“I don’t know, Lily. I’m not sure what the point is.”

“Why?” she asked again, not speaking to me anymore. Her glassy eyes looked right through me.

I stepped carefully past her and hurried to my room. I had my own question that had to be answered.

To my great relief, the room was empty. I threw myself facedown on the mattress where Jamie and I slept.

When I’d told Jeb I had one more question, that was the truth. But the question was not for the Seeker. The question was for me.

The question was would I—not could I—do it?

I could save the Seeker’s life. I knew how. It would not endanger any of the lives here. Except my own. I would have to trade that.

No. Melanie tried to be firm through her panic.

Please let me think.

No.

This is the thing, Mel. It’s inevitable anyway. I can see that now. I should have seen it long ago. It’s so obvious.

No, it isn’t.

I remembered our conversation when Jamie was ill. When we were making up. I’d told her that I wouldn’t erase her and that I was sorry that I couldn’t give her more than that.

It wasn’t so much a lie as it was an unfinished sentence. I couldn’t give her more than that—and stay alive myself.

The actual lie had been given to Jared. I’d told him, just seconds later, that I didn’t know how to make myself not exist. In the context of our discussion, it was true. I didn’t know how to fade away, here inside Melanie. But I was surprised I hadn’t heard the obvious lie right then, hadn’t seen in that moment what I was seeing now. Of course I knew how to make myself not exist.

It was just that I had never considered that option viable, ultimate betrayal that it was to every soul on this planet.

Once the humans knew that I had this answer, the one they had murdered for over and over again, it would cost me.

No, Wanda!

Don’t you want to be free?

A long pause.

I wouldn’t ask you for this, she finally said. And I wouldn’t do it for you. And I sure as hell wouldn’t do it for the Seeker!

You don’t have to ask. I think I might have volunteered… eventually.

Why do you think that? she demanded, her tone close to a sob. It touched me. I expected her to be elated.

In part because of them. Jared and Jamie. I can give them the whole world, everything they want. I can give them you. I probably would have realized that… someday. Who knows? Maybe Jared would have asked. You know I wouldn’t have said no.