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He interrupted； impatient。 “We already know it’s a Seeker。”
“No； not just any Seeker；” I whispered。 “MySeeker。”
“What do you mean；your Seeker？”
“Assigned to me； following me。 She’s the reason —” I caught myself just before I spoke the word that
would have meant our death。 Just before I could saywe。 The ultimate truth that he would see as the
ultimate lie—playing on his deepest wishes； his deepest pain。 He would never see that it was possible for
his wish to be true。 He would only see a dangerous liar looking out through the eyes he’d loved。
“The reason？” he prompted。
“The reason I ran away；” I breathed。 “The reason I came here。”
Jared stared at me； his mouth half…open； as he tried to process this。 From the corner of my eye； I could
see that Ian was peering through the hole again； his vivid blue eyes wide with surprise。 There was blood；
dark on his pale lips。
“You ran away from a Seeker？ But you’re one of them！” Jared struggled to pose himself； to get
back to his interrogation。 “Why would it follow you？ What did it want？”
I swallowed； the sound seemed unnaturally loud。 “She wanted you。 You and Jamie。”
His expression hardened。 “And you were trying to lead it here？”
I shook my head。 “I didn’t… I…” How could I explain it？ He’d never accept the truth。
“What？”
“I… didn’t want to tell her。 I don’t like her。”
He blinked； confused again。 “Don’t you all have to like everyone？”
“We’re supposed to；” I admitted； coloring with shame。
“Who did you tell about this place？” Ian asked over Jared’s shoulder。 Jared scowled but kept his eyes
on my face。
“I couldn’t tell—I didn’t know。… I just saw the lines。 The lines on the album。 I drew them for the
Seeker… but we didn’t know what they were。 She still thinks they’re a road map。” I couldn’t seem to
stop talking。 I tried to make the words e slower； to protect myself from a slip。
“What do you mean you didn’t know what they were？ You’re here。” Jared’s hand flexed toward me but
dropped before it closed the small distance。
“I… I was having trouble with my… with the… with her memory。 I didn’t understand… I couldn’t
access everything。 There were walls。 That’s why the Seeker was assigned to me； waiting for me to
unlock the rest。” Too much； too much。 I bit my tongue。
Ian and Jared exchanged a look。 They’d never heard anything like this before。 They didn’t trust me； but
they wanted so desperately to believe it was possible。 They wanted it too much。 That made them fear。
Jared’s voice whipped out with a sudden harshness。 “Were you able toaccess my cabin？”
“Not for a long time。”
“And then you told the Seeker。”
“No。”
“No？ Why not？”
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”
Ian’s eyes were frozen wide。
Jared’s voice changed； became low； almost tender。 So much more dangerous than the shouting。 “Why
didn’t you want to tell her？”
My jaw locked hard。 It was notthe secret； but still； it was a secret he would have to beat out of me。 In
this moment； my determination to hold my tongue had less to do with self…preservation than it did with a
stupid； grudging kind of pride。 I wouldnot tell this man who despised me that I loved him。
He watched the defiance flash in my eyes； and he seemed to understand what it would take to get this
answer。 He decided to skip it—or maybe to e back to it later； save it for last； in case I wouldn’t be
able to answer any more questions when he was done with me。
“Why weren’t you able to access everything？ Is that… normal？”
This question was very dangerous； too。 For the first time so far； I told an outright lie。
“She fell a long way。 The body was damaged。”
Lying did not e easily to me； this lie fell flat。 Jared and Ian both reacted to the false note。 Jared’s
head cocked to the side； one of Ian’s ink black eyebrows rose。
“Why isn’t this Seeker giving up like the rest？” Ian asked。
I was abruptly exhausted。 I knew they could keep this up all night；would keep this up all night if I
continued to answer； and eventually I would make a mistake。 I slumped against the wall and closed my
eyes。
“I don’t know；” I whispered。 “She’s not like other souls。 She’s…annoying。 ”
Ian laughed once—a startled sound。
“And you—are you like other…souls？ ” Jared asked。
I opened my eyes and stared at him wearily for a long moment。What a stupid question； I thought。 Then
I shut my eyes tight； buried my face against my knees； and wrapped my arms around my head。
Either Jared understood that I was done speaking or his body was plaining too loudly to be ignored。
He grunted a few times as he squeezed himself out of the opening of my cave； taking the lamp with him；
and then groaned quietly as he stretched。
“That was unexpected；” Ian whispered。
“Lies； of course；” Jared whispered back。 I could just barely make out their words。 They probably didn’t
realize how the sound echoed back to me in here。 “Only… I can’t quite figure out what it wants us to
believe—where it’s trying to lead us。”
“I don’t think it’s lying。 Well； except the one time。 Did you notice？”
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”
“Jared； when have you ever met a parasite who could lie about anything？ Except a Seeker； of course。”
“Which it must be。”
“Are you serious？”
“It’s the best explanation。”
“She—itis the furthest thing from a Seeker I’ve ever seen。 If a Seeker had any idea how to find us； it
would have brought an army。”
“And they wouldn’t have found anything。 But she—it got in； didn’t it？”
“It’s almost been killed half a dozen —”
“Yet it’s still breathing； isn’t it？”
They were quiet for a long time。 So long that I started to think about moving out of the cramped ball I
was curled in； but I didn’t want to make any noise by lying down。 I wished Ian would leave so I could
sleep。 The adrenaline left me so worn out when it drained from my system。
“I think I’m going to go talk to Jeb