按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I stared at the Seeker’s face while I waited； wondering what it would look like when her host was free。
Would anything be left？ Would the host be empty or would the rightful owner reassert herself？ Would
the face be less repugnant to me when another awareness looked out of those eyes？
“Here you go。” Doc put the canister in my hand。
“Thanks。”
I pulled out one thin tissue square and handed the container back to him。
I found myself reluctant to touch the Seeker； but I made my hands move swiftly and purposefully as I
pulled her chin down and put the No Pain on her tongue。 Her face was very small—it made my hands
I closed her mouth again。 It was moist—the medicine would dissolve quickly。
“Jared； could you please roll her onto her stomach？” I asked。
He did as I asked—again； gently。 Just then； the propane lantern flared to life。 The cave was suddenly
bright； almost like daylight。 I glanced up instinctively and saw that Doc had covered the big holes in the
roof with tarps to keep our light from escaping。 He’d done a lot of preparation in our absence。
It was very quiet。 I could hear the Seeker breathing evenly in and out。 I could hear the faster； tenser
breathing of the men in the room with me。 Someone shifted from one foot to the other； and sand ground
against rock under his heel。 Their stares had a physical weight on my skin。
I swallowed； hoping I could keep my voice normal。 “Doc； I need Heal； Clean； Seal； and Smooth。”
“Right here。”
I brushed the Seeker’s coarse black hair out of the way； exposing the little pink line at the base of her
skull。 I stared at her olive tan skin and hesitated。
“Would you cut； Doc？ I don’t… I don’t want to。”
“No problem； Wanda。”
I saw only his hands as he came to stand across from me。 He set a little row of white cylinders on the
cot next to the Seeker’s shoulder。 The scalpel winked in the bright light； flashing across my face。
“Hold her hair out of the way。”
I used both hands to clear her neck。
“Wish I could scrub up；” Doc muttered to himself； obviously feeling underprepared。
“It’s not really necessary。 We have Clean。”
“I know。” He sighed。 What he really wanted was the routine； the mental cleansing that the old habits had
given him。
“How much room do you need？” he asked； hesitating with the point of the blade an inch from her skin。
I could feel the heat of the other bodies behind me； squeezing in to get a better view。 They were careful
not to touch either of us。
“Just the length of the scar。 That will be enough。”
This didn’t seem like enough to him。 “You sure？”
“Yes。 Oh； wait！”
Doc pulled back。
“Jared； could you get one of those tanks for me？”
“Of course。”
I heard him walk the few steps away； heard the dull； metallic clunk of the tank he chose knocking against
the others。
“What now？”
“There’s a circle on top of the lid。 Press it in。”
I heard the low hum of the cryotank as it powered on。 The men muttered and shuffled their feet； moving
away from it。
“Okay； on the side there should be a switch… more like a dial； actually。 Can you see it？”
“Yes。”
“Spin it all the way down。”
“Okay。”
“What color is the light on top of the tank？”
“It’s… it’s just turning from purple to… bright blue。 Light blue now。”
I took a deep breath。 At least the tanks were functional。
“Great。 Pop the lid and wait for me。”
“How？”
“Latch under the lip。”
“Got it。” I heard the click of the latch； and then the whir of the mechanism。 “It’scold！ ”
“That’s sort of the point。”
“How does it work？ What’s the power source？”
I sighed。 “I knew the answers when I was a Spider。 I don’t understand it now。 Doc； you can go ahead。
I’m ready。”
“Here we go；” Doc whispered as he slid the blade of the scalpel deftly； almost gracefully； through the
skin。 Blood coursed down the side of her neck； pooling on the towel Doc had placed underneath。
“A tiny bit deeper。 Just under the edge —”
Silver glinted out from the red。
“That’s good。 Now you hold the hair。”
Doc switched places with me in a smooth； swift movement。 He was good at his Calling。 He would have
made quite a Healer。
I didn’t try to hide what I was doing from him。 The movements were too minute for him to have any
chance of seeing。 He would not be able to do this until I explained。
I slid one fingertip carefully along the back ridge of the tiny silver creature until my finger was almost
entirely inserted into the hot opening at the base of the host body’s neck。 I traced my way to the anterior
antennae； feeling the taut lines of the bound attachments stretched tight like harp strings into the deeper
recesses of her head。
I twisted my finger around the underside of the soul’s body； caressing down from the first segment along
the other line of attachments； as stiff and profuse as the bristles of a brush。
I felt carefully at the juncture of these tight strings； at the tiny joints； no bigger than pinheads。 I stroked
my way about a third of the way down。 I could have counted； but that would have taken a very long
time。 It would be the two hundred seventeenth connection； but there was another way to find it。 There it
was； the little ridge that made this joint just a bit bigger—a seed pearl rather than a pinhead。 It was
smooth under my fingertip。
I pressed against it with gentle pressure； tenderly massaging。 Kindness was always the way of the souls。
Never violence。
“Relax；” I breathed。
And； though the soul could not hear me； it obeyed。 The harp strings loosened； went slack。 I could feel
the slither as they retracted； feel the slight swelling of the body as it absorbed them。 The process took no
more than a few beats of my heart。 I held my breath until I felt the soul undulate under my touch。
Wriggling free。
I let it twist itself a little farther out； and then I curled my fingers gently around the tiny； fragile body。 I
lifted it； silver and gleaming； wet with blood that was quickly shed from the sm