Page 15 (1/2)

SELFISH IS AS SELFISH DOES

Raquel was sitting in a chair nearquietly on her communicator when I woke up on the couch She had stayed the whole night I didn’t want to be alone

Her eyebroere knit as she rubbed her forehead with her free hand I sat up She looked over and gave me a strained smile, then continued her conversation for a few minutes When she had finished, I sat on my hands so they wouldn’t shake "Did they find it?"

She shook her head and heaved a new sigh This one was laced with more stress and tension than any I had ever heard before--even h that showed up whenever Itime, like when I was fourteen and stole her coram mine to play music I screwed up the entire system and locked everyone in their rooo over well I was on Contains were that easy this time

I didn’t want to ask, I didn’t want to know, but I had to "Jacques?"

She shook her head sadly "He was dead"

I looked at the floor, tears welling into help him--I hadn’t even tried Raquel sat next toyou could have done If you had tried to help hilad he died helping you escape"

Actually, I was sure Jacques would be glad to be alive right now Still, he had been arth If he could be taken out that easily, I really wouldn’t have been able to do anything

Telling myself that didn’t erase his screa with all the departure it out and stop whatever’s doing this"

I reht "It’s Reth!"

"What’s Reth?"

"Reth, the killer! I think Reth’s doing it!"

"Why would you say that?"

"The handprint! On the hag’s chest--she had a handprint that was glowing gold! Just like--" I stopped dead I hadn’t told Raquel about the glowing into "He left a handprint on me, I think it’s him!"

Raquel shook her head "I know you’re ood reason, but it isn’t hi about faeries!"

She gave er than you And I know Reth didn’t do this While you were out there, he was in a disciplinary hearing"

"A--what?"

"His actions with you were under review There were seven people on the council; they can all vouch that he was there the whole ti? Who were they kidding? Faeries didn’t care in the slightest about us or our rules Like I told Lend, they were only here because of the na--to serve IPCA "So, what, are they punishing him?"

"His actions were deemed inappropriate and he was firmly admonished" The way Raquel said it, I knew she realized how lame it sounded

"Ah, admonished That’ll teach him! I feel totally safe now!"

"You don’t need to worry about hiave hiain So please, stop letting it bother you so much"

I looked down at my wrist It was lohere the skin stuck out a little Yeah, nothing to worry about at all "I still think he had so to do with this--or maybe another faerie One IPCA doesn’t know about"

"Well, I’ll suggest your theory during the , but we have no reason to suspect the faeries You and I both know faeries don’t do anything without motivation"

"Yeah, and we both should know that we really don’t get their motivation"

Raquel heaved an I’h and stood up "Lish wanted you to go see her as soon as you felt up to it I would feel better if you spent the day with her I don’t want you alone And, please, this time, take your communicator"

Raquel patted , so I took a shower that was too long and too hot I tried not to, but I couldn’t avoid looking down My chest still had its spot of liquid gold fire, undiot out, I stared hard at myself in the mirror, but I could see my freaky liquid flames only if I looked directly at them It felt like my face should look different, but it was the saeous, button nose, pretty ray eyes

But then so horrible If I could see as paranor directly at it, I had no idea if there was so I could never look into my own eyes without amy entire life Maybe that’s as so weird about my eyes that Lend couldn’t i whatever I really was underneath

It was a terrible thought A terrible thought that I had no way to either confir one of a kind No answers Ever

Upset, I dried off and pulled on est, softest sweater It was a pretty pale blue and the sleeves came down past my hands That was a bonus, since I didn’t have to see rabbed , Lish practically slaency to talk to me

"Evie, are you okay? I have been so worried"

I smiled weakly "Yeah, it’s been kind of a sucky couple of weeks"

"Please, sit down You have not visited ed over one of the rolling chairs, sitting down and pulling upthat had happened with Reth and then the hag Being with her now made me realize how much I had missed iving erous jobs, and Lend, I had been busy Lish, being a very clever amphibious immortal, narrowed her eyes in a sly smile