@@@@@Then I shut my eyes tight, buried my face
@@@@@Then I shut my eyes tight, buried my face against my knees, and wrapped my arms
around my head
Either Jared understood that I was done speaking or his body was complaining too loudly to be
ignoredHe grunted a few times as he squeezed himself out of the opening of my cave, taking
the lamp with him, and then groaned quietly as he stretched
“That was unexpected,” Ian whispered
“Lies, of course,” Jared whispered backI could just barely make out their wordsThey
probably didn't realize how the sound echoed back to me in here“Only… I can't quite figure
out what it wants us to believe–where it's trying to lead us
“I don't think it's lyingWell, except the one timeDid you notice?”
“Part of the act
“Jared, when have you ever met a parasite who could lie about anything? Except a Seeker, of
course
“Are you serious?”
“It's the best explanation
“She–itis the furthest thing from a Seeker I've ever seenIf a Seeker had any idea how to find
us, it would have brought an army
“And they wouldn't have found anythingBut she–it got in, didn't it?”
“It's almost been killed half a dozen –”
“Yet it's still breathing, isn't it?”
They were quiet for a long timeSo long that I started to think about moving out of the
cramped ball I was curled in, but I didn't want to make any noise by lying downI wished Ian
would leave so I could sleepThe adrenaline left me so worn out when it drained from my
system
“I think I'm going to go talk to Jeb,” Ian eventually whispered
“Oh,that's a great idea Jared's voice was thick with sarcasm
“Do you remember that first night? When it jumped between you and Kyle? That was bizarre
“It was just trying to find a way to stay alive, to es