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MyMatthew Markham Patrick and Aida’s son He isn’t dead?

"Sione performed that trade with no fee, because it was a family member anted it It was his wife’s sister Her husband knew so was rotten in the Society He wanted his child out It was an extreerous trade"

She looks pastKy’s father, a man I never met What was he like? I wonder It’s impossible not to picture hi "But," Anna says, "Sione ht that the Society would prefer word of a death getting around to news of an escape, and he was right The Society made up a story to explain the boy’s disappearance They didn’t want rus, as they were called They didn’t want people to think they could escape"

"He risked a great deal for his nephew," I say

"No," Anna says "He did it for his son"

"For Ky?"

"Sione couldn’t change who he was He couldn’t Reclassify himself But he wanted a better life for his son than he could provide"

"But Ky’s father was a rebel," I say "He believed in the Rising"

"And in the end, I think he was also a realist," Anna says "He knew the chances of a rebellion succeeding were sli rong and Sione died, then Ky would have a place in the Society He could go back to live with his aunt and uncle"

"And he did," I say

"Yes," Anna says "Ky was safe"

"No," I say "They sent him out to the work camps eventually" I sent him out to the work camps

"But much later than they would have," she says "He likely lived longer where he was in the Society than he would have if he’d been trapped in the Outer Provinces"

"Where is that boy now?" I ask "Matthew Markham?"

"I have no idea," Anna says "I never met him, you understand I only knew of him from Sione"

"I knew Ky’s uncle," I say "Patrick I can’t believe he would send his son out here to live where he knew nothing and no one"

"Parents will do strange things when they see a clear danger to their children," she says

"But Patrick didn’t do the sary

"I suspect," Anna says, "that he wanted to honor Ky’s parents’ request for their child, which was that he have a chance to leave the Outer Provinces And eventually, I’ one son out would have al terrible happened for years, they would have wondered if they’d done the right thing in sending him away" Anna takes a deep breath "Hunter hter My granddaughter Sarah"

"Yes," I say I saw Hunter bury Sarah I saw the line on her grave--Suddenly across the June a ith fingers goes

"Hunter never blamed me," Anna says "He knew I had to take the people across Tiht about that"

She looks up at me Her eyes are very dark "But I bla her fingers, and I think I see traces of blue marked on her skin, or perhaps it’s her veins underneath In the diht of the infirmary, it’s hard