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"You think the Rising ht be able to do what the Society never could?" I ask "You think the Rising has figured out how to bring people back to life?"

"Not yet," she says, "but don’t you think they will someday? Don’t you think that’s the Pilot’s ultis talk about hiht not just ue, but from death itself--"

"No" I speak low "You saw those sa anyone back from that? And even if you could use the sainal person, it would never be the person the anyone back, ever Do you see what I mean?"

Indie shakes her head, stubborn

Right then I feel a push atme off balance and toward the river nearby I have barely enough tiers around the paper before I hit water I hold h and push off the bottom of the river as hard as I can with my feet

But I know the paper is still wet

The others think my fist is raised in so out and raising theirs back I have to play it off, so I call out, "The Rising!" and they all pick up the cry

I’m certain it was Connor who pushed me He watches from the shore with his arms folded

Camas River runs near our ca clothes in the barracks, I run down to the flat stones at the edge of the water, unfolding the paper as I go If he ruined herat the bottoible, and it’s written in Cassia’s handwriting I’d know it anywhere She’s changed our code a little, the ays do, but it doesn’t take long to puzzle it out

I’m fine, but most of my papers were stolen

So don’t worry if you don’t hear from me as often I’ll find my way to you as soon as I can I have a plan Ky, I know that you’re going to want to co to want to save me But I need you to trustI can feel it I still sort and wait, but I’ve been writing letters everywhere I can

I was right This s up and slowed others down Trading isn’t as reliable as it used to be How ue arrived? Two? Did she ever getstill in a medical center?

So each other our stories in bits and pieces again, I remind myself that we are luckier than ift, the first of iven me, means more to me each day We have a way to keep in touch until we can be together again

I love you, Ky

That’s hoays end our es to each other But there’s more this ties all the way to Camas I haven’t asked this of you before; I’ve tried to talk to him in different ways so that the two of you wouldn’t have to share But can you find a way for Xander to see this, too? The next part is for him and it’s important

That’s when I see that the code switches into nue It looks like a basic nue it blurs into waves of ink on the paper from when I fell into the river

I’m tempted to decipher it She knows I could, but she thinks she can trust et the way she looked at , when she realized I’d hidden thefrom her I promised myself then that I wouldn’t let fear make me into someone I didn’t want to be Now I’m someone who can trust and be trusted

I have to find a way to get thisit to him makes it look like I am untrustworthy because part of it is ruined

I pin the paper down on the flat stone with a se It won’t take long for the es to dry Hopefully the others won’tacross the rocks She’s changed into a dry uniform and she sits down next to o in case the wind picks up and sends theDoesn’t ask any questions

So I do "What’s the secret?" I ask Indie

She looks at me and raises her eyebrows What do youlike you do?" I ask "Like that tiht the ship in fine" We’d scraped along the asphalt of the runway, the ship’sup sparks, and Indie hadn’t seeether," she says "When I look at things, they ht She’s always had a good sense of proportion and position when it comes to concrete objects She carried that wasp nest because she liked the way it fit together When she climbed the walls of the canyon, shealone--even if it’s practically intuition the way it is for her--doesn’t account for how good she is at flying and how fast she learned I’ like Indie

"And I kno things move," Indie says "Like that"

She points to another heron over the water This one ski a current of air for as long as it lasts I look at Indie and feel a sharp ache of loneliness for her, like she’s the bird She kno things fit together and move, but so few people understand her She’s the most solitary person I’ve ever known

Has it always been that way?

"Indie," I ask, "did you take a tube from the Cavern?"

"Of course," she says

"How many?" I ask

"Only one"

"Who?"

"Just someone," Indie says

"Where did you hide it?"

"I didn’t keep it for long It got lost in the water ent down the strea the whole truth I can’t tell where the lie coet Indie to talk about so when she’s decided to keep her own counsel