He pushed back a strand of his sandy blondhair. It had grown longer since the last time I’d seen him. Hisbrown eyes were troubled as they searched mine; the freckles acrosshis cheeks and nose more visible from his tan.
“We’ve been fine,” he replied.
“Are Lisa and Asante treating you well?”
“Yes, we’re fine, really. We miss you.”
I rested my hand on his cheek. “I miss youtoo, so much. Are you being fed well?”
He leaned back and held open his arms. “Do Ilook like I’m going hungry?”
“You look like you’ve gained some weight,” Iadmitted.
“Ten pounds,” he said proudly. “BetweenAsante’s work as a peace keeper and the food we were promised whenthey took you, we have too much and often give it to those more inneed.”
“That’s great,” I managed to say around thelump in my throat. At least something good had come of me beingtaken away from them. I kissed Bailey’s head when he released asmall snore. “What abouther?”
“She has to go out more now that we’re notthere to take care of her, so I’ve seen her in town a few times,but I won’t speak to her. Few will.” Gage knew immediately who“her”was. Our mother, the one whohad turned me in with the hopes of getting more for herself.Fortunately, she ended up without her children and with nowherenear what she expected she’d be given.
“She never really talked to people anyway,” Isaid.
“And now she’s an outcast for turning in herown child.”
Gage’s voice had an edge of steel to it, andfor the first time, I noticed how much he’d matured. He’d become aman while I’d been gone. His voice had changed and become deeperand a dusting of blond hair lined his upper lip.
“I’m proud of you,” I whispered.
He leaned away from me. “For what?”
“For being you, for taking care of Bailey,for being my rock.”
“If I was anything worth being proud of, I’dhave been able to stop them from taking you in the first place. Areyou the one they were looking for?”
I glanced at Shax as he gave a subtle shakeof his head no. “I can’t talk about that,” I murmured.
Gage’s eyes shot to the demon behind me, andhe leaned closer. “What about you, are they treatingyouwell here?”
“I’m fine.”
His gaze raked over me. “You’ve lostweight.”
“We do a lot of training. Believe me, thereis plenty of food for all of us.”
I refrained from slapping my hands over myneck when his gaze honed in on the fading marks there; it wouldonly make him more curious if I did. “Are those…bites?”
My head spun as I tried to come up with somekind of believable response. “Ah, no… they’re shots. It’s the waythey inoculate us here.”
I couldn’t tell if he bought it or not as hiseyes remained locked on my neck. “River—”
“Really, I’m fine.” I took hold of his handand squeezed it. “I’m learning new things every day and we haveplenty of food and warm shelter. I’d prefer to be home with youtwo, but that isn’t my reality.”
“Why did they let us come here?”
“I don’t know.”
“What is up with the wall? What’s onthisside that they don’t want usto see or know about on the other side?”
It didn’t surprise me that he’d struck rightto the heart of the matter; he’d always been smart. “I can’t talkabout anything like that, Gage. Please don’t ask me anymore.”
