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Back The Art of Exile Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. Dedication
  5. GENESIS INSTITUTE GUILDS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  50. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  51. IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

At the bottom of the stairs, I grab Kor’s hand. “I should be part of this. You won’t be able to navigate the island without me.”

“Our new Genesis informant will help us with that.”

“Who is this new spy?” I’ve asked Kor this question numerous times, but he won’t tell me. Even with me no longer leaking information, between Prometheus and this new informant, if I can’t intervene, the Maker world is truly in danger.

“Ada, I told you I’d tell you everything when the time is right.” He kisses my hand and then pulls away, making for the door.

None of this would be happening if it weren’t for me. It’s all my fault. But I can’t stop it without knowing more details.

There’s only one person I can think of who may be willing and able to help me learn more.

38

Once Kor is gone, I rush up to my room. I try a few internet searches and browse multiple social media sites, but it’s all useless. I don’t know how to locate a random person on the internet who doesn’t want to be found.

But Georgie can. I email her asking her to call me when she’s available.

As I wait for her response, I take out my pastels and add some shadows to a portrait of Grandfather that I’ve been working on. I try not to think about how many creative pursuits I took part in on a given day at Genesis compared to the past few weeks of almost nothing. But this picture is good. Grandfather has been sitting for me in the sunroom every morning when the lighting is just right.

I bawled my eyes out when I first saw him after I got back, knowing he was going to be okay after so many months of worrying. And he really does look okay. Much more energetic and vibrant than the last time I saw him. We did some gardening in the backyard together earlier today, and he had no problem with the more strenuous pulling and digging. And yesterday, both he and Sal came down to breakfast with wet hair. Like maybe they’d both been showering. At the same time. She has been living with him in this house for a long time, so anything’s possible….

I’d questioned Grandfather about his surgeries, and he’d only insisted that I have nothing to worry about.

“It may be the nature of bodies to degrade, but I’ve spent my life as a scientist learning that we can reverse nature, that we can improve upon it. I can honestly say that I’ve never been better. And I promise you, mi reinita, that I’ll be around for a long time yet.”