parents. If they were still alive in this time…
Jewel nudged the side of his arm with her shoulder. “Guess we’re both kind of alone.”
“Yeah.”
“Jewel.” A slender woman flew into the room, causing them both to flinch. Jewel let go of his hand.
The woman looked from Jewel to Alexander, wariness crossing her features. “They’re taking a headcount. Come. Both of you, quickly.”
Jewel nodded, casting an imploring glance toward Alexander before running out of the room ahead of him.
Chapter Four
Jewel slept hard through the night, a dreamless sleep, exhausted from the events of the past evening. The Sifts showing up hadn’t rattled her nearly as much as Alexander had, sitting so close beside her on her bed, her belly knotted with uncertainty.
He spoke of magic. His mother was a healer and she’d bet her last beloved tube of hand lotion that he had more than just some small bit of magic as well, though he wasn’t any more eager than she was to share what he could do.
She felt the strength of his—what had he called it? essence—ripple off him like a shrouded mist. Lance had given off a similar feeling when he was near.
Or maybe it was just her nerves. He was too smart. Intelligence played behind his eyes like a ray of light seeping in between the slats of a fence. He knew things, she was sure of it. Things no one else understood. Or even bothered to think about.
And he’d looked at her as though he could see her inner-most secrets.
Which made him dangerous.
Yet he might also be her salvation. The one who could help her put her plan into motion.
He had magic. Like her.
She shouldn’t have run from him like a coward last evening. She’d find him first thing this morning.
The door to her room opened and closed and Mae slipped inside, looking for something in their shared chest of drawers.
Rolling over, Jewel pushed up to a sitting position and stretched. “Aw, Mae, I’m sorry. I’m still on kitchen duty. You should have shoved my lazy rump out of bed.”
Mae smiled. “It’s okay. You looked like you needed the rest. You tossed and turned throughout the night.”
Jewel winced. “That bad? I kept you up?” She pushed back her thin blanket. A quick sponge bath and then she’d figure out some excuse to talk with the three strangers. She’d dig deep to find the courage to ask for their help, confide in them. Her biggest fear was that it wasn’t just herself alone that she’d be risking by trusting them.
Her stomach churned thinking about it. What if she was wrong?
“Has anyone taken the strangers their breakfast yet? That would be enough of an excuse to be speaking with them.
Mae found her clean pair of socks and sat on her own bed, bending her leg up. “They’ll probably be given some of the rations Sheppard had me pack earlier for them.” She pulled the sock—one of the pairs Jewel had brought back for her from her latest scavenging foray—onto her foot.
Every nerve in Jewel’s body came alive. “What?”
Mae shrugged, oblivious to the tension pulling Jewel’s spine tight. “Sheppard took them out this morning.”
Jewel shoved off of the bed, grabbing up her pants from the end of the mattress. “How long ago?”
“Not that long. Jewel, what’s going on?” Mae stood.
Jewel shoved her feet into her worn boots. “Nothing. It’s only that…there’s a lot of Sifts out there right now.”
“Which is probably why they went. You know Sheppard. He’ll want to test those canisters the strangers put so much store into, see for himself…don’t worry.” Mae’s tone softened, undoubtedly believing Jewel was thinking that the tragedy that took Lance and so many others would befall Sheppard as well.
Jewel’s pulse pounded in her throat. She latched onto her friend’s arms. “Who went with them?” Please let it be Miles or Tapper.
“Hank and Richards. Trevor too, I think. Why?”
Her heart thudded to the floor. There was only one reason Sheppard
Jewel nudged the side of his arm with her shoulder. “Guess we’re both kind of alone.”
“Yeah.”
“Jewel.” A slender woman flew into the room, causing them both to flinch. Jewel let go of his hand.
The woman looked from Jewel to Alexander, wariness crossing her features. “They’re taking a headcount. Come. Both of you, quickly.”
Jewel nodded, casting an imploring glance toward Alexander before running out of the room ahead of him.
Chapter Four
Jewel slept hard through the night, a dreamless sleep, exhausted from the events of the past evening. The Sifts showing up hadn’t rattled her nearly as much as Alexander had, sitting so close beside her on her bed, her belly knotted with uncertainty.
He spoke of magic. His mother was a healer and she’d bet her last beloved tube of hand lotion that he had more than just some small bit of magic as well, though he wasn’t any more eager than she was to share what he could do.
She felt the strength of his—what had he called it? essence—ripple off him like a shrouded mist. Lance had given off a similar feeling when he was near.
Or maybe it was just her nerves. He was too smart. Intelligence played behind his eyes like a ray of light seeping in between the slats of a fence. He knew things, she was sure of it. Things no one else understood. Or even bothered to think about.
And he’d looked at her as though he could see her inner-most secrets.
Which made him dangerous.
Yet he might also be her salvation. The one who could help her put her plan into motion.
He had magic. Like her.
She shouldn’t have run from him like a coward last evening. She’d find him first thing this morning.
The door to her room opened and closed and Mae slipped inside, looking for something in their shared chest of drawers.
Rolling over, Jewel pushed up to a sitting position and stretched. “Aw, Mae, I’m sorry. I’m still on kitchen duty. You should have shoved my lazy rump out of bed.”
Mae smiled. “It’s okay. You looked like you needed the rest. You tossed and turned throughout the night.”
Jewel winced. “That bad? I kept you up?” She pushed back her thin blanket. A quick sponge bath and then she’d figure out some excuse to talk with the three strangers. She’d dig deep to find the courage to ask for their help, confide in them. Her biggest fear was that it wasn’t just herself alone that she’d be risking by trusting them.
Her stomach churned thinking about it. What if she was wrong?
“Has anyone taken the strangers their breakfast yet? That would be enough of an excuse to be speaking with them.
Mae found her clean pair of socks and sat on her own bed, bending her leg up. “They’ll probably be given some of the rations Sheppard had me pack earlier for them.” She pulled the sock—one of the pairs Jewel had brought back for her from her latest scavenging foray—onto her foot.
Every nerve in Jewel’s body came alive. “What?”
Mae shrugged, oblivious to the tension pulling Jewel’s spine tight. “Sheppard took them out this morning.”
Jewel shoved off of the bed, grabbing up her pants from the end of the mattress. “How long ago?”
“Not that long. Jewel, what’s going on?” Mae stood.
Jewel shoved her feet into her worn boots. “Nothing. It’s only that…there’s a lot of Sifts out there right now.”
“Which is probably why they went. You know Sheppard. He’ll want to test those canisters the strangers put so much store into, see for himself…don’t worry.” Mae’s tone softened, undoubtedly believing Jewel was thinking that the tragedy that took Lance and so many others would befall Sheppard as well.
Jewel’s pulse pounded in her throat. She latched onto her friend’s arms. “Who went with them?” Please let it be Miles or Tapper.
“Hank and Richards. Trevor too, I think. Why?”
Her heart thudded to the floor. There was only one reason Sheppard
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