a handful of something into the darkness。 Sand scattered from her fingers； falling to the ground with a faint
hiss。
She went back to stand beside her husband。 Geoffrey moved away from her； stepped forward toward
the black space。
“He’ll find his Gladys now。 He’s happier where he is。” Geoffrey threw his handful of dirt。
Ian carried me to the right side of the line of people； close enough to see into the murky grotto。 There
was a darker space on the ground in front of us； a big oblong around which the entire human population
stood in a loose half circle。
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。
Kyle stepped forward。
I trembled； and Ian squeezed me gently。
Kyle did not look in our direction。 I saw his face in profile； his right eye was nearly swollen shut。
“Walter died human；” Kyle said。 “None of us can ask for more than that。” He threw a fistful of dirt into
the dark shape on the ground。
Kyle rejoined the group。
Jared stood beside him。 He took the short walk and stopped at the edge of Walter’s grave。
“Walter was good through and through。 Not one of us is his equal。” He threw his sand。
Jamie walked forward； and Jared patted his shoulder once as they passed each other。
“Walter was brave；” Jamie said。 “He wasn’t afraid to die； he wasn’t afraid to live； and… he wasn’t
afraid tobelieve。 He made his own decisions； and he made good ones。” Jamie threw his handful。 He
turned and walked back； his eyes locked on mine the whole way。
“Your turn；” he whispered when he was at my side。
Andy was already moving forward； a shovel in his hands。
“Wait；” Jamie said in a low voice that carried in the silence。 “Wanda and Ian haven’t said anything。”
There was an unhappy mutter around me。 My brain felt like it was pitching and heaving inside my skull。
“Let’s have some respect；” Jeb said； louder than Jamie。 It felt too loud to me。
My first instinct was to wave Andy ahead and make Ian carry me away。 This was human mourning； not
mine。
But I did mourn。 And I did have something to say。
“Ian； help me get some sand。”
Ian crouched down so I could scoop up a handful of the loose rocks at our feet。 He rested my weight on
his knee to get his own share of dirt。 Then he straightened and carried me to the edge of the grave。
I couldn’t see into the hole。 It was dark under the overhang of rock； and the grave seemed to be very
deep。
Ian began speaking before I could。
“Walter was the best and brightest of what is human；” he said； and scattered his sand into the hole。 It fell
for a long time before I heard it hiss against the bottom。
It was absolutely silent in the starlit night。 Even the wind was calm。 I whispered； but I knew my voice
carried to everyone。
“There was no hatred in your heart；” I whispered。 “That you existed is proof that we were wrong。 We
had no right to take your world from you； Walter。 I hope your fairytales are true。 I hope you find your
Gladdie。”
I let the rocks trickle through my fingers and waited until I heard them fall with a soft patter onto
Walter’s body； obscured in the deep； dark grave。
Andy started to work as soon as Ian took the first step back； shoveling from a mound of pale； dusty
earth that was piled a few feet farther into the grotto。 The shovel load hit with a thump rather than a
whisper。 The sound made me cringe。
Aaron stepped past us with another shovel。 Ian turned slowly and carried me away to make room for
them。 The heavy thuds of falling dirt echoed behind us。 Low voices began to murmur。 I heard footsteps
as people milled and huddled to discuss the funeral。
I really looked at Ian for the first time as he walked back to the dark mat where it lay on the open
dirt—out of place； not belonging。 Ian’s face was streaked with pale dust； his expression weary。 I’d seen
his face like that before。 I couldn’t pinpoint the memory before Ian had laid me on the mat again； and I
was distracted。 What was I supposed to do out here in the open？ Sleep？ Doc was right behind us； he
and Ian both knelt down in the dust beside me。
“How are you feeling？” Doc asked； already prodding at my side。
I wanted to sit up； but Ian pressed my shoulder down when I tried。
“I’m fine。 I think maybe I could walk…”
“No need to push it。 Let’s give that leg a few days； okay？” Doc pulled my left eyelid up； absentminded；
and shone a tiny beam of light into it。 My right eye saw the bright reflection that danced across his face。
He squinted away from the light； recoiling a few inches。 Ian’s hand on my shoulder didn’t flinch。 That
surprised me。
“Hmm。 That doesn’t help a diagnosis； does it？ How does your head feel？” Doc asked。
“A little dizzy。 I think it’s the drugs you gave me； though； not the wound。 I don’t like them—I’d rather
feel the pain； I think。”
Doc grimaced。 So did Ian。
“What？” I demanded。
“I’m going to have to put you under again； Wanda。 I’m sorry。”
“But… why？” I whispered。 “I’m really not that hurt。 I don’t want —”
“We have to take you back inside；” Ian said； cutting me off； his voice low； as if he didn’t want it to carry
“Blindfold me again。”
Doc pulled the little syringe from his pocket。 It was already depressed； only a quarter left。 I shied away
from it； toward Ian。 His hand on my shoulder became a restraint。
“You know the caves too well；” Doc murmured。 “They don’t want you having the chance to guess…”
