Jared snorted. “For a human. A more important distinction than I’d realized.”

He lowered me to the lip of the entrance. It made a shallow bench that was more comfortable than the flat floor.

“Thank you,” I told him. “Jeb did the right thing, you know.”

“I don’t agree with that.” Jared’s tone was milder than his words.

“Thank you also—for before. You didn’t have to defend me.”

“Every word was the truth.”

I looked at the floor. “It’s true that I would never do anything to hurt anyone here. Not on purpose. I’m sorry that I hurt you when I came here. And Jamie. So sorry.”

He sat down right beside me, his face thoughtful. “Honestly…” He hesitated. “The kid is better since you came. I’d sort of forgotten what his laugh sounded like.”

We both listened to it now, echoing above the lower pitch of adult laughter.

“Thank you for telling me that. It’s been my… biggest worry. I hoped I hadn’t damaged anything permanently.”

“Why?”

I looked up at him, confused.

“Why do you love him?” he asked, his voice still curious but not intense.

I bit my lip.

“You can tell me. I’m… I’ve…” He couldn’t find the words to explain. “You can tell me,” he repeated.

I looked at my feet as I answered. “In part because Melanie does.” I didn’t peek to see if the name made him flinch. “Remembering him the way she does… that’s a powerful thing. And then, when I met him in person…” I shrugged. “I can’t not love him. It’s part of my… the very makeup of these cells to love him. I hadn’t realized before how much influence a host had on me. Maybe it’s just human bodies. Maybe it’s just Melanie.”

“She talks to you?” He kept his voice even, but I could hear the strain now.

“Yes.”

“How often?”

“When she wants to. When she’s interested.”

“How about today?”

“Not much. She’s… kind of mad at me.”

He barked out a surprised laugh. “She’s mad? Why?”

“Because of…” Was there such a thing as double jeopardy here? “Nothing.”

He heard the lie again and made the connection.

“Oh. Kyle. She wanted him to fry.” He laughed again. “She would.”

“She can be… violent,” I agreed. I smiled, to soften the insult.

It was no insult to him. “Really? How?”

“She wants me to fight back. But I… I can’t do that. I’m not a fighter.”

“I can see that.” He touched my battered face with one fingertip. “Sorry.”

“No. Anyone would do the same. I know what you must have felt.”

“You wouldn’t —”

“If I were human, I would. Besides, I wasn’t thinking of that.… I was remembering the Seeker.”

He stiffened.