempt at
persuasion。 “What we have here is a very unusual opportunity for learning。 It would be wasteful to
squander that。”
“I really don’t think anyone wants to learn from me。 I don’t mind talking to you or Jamie —”
“Doesn’t matter what they want；” Jeb insisted。 “It’s what’s good for them。 Like chocolate versus
broccoli。 Ought to know more about the universe—not to mention the new tenants of our planet。”
“How does it help them； Jeb？ Do you think I know something that could destroy the souls？ Turn the
tide？ Jeb； it’s over。”
“It’s not over while we’re still here；” he told me； grinning so I knew he was teasing me again。 “I don’t
expect you to turn traitor and give us some super…weapon。 I just think we should know more about the
world we live in。”
I flinched at the wordtraitor。 “I couldn’t give you a weapon if I wanted to； Jeb。 We don’t have some
great weakness； an Achilles’ heel。 No archenemies out there in space who could e to your aid； no
viruses that will wipe us out and leave you standing。 Sorry。”
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；
though。 I told you it gets boring in here。 People might want your stories more than you think。”
I knew Jeb would not leave it alone。 Was Jeb capable of conceding defeat？ I doubted it。
At mealtimes I usually sat with Jeb and Jamie； if he was not in school or busy elsewhere。 Ian always sat
near； though not really with us。 I could not fully accept the idea of his self…appointed role as my
bodyguard。 It seemed too good to be true and thus； by human philosophy； clearly false。
A few days after I’d refused Jeb’s request to teach the humans “for their own good；” Doc came to sit by
me during the evening meal。
Sharon remained where she was； in the corner farthest from my usual place。 She was alone today；
without her mother。 She didn’t turn to watch Doc walking toward me。 Her vivid hair was wound into a
high bun； so I could see that her neck was stiff； and her shoulders were hunched； tense and unhappy。 It
made me want to leave at once； before Doc could say whatever he meant to say to me； so that I could
not be considered in collusion with him。
But Jamie was with me； and he took my hand when he saw the familiar panicked look e into my
eyes。 He was developing an uncanny ability to sense when I was turning skittish。 I sighed and stayed
where I was。 It should probably have bothered me more that I was such a slave to this child’s wishes。
“How are things？” Doc asked in a casual voice； sliding onto the counter next to me。
Ian； a few feet down from us； turned his body so it looked like he was part of the group。
I shrugged。
“We boiled soup today；” Jamie announced。 “My eyes are still stinging。”
Doc held up a pair of bright red hands。 “Soap。”
Jamie laughed。 “You win。”
Doc gave a mocking bow from the waist； then turned to me。 “Wanda； I had a question for you。…” He
let the words trail off。
I raised my eyebrows。
“Well； I was wondering。… Of all the different planets you’re familiar with； which species is physically the
closest to humankind？”
I blinked。 “Why？”
“Just good old…fashioned biological curiosity。 I guess I’ve been thinking about your Healers。… Where
do they get the knowledge to cure； rather than just treat symptoms； as you said？” Doc was speaking
louder than necessary； his mild voice carrying farther than usual。 Several people looked up—Trudy and
Geoffrey； Lily； Walter…
I wrapped my arms tightly around myself； trying to take up less space。 “Those are two different
Doc smiled and gestured with one hand for me to proceed。
Jamie squeezed my hand。
I sighed。 “The Bears on the Mists Planet； probably。”
“With the claw beasts？” Jamie whispered。
I nodded。
“How are they similar？” Doc prodded。
I rolled my eyes； feeling Jeb’s direction in this； but continued。 “They’re close to mammals in many ways。
Fur； warm…blooded。 Their blood isn’t exactly the same as yours； but it does essentially the same job。
They have similar emotions； the same need for societal interaction and creative outlets —”
“Creative？” Doc leaned forward； fascinated—or feigning fascination。 “How so？”
I looked at Jamie。 “You know。 Why don’t you tell Doc？”
“I might get it wrong。”
“You won’t。”
He looked at Doc； who nodded。
“Well； see； they have these awesome hands。” Jamie was enthusiastic almost immediately。 “Sort of
double…jointed—they can curl both ways。” He flexed his own fingers； as if trying to bend them
backward。 “One side is soft； like my palm； but the other side is like razors！ They cut the ice—ice
sculpting。 They make cities that are all crystal castles that never melt！ It’s beautiful； isn’t it； Wanda？” He
turned to me for backup。
I nodded。 “They see a different range of colors—the ice is full of rainbows。 Their cities are a point of
pride for them。 They’re always trying to make them more beautiful。 I knew of one Bear who we called…
well； something like Glitter Weaver； but it sounds better in that language； because of the way the ice
seemed to know what he wanted and shaped itself into his dreams。 I met him once and saw his creations。
That’s one of my most beautiful memories。”
“They dream？” Ian asked quietly。
I smiled wryly。 “Not as vividly as humans。”
“How do your Healers get their knowledge about the physiology of a new species？ They came to this
planet prepared。 I watched it start—watched the terminal patients walk out of the hospital whole。…” A
frown etched a V…shaped crease into Doc’s narrow forehead。 He hated the invaders； like everyone； but
unlike the others； he also envied them。
I didn’t want to answer。 Everyone was listening to us by this point； and this was no pretty fairytale about
ice…sculpting Bears。 This was the story of their defeat。
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。
“They… they take samples；” I muttered。
Ian grinned in understanding。 “Alien abductions。”
I ignored him。
Doc pursed his lips。 “Makes sense。”
The silence in the room reminded me of my first time here。
“Where did your kind begin？” Doc asked。 “Do you remember？ I mean； as a species； do you know how
you evolved？”
“The Origin；” I answered； nodding。 “We still live there。 It’s where I was… born。”
“That’s kind of special；” Jamie added。 “It’s rare to meet someone from the Origin； isn’t it？ Most souls
try to stay there； right； Wanda？” He didn’t wait for my response。 I was beginning to regret answering his
questions so thoroughly each night。 “So when someone moves on； it makes them almost… like a
celebrity？ Or like a member of a royal family。”
I could feel my cheeks getting warm。
“It’s a cool place；” Jamie went on。 “Lots of clouds； with a bunch of different…colored layers。 It’s the only
planet where the souls can live outside of a host for very long。 The hosts on the Origin planet are really
pretty； too； with sort of wings and lots of tentacles and big silver eyes。”
Doc was leaning forward with his face in his hands。 “Do they remember how the host…parasite
relationship was formed？ How did the colonization begin？”
Jamie looked at me； shrugging。
“We were always that way；” I answered slowly； still unwilling。 “As far back as we were intelligent
enough to know ourselves； at least。 We were discovered by another species—the Vultures； we call them
here； though more for their personalities than for their looks。 They were… not kind。 Then we discovered
that we could bond with them just as we had with our original hosts。 Once we controlled them； we made
use of their technology。 We took their planet first； and then followed them to the Dragon Planet and the
Summer World—lovely places where the Vultures had also not been kind。 We started colonizing； our
hosts reproduced so much slower than we did； and their life spans were short。 We began exploring
farther into the universe。…”