I froze—every function of my body arrested but my heart, and even that faltered jaggedly—and listened. I didn’t have long to hope that I’d just imagined the sound. Within seconds, I could hear more quiet footsteps coming this way.

Melanie kept her cool, whereas I was lost to panic.

Get on your feet, she ordered.

Why?

You won’t fight, but you can run. You have to try something—for Jamie.

I started breathing again, keeping it quiet and shallow. Slowly, I rolled forward till I was on the balls of my feet. Adrenaline coursed through my muscles, making them tingle and flex. I would be faster than most who would try to catch me, but where would I run to?

“Wanda?” someone whispered quietly. “Wanda? Are you here? It’s me.”

His voice broke, and I knew him.

“Jamie!” I rasped. “What are you doing? I told you I needed to be alone.”

Relief was plain in his voice, which he now raised from the whisper. “Everybody is looking for you. Well, you know, Trudy and Lily and Wes—that everybody. Only we’re not supposed to let anyone know that’s what we’re doing. No one is supposed to guess that you’re missing. Jeb’s got his gun again. Ian’s with Doc. When Doc’s free, he’ll talk to Jared and Kyle. Everybody listens to Doc. So you don’t have to hide. Everybody’s busy, and you’re probably tired.…”

As Jamie explained, he continued forward until his fingers found my arm, and then my hand.

“I’m not really hiding, Jamie. I told you I had to think.”

“You could think with Jeb there, right?”

“Where do you want me to go? Back to Jared’s room? This is where I’m supposed to be.”

“Not anymore.” The familiar stubborn edge entered his voice.

“Why is everyone so busy?” I asked to distract him. “What’s Doc doing?”

My attempt was unsuccessful; he didn’t answer.

After a minute of silence, I touched his cheek. “Look, you should be with Jeb. Tell the others to stop looking for me. I’ll just hang out here for a while.”

“You can’t sleep here.”

“I have before.”

I felt his head shake in my hand.

“I’ll go get mats and pillows, at least.”

“I don’t need more than one.”

“I’m not staying with Jared while he’s being such a jerk.”

I groaned internally. “Then you stay with Jeb and his snores. You belong with them, not with me.”

“I belong wherever I want to be.”

The threat of Kyle finding me here was heavy on my mind. But that argument would only make Jamie feel responsible for protecting me.

“Fine, but you have to get Jeb’s permission.”

“Later. I’m not going to bug Jeb tonight.”

“What is Jeb doing?”