Samm said nothing. He didn’t even have to look at them to feel their disgust, their anger, their pity filling the air like a poison cloud. He’d tried to be their friend, their guide to the new world they’d woken into, but all they saw him as was a traitor. He opened his mouth to protest, to tell them that he wasn’t just a human tool, to explain everything that had happened and all his reasons, but it was . . . It was too much. He looked at Gorman, but shouted to the hall.

“Calix!”

He waited, wondering if she’d wandered away, praying that she hadn’t locked the door. It felt like a lifetime, but it was barely a second before the door opened. Calix stood in the doorway, balancing on her good leg.

“You need anything?”

He kept her in his peripheral vision, his eyes on Gorman. Listen closely, he thought, hoping that the soldiers were paying close attention. “Have the hunters reported back yet?”

She blinked, a tic Samm had come to recognize in her as confusion. It wasn’t the question she’d expected, but she answered it. “Phan bagged a deer; he and Frank are bringing it back. Should be here soon.”

“And the harvest?”

She blinked again. Her voice was more hesitant this time, probing him for answers. “Everything’s picked, they’re still . . . canning the fruits and beans and stuff, is . . . everything okay?”

“Everything’s great,” said Samm, watching Gorman closely. “How about the beehives? We getting enough honey?”

If she was still confused by his questioning, she kept it to herself this time. “Yields aren’t as high as last year, but we’re doing okay,” she said. She paused a moment, then added, “Certainly enough to feed ten extra mouths.”

“Great.” Samm phrased his next sentence carefully—not a request, but not a command. “I know I told you to keep these guys’ diets light and bland for the first little bit, but they’ve been through a lot, and I think they deserve a little something extra. That honey candy Laura makes is amazing. Let’s get them some.”

Calix grinned; she’d helped Laura make the most recent batches and loved showing them off. “Lemon or mint?”

Samm looked at the Partials. “Lemon or mint?”

Dwain shook his head in disbelief. “You’re bribing us with candy?”

“We’ll take mint,” said Gorman. Calix nodded and closed the door, and Gorman scowled at Dwain. “That wasn’t a bribe, it was a demonstration.” He shot a hard glance at Samm. “He’s showing us they’re equals.”

“We’re working together,” said Samm. “Partners, friends, whatever you want to call it.”

“What do you want to call it?” asked Heron. Samm gave her a quick glance but didn’t answer.