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！
Sharon—I fished out the name—and they would…
I hit a wall。
It was a blank； a nothing。 I tried to circle around it； but I couldn’t find the edges of the void。 It was as if
the information I sought had been erased。
As if this brain had been damaged。
Anger flashed through me； hot and wild。 I gasped in surprise at the unexpected reaction。 I’d heard of the
emotional instability of these human bodies； but this was beyond my ability to anticipate。 In eight full lives；
I’d never had an emotion touch me with such force。
I felt the blood pulse through my neck； pounding behind my ears。 My hands tightened into fists。
The machines beside me reported the acceleration of my heartbeats。 There was a reaction in the room：
the sharp tap of the Seeker’s shoes approached me； mingled with a quieter shuffle that must have been
the Healer。
“Wele to Earth； Wanderer；” the female voice said。
CHAPTER 3
Resisted
She won’t recognize the new name；” the Healer murmured。
A new sensation distracted me。 Something pleasant； a change in the air as the Seeker stood at my side。
A scent； I realized。 Something different than the sterile； odorless room。 Perfume； my new mind told me。
Floral； lush…
“Can you hear me？” the Seeker asked； interrupting my analysis。 “Are you aware？”
“Take your time；” the Healer urged in a softer voice than the one he had used before。
I did not open my eyes。 I didn’t want to be distracted。 My mind gave me the words I needed； and the
tone that would convey what I couldn’t say without using many words。
“Have I been placed in a damaged host in order to gain the information you need； Seeker？”
There was a gasp—surprise and outrage mingled—and something warm touched my skin； covered my
“Of course not； Wanderer；” the man said reassuringly。 “Even a Seeker would stop at some things。”
The Seeker gasped again。 Hissed； my memory corrected。
“Then why doesn’t this mind function correctly？”
There was a pause。
“The scans were perfect；” the Seeker said。 Her words not reassuring but argumentative。 Did she mean
to quarrel with me？ “The body was entirely healed。”
“From a suicide attempt that was perilously close to succeeding。” My tone was stiff； still angry。 I wasn’t
used to anger。 It was hard to contain it。
“Everything was in perfect order —”
The Healer cut her off。 “What is missing？” he asked。 “Clearly； you’ve accessed speech。”
“Memory。 I was trying to find what the Seeker wants。”
Though there was no sound； there was a change。 The atmosphere； which had gone tense at my
accusation； relaxed。 I wondered how I knew this。 I had a strange sensation that I was somehow receiving
more than my five senses were giving me—almost a feeling that there wasanother sense； on the fringes；
not quite harnessed。 Intuition？ That was almost the right word。 As if any creature needed more than five
senses。
The Seeker cleared her throat； but it was the Healer who answered。
“Ah；” he said。 “Don’t make yourself anxious about some partial memory… difficulties。 That’s； well； not
to beexpected； exactly； but not surprising； considering。”
“I don’t understand your meaning。”
“This host was part of the human resistance。” There was a hint of excitement in the Seeker’s voice now。
“Those humans who were aware of us before insertion are more difficult to subdue。 This one still resists。”
There was a moment of silence while they waited for my response。
Resisting？ The host was blocking my access？ Again； the heat of my anger surprised me。
“Am I correctly bound？” I asked； my voice distorted because it came through my teeth。
“Yes；” the Healer said。 “All eight hundred twenty…seven points are latched securely in the optimum
positions。”
This mind used more of my faculties than any host before； leaving me only one hundred eighty…one spare
attachments。 Perhaps the numerous bindings were the reason the emotions were so vivid。
I decided to open my eyes。 I felt the need to double…check the Healer’s promises and make sure the
hundred ocean fathoms。 But these eyes had seen brighter and could handle it。 I opened them narrowly；
keeping my eyelashes feathered over the breach。
“Would you like me to turn down the lights？”
“No； Healer。 My eyes will adjust。”
“Very good；” he said； and I understood that his approval was meant for my casual use of the possessive。
Both waited quietly while my eyes slowly widened。
My mind recognized this as an average room in a medical facility。 A hospital。 The ceiling tiles were white
with darker speckles。 The lights were rectangular and the same size as the tiles； replacing them at regular
intervals。 The walls were light green—a calming color； but also the color of sickness。 A poor choice； in
my quickly formed opinion。
The people facing me were more interesting than the room。 The worddoctor sounded in my mind as
soon as my eyes fastened on the Healer。 He wore loose…fitting blue green clothes that left his arms bare。
Scrubs。 He had hair on his face； a strange color that my memory called red。
Red！ It had been three worlds since I had seen the color or any of its relatives。 Even this gingery gold
filled me with nostalgia。
His face was generically human to me； but the knowledge in my memory applied the wordkind。
An impatient breath pulled my attention to the Seeker。
She was very small。 If she had remained still； it would have taken me longer to notice her there beside
the Healer。 She didn’t draw the eye； a darkness in the bright room。 She wore black from chin to
wrists—a conservative suit with a silk turtleneck underneath。 Her hair was black； too。 It grew to her chin
and was pushed back behind her ears。 Her skin was darker than the Healer’s。 Olive toned。
The tiny changes in humans’ expressions were so minimal they were very hard to read。 My memory
could name the look on this woman’s face； though。 The black brows； slanted down over the slightly
bulging eyes； created a familiar design。 Not quite anger。 Intensity。 Irritation。
“How often does thi