happened, Zel?”
“You don’t know? About Senator Milford?”
“Marka’s uncle? What happened?”
I tell him everything. About how he died, and how it must have been my DNA that did it. About how the police raided Carus and drove us to flee in different directions.
“Do you think someone in Aureus could have leaked the elixir I gave to SunAj?” I ask.
“I don’t think so. SunAj had very specific plans to adapt that elixir.”
“Very few people had access to it,” Blink adds. “He didn’t know how best to distribute it, even on the black market.”
“But how could it have gotten to the senator?” I want so much to believe I might not be responsible for his death.
Voices sound close by and we all jerk to attention, cowering in the shadows.
“Come on,” I whisper. “I have a char down the alley.” I suddenly remember Caliga. “We have to go, quickly.” I extend my hand to Cy, when Blink instinctively reaches for him at the same time, slipping her hand into his. Blink sees me staring, mouth idiotically open with surprise at their clasped hands, and she withdraws it with a jerk.
What the hell.
I spin around, smacking the plastic sheeting out of the way, and walk quickly back to the camouflaged char. I wipe my smarting eyes, and turn to see Cy and Blink emerging unsteadily from their shelter. There are a few seconds before they catch up. I’ve got to calm down.
Be reasonable, Zelia . They’re hungry and they’ve been on the run. At least Cy had a friend in Aureus. She’s probably like a sister to him.
I nod to myself. That’s what I’ll believe, for now. As soon as they get to the char, I hold my hand up.
“Wait here.”
“Why?” Cy asks.
“Caliga’s in there.”
“You mean she made it to Carus after all?” He and Blink exchange glances. I feel stupid and left out and twelve years old, wondering what thoughts they’re sharing without me.
“Yes, but she’s sick. Cy, I need your help.” I open the back door and lean over Caliga’s sleepy body, when Cy yells out.
“Don’t!” When he sees me unaffected by being so close, his eyes widen. “How can you bear to be close to her?”
I chuckle at his words. I’m surprised how well I’ve been bearing it, after all. “We made a vaccine to her trait when she showed up in Carus.”
“You made it?”
“Dyl did, actually, with Caliga’s help.”
“Dyl did? Wow.”
“I know,” I say, my pride swelling. “But it didn’t work on her.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” I haven’t had more time to think about why. Caliga was adamant that it should have worked fine on her. It doesn’t make sense, and I’ve no answer as to why. I go back to examining Caliga. Her flush is gone and she’s breathing more regularly. I replace her empty antibiotic pouch with a new one and feel her cheek. She’s not feverish anymore. I add nutrient powder to another dermal pouch full of sterile water and attach that to the other side of her belly. After a quick change of her dressing, I step back.
“How did you learn to do all that?” Cy asks. Something passes over his face that resembles what I’ve been feeling. We’ve both been left behind in each other’s life, and not by choice.
“I . . . had to do something when you were gone.” I sigh. I can’t explain a year’s worth of my life in a sentence.
“Where are we?” Caliga mumbles, blinking slowly.
“We’re in Dubuque,” I say. “I found someone you know.”
Caliga props herself up on one elbow and peers around me. As soon as she sees Blink and Cy, her hands frantically claw at my arms.
“Where is he? Wilbert? Wilbert!” Her mouth is so dry, she almost chokes on the words.
“Wilbert’s not here,” Cy says quietly.
Caliga’s face is drained of color, and she had precious little to begin with. I’ve seen her nearly permanent bitch face, and this new, hungry expression tears right through me. It’s devastation and anguish all at once. I should know it well
“You don’t know? About Senator Milford?”
“Marka’s uncle? What happened?”
I tell him everything. About how he died, and how it must have been my DNA that did it. About how the police raided Carus and drove us to flee in different directions.
“Do you think someone in Aureus could have leaked the elixir I gave to SunAj?” I ask.
“I don’t think so. SunAj had very specific plans to adapt that elixir.”
“Very few people had access to it,” Blink adds. “He didn’t know how best to distribute it, even on the black market.”
“But how could it have gotten to the senator?” I want so much to believe I might not be responsible for his death.
Voices sound close by and we all jerk to attention, cowering in the shadows.
“Come on,” I whisper. “I have a char down the alley.” I suddenly remember Caliga. “We have to go, quickly.” I extend my hand to Cy, when Blink instinctively reaches for him at the same time, slipping her hand into his. Blink sees me staring, mouth idiotically open with surprise at their clasped hands, and she withdraws it with a jerk.
What the hell.
I spin around, smacking the plastic sheeting out of the way, and walk quickly back to the camouflaged char. I wipe my smarting eyes, and turn to see Cy and Blink emerging unsteadily from their shelter. There are a few seconds before they catch up. I’ve got to calm down.
Be reasonable, Zelia . They’re hungry and they’ve been on the run. At least Cy had a friend in Aureus. She’s probably like a sister to him.
I nod to myself. That’s what I’ll believe, for now. As soon as they get to the char, I hold my hand up.
“Wait here.”
“Why?” Cy asks.
“Caliga’s in there.”
“You mean she made it to Carus after all?” He and Blink exchange glances. I feel stupid and left out and twelve years old, wondering what thoughts they’re sharing without me.
“Yes, but she’s sick. Cy, I need your help.” I open the back door and lean over Caliga’s sleepy body, when Cy yells out.
“Don’t!” When he sees me unaffected by being so close, his eyes widen. “How can you bear to be close to her?”
I chuckle at his words. I’m surprised how well I’ve been bearing it, after all. “We made a vaccine to her trait when she showed up in Carus.”
“You made it?”
“Dyl did, actually, with Caliga’s help.”
“Dyl did? Wow.”
“I know,” I say, my pride swelling. “But it didn’t work on her.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.” I haven’t had more time to think about why. Caliga was adamant that it should have worked fine on her. It doesn’t make sense, and I’ve no answer as to why. I go back to examining Caliga. Her flush is gone and she’s breathing more regularly. I replace her empty antibiotic pouch with a new one and feel her cheek. She’s not feverish anymore. I add nutrient powder to another dermal pouch full of sterile water and attach that to the other side of her belly. After a quick change of her dressing, I step back.
“How did you learn to do all that?” Cy asks. Something passes over his face that resembles what I’ve been feeling. We’ve both been left behind in each other’s life, and not by choice.
“I . . . had to do something when you were gone.” I sigh. I can’t explain a year’s worth of my life in a sentence.
“Where are we?” Caliga mumbles, blinking slowly.
“We’re in Dubuque,” I say. “I found someone you know.”
Caliga props herself up on one elbow and peers around me. As soon as she sees Blink and Cy, her hands frantically claw at my arms.
“Where is he? Wilbert? Wilbert!” Her mouth is so dry, she almost chokes on the words.
“Wilbert’s not here,” Cy says quietly.
Caliga’s face is drained of color, and she had precious little to begin with. I’ve seen her nearly permanent bitch face, and this new, hungry expression tears right through me. It’s devastation and anguish all at once. I should know it well
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