me. “You didn’t see her.” I couldn’t put it any clearer than that. “She really meant it.”

His fingers slipped away from mine. I tried not to feel bereft. He moved around, and the next thing I

knew, he was pushing me over so he could lie down on the bed. He stretched out, moved around

and got comfortable, his hands laced behind his head. His eyes glimmered, little green gleams. I

breathed him in—salt and male, the tang of loup-garou like silver in the moonlight.

“I think you’re safer here. I’m learning all sorts of stuff. Even you said you didn’t know enough.”

“I know how to run.” How to get cash and how to keep our trail clear—hopefully. But he was right,

sort of. If I could stay here long enough, learn enough, when I bolted I would be better prepared.

Or I just might leave too late and end up dead.

I wish Dad was here. The thought was like probing at a sore tooth. A thin thread of anger worked its

way around inside my chest. Why did he have to go and get himself killed?

It wasn’t really fair, I guess. But why was he going after Sergej anyway?

I could guess. For Mom. He missed her at least as much as I did.

“Don’t leave without me. I’m just sayin’, Dru. We might stand a better chance if we stick around

here for awhile. Get our hands on some more stuff, find out more.”

I rolled away, turning my back on him. “Okay.”

He waited a little bit. “What?”

Was he deaf? I sighed, half-pushed myself up, turned my pillow over, and dropped back down

again. “Okay. You’ve got a good point. We’ll stay here for awhile.” I just hope I live to see us leave.

Contemplating your own gruesome demise is a sure way to make you definitely un-sleepy. But

there hadn’t been an attack the entire time we were here. I could just stop going to Council meetings

and stay out of Anna’s way. Sometimes bullies just got tired of it and left you alone after awhile.

Except I was the only other girl in the whole Schola. It wasn’t like I could blend. I wished there

were some wulfen girls around, but they don’t come to the Prima. They either stay at home to help

protect the compounds, or they attend satellite Scholas as day students. Still, it would have been

nice.

Though with my luck, they’d probably hate me, too, for some reason. I’ve never been the girl other

girls like.

Graves lay very still. “I think you’re the only person who’s ever listened to me.”

“The other wulfen did.” I closed my eyes. Sleep was an impossibility, but my entire body was so

heavy.

“You know what I mean.” A restless movement went through him. “Ah, Dru?”