Page 288

Holy shit.

They slide from my waist and fall into the soil.

Malakai opens his eyes.

Rhett grins. “Dirt Boy got an upgrade!”

Malakai looks at him. “I'm going to bury you.”

“You've been threatening that since 1814.”

“I should have done it then.”

The Harvest screams.

Malakai's smile disappears. “It's angry.”

“Good,” I say.

Everyone looks at me as I sit up.

My body hurts. My clothes are fucked. There's dirt in places dirt should never fucking be. Blood coats my hands. Red dust stains my chest. And three impossible corn stalks are growing beside my head.

But I'm thinking…finally.

“The Harvest returned things to you.”

Rhett's expression changes. “Life.”

I point at Malakai. “The land.” Then Ezra. All three of us look at him.

His mark burns. SOWN.

“What did it return to you?”

Ezra goes still. “I don't know.”

“Yes, you do.”

His eyes meet mine.

“Memory.”

“It gave you back what it took.”

He looks toward the Harvest. “Yes.”

“Why?”

Nobody answers.

I look at Rhett. “You couldn't give your life until you had one.”

His eyes widen.

Malakai understands next. “I couldn't give the Earth until I could feel it.”

“Yes.”