“But where would I go？” I whispered； my voice frantic。 “If I knew the way out？ Why would I leave
now？”
“If it eases their minds…” Ian said。
Doc took my wrist； and I didn’t fight him。 I looked away as the needle bit into my skin； looked at Ian。
His eyes were midnight in the dark。 They tightened at the look of betrayal in mine。
“Sorry；” he muttered。 It was the last thing I heard。
CHAPTER 35
Tried
Igroaned。 My head felt all swirly and disconnected。 My stomach rolled nauseatingly。
“Finally；” someone murmured in relief。 Ian。 Of course。 “Hungry？”
I thought about that and then made an involuntary gagging sound。
“Oh。 Never mind。 Sorry。 Again。 We had to do it。 People got all… paranoid when we took you
outside。”
“’S okay；” I sighed。
“Want some water？”
“No。”
I opened my eyes； trying to focus in the darkness。 I could see two stars through the cracks overhead。
Still night。 Or night again； who knew？
“Where am I？” I asked。 The shapes of the cracks were unfamiliar。 I would swear I’d never stared at this
ceiling before。
“Your room；” Ian said。
I searched for his face in the darkness but could only make out the black shape that was his head。 With
my fingers； I examined the surface I lay on； it was a real mattress。 There was a pillow under my head。 My
searching hand touched his； and he caught my fingers before I could withdraw them。
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”
“Yours。”
“Ian…”
“It used to be ours—Kyle’s and mine。 Kyle’s being… held in the hospital wing until things can be
decided。 I can move in with Wes。”
“I’m not taking your room。 And what do you mean； until things can be decided？”
“I told you there would be a tribunal。”
“When？”
“Why do you want to know？”
“Because if you’re going through with that； then I have to be there。 To explain。”
“To lie。”
“When？” I asked again。
“First light。 I won’t take you。”
“Then I’ll take myself。 I know I’ll be able to walk as soon as my head stops spinning。”
“You would； wouldn’t you？”
“Yes。 It’s not fair if you don’t let me speak。”
Ian sighed。 He dropped my hand and straightened slowly to his feet。 I could hear his joints pop as he
stood。 How long had he been sitting in the dark； waiting for me to wake？ “I’ll be back soon。 You might
not be hungry； but I’m starving。”
“You had a long night。”
“Yes。”
“If it gets light； I won’t sit here waiting for you。”
He chuckled without humor。 “I’m sure that’s true。 So I’ll be back before that； and I will help you get
where you’re going。”
He leaned one of the doors away from the entrance to his cave； stepped around it； and then let it fall
back into place。 I frowned。 That might be hard to do on one leg。 I hoped Ian truly was ing back。
While I waited for him； I stared up at the two stars I could see and let my head slowly bee
stationary。 I really didn’t like human drugs。 Ugh。 My body hurt； but the lurching in my head was worse。
Time passed slowly； but I didn’t fall asleep。 I’d been sleeping most of the last twenty…four hours。 I
Ian came back before the light； just as he’d promised。
“Feeling any better？” he asked as he stepped around the door。
“I think so。 I haven’t moved my head yet。”
“Do you think it’syou reacting to the morphine； or Melanie’s body？”
“It’s Mel。 She reacts badly to most painkillers。 She found that out when she broke her wrist ten years
ago。”
He thought about that for a moment。 “It’s… odd。 Dealing with two people at once。”
“Odd；” I agreed。
“Are you hungry yet？”
I smiled。 “I thought I smelled bread。 Yes； I think my stomach is past the worst。”
“I was hoping you’d say that。”
His shadow sprawled out beside me。 He felt for my hand； then pulled my fingers open and placed a
familiar round shape in it。
“Help me up？” I asked。
He put his arm carefully around my shoulders and folded me up in one stiff piece； minimizing the ache in
my side。 I could feel something foreign on the skin there； tight and rigid。
“Thanks；” I said； a little breathless。 My head spun slowly。 I touched my side with my free hand。
Something adhered to my skin； under my shirt。 “Are my ribs broken； then？”
“Doc’s not sure。 He’s doing as much as he can。”
“He tries so hard。”
“He does。”
“I feel bad… that I used to not like him；” I admitted。
Ian laughed。 “Of course you didn’t。 I’m amazed you can like any of us。”
“You’ve got that turned around；” I mumbled； and dug my teeth into the hard roll。 I chewed mechanically
and then swallowed； setting the bread down as I waited to see how it hit my stomach。
“Not very appetizing； I know；” Ian said。
I shrugged。 “Just testing—to see if the nausea’s really passed。”
I looked at him； curious； but I couldn’t see his face。 I listened to a sharp crackle and a ripping sound…
and then I could smell； and I understood。
“Cheetos！” I cried。 “Really？ For me？”
Something touched my lip； and I crunched into the delicacy he offered。
“I’ve been dreaming about this。” I sighed as I chewed。
That made him laugh。 He put the bag in my hands。
I downed the contents of the small bag quickly； and then finished my roll； seasoned by the cheese flavor
still in my mouth。 He handed me a bottle of water before I could ask。
“Thank you。 For more than the Cheetos； you know。 For so much。”
“You’re more than wele； Wanda。”
I stared into his dark blue eyes； trying to decipher everything he was saying with that se