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As Tailors, Dante and Erik are as close to doctors as it’s possible for any of us to be right now.
“What are you doing?” Dante whispers in my ear. “We can’t save her parents. We have no renewal patches and no medicine. They’re probably already dead!”
Sebrina’s eyes flash up to his and her lower lip trembles.
“How long have your parents been sick?” I ask her, ignoring Dante’s paranoia and taking her small hand.
“Father left to get food. He said it was too dark for me to come along, but I miss going outside and I miss the sun.” She speaks in the rambles of a young child, trying to get the information out as quickly as possible, but getting distracted along the way.
“I know.” I squeeze her hand. “When did your father go out for food?”
“I don’t know,” she says, tears welling in her eyes.
“Ad,” Erik calls, and I find him in the kitchen. “He managed to find some.” On the counter sit a few boxes of co-op instant dinners.
“Who knows how long they’ve been there, though,” I say quietly to him.
Sebrina perks up. “I’ve only had one. I made it last until I fell asleep.”
The pride is evident in her voice, even though she has no idea how much she’s really told me.
“He must have gone out in the last few days,” I say to Erik. “Maybe not long ago if she’s only had one.”
“Then her parents could still be alive,” he says. To the right of us, Jost draws in a long breath and I remember that Sebrina still has one living parent and immediately feel guilty.
“We should bring her with us,” Dante says. “Even if they’re alive, they won’t be much longer.”
I’m not sure what to expect Jost to say in this moment. He’s waited for years to get his daughter back. He lost too much time trying to find her, yet he doesn’t sweep in and scoop her up. Instead he shakes his head. “I want to talk to her … parents.”
“They’re infected,” Erik reminds him.
“I don’t expect you to understand. I barely do myself. But what the Guild did—these people had no part of it,” he says slowly, as though he’s working through it himself. “They took care of her when I couldn’t. I need them to know she’ll be cared for now.”
I can’t pretend to understand his feelings. It’s the barrier that’s always stood between Jost and me. I’ve never felt anything as deeply as he does.
“Where are your parents?” Jost trips over the word as he asks.
Sebrina takes his hand and leads him into a short hallway. The house reminds me of my home in Romen. Simple and efficient. Bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, and two bedrooms. Sebrina is the only child, so they wouldn’t need a bigger house. The Guild gave her to them for being steady and responsible and to make up for something the government couldn’t control. But this is how it will end for them: victims of the government they obeyed.
Sebrina stops in front of a closed door and looks up to Jost with large eyes. He crouches down next to her. “I’m going to talk to your parents now. I want you to wait out here.”
I move forward to take her back into the other room, but Erik beats me there. Before I can react, Erik picks her up and takes her away from the bedroom door.
Jost’s eyes meet mine and I raise an eyebrow. Things between them have certainly changed since I left.
“Come with me?” he asks.
“Always.”
He raps softly on the door but there’s no response. He knocks again, more loudly, and the door shakes as something bumps against it.
“Jost…” I say in a low voice.
He raises a finger and we wait, our breath in our throats.
“I’m here to help,” Jost calls. “Your daughter says you’re sick.”
“Go away.” The voice coming through the door is rough and shallow.
