“The snow had settled enough that I was in plain sight, especially as I was painted with the beast’s blood. It’s a very bright color, a color you don’t have here. It raised its pincers, and they swung toward me. I thought that was it, and I was comforted a little that at least I would die trying.

“And then the pincers hit the snow beside me. I couldn’t believe it had missed! I stared up at the huge, hideous face, and I almost had to… well, not laugh. Bears don’t laugh. But that was the feeling. Because that ugly face was torn with confusion and surprise and chagrin. No claw beast had ever worn such an expression before.

“It had taken Harness Light a few minutes to bind himself to the claw beast—it was such a big area, he really had to extend himself. But then he was in control. He was confused and slow—he didn’t have much of a brain to work with, but it was enough that he knew I was his friend.

“I had to ride him to the crystal city—to hold the wound closed on his neck until we could reach a Healer. That caused quite a stir. For a while they called me Rides the Beast. I didn’t like it. I made them go back to my other name.”

I’d been staring ahead, toward the lights of the hospital and the figures of the souls crossing in front of those lights, as I told the story. Now I looked at Jared for the first time. He was gaping at me, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

It really was one of my best stories. I’d have to get Mel to promise that she’d tell it to Jamie when I was…

“They’re probably finished unloading, don’t you think?” I said quickly. “Let’s finish this and get back home.”

He stared at me for one more moment, and then shook his head slowly.

“Yes, let’s finish this, Wanderer, Lives in the Stars, Rides the Beast. Stealing a few unguarded crates won’t present much of a challenge for you, will it?”

CHAPTER 52: Separated

CHAPTER 52

Separated

We brought our plunder in through the south vent, though this meant that the jeep would have to be moved before dawn. My main concern with using the bigger entrance was that the Seeker would hear the commotion our arrival was sure to cause. I wasn’t sure if she had any idea of what I was going to do, and I didn’t want to give her any reason to kill her host and herself. The story Jeb had told me about one of their captives—the man who had simply collapsed, leaving no external evidence on the outside of the havoc wreaked inside his skull—haunted my thoughts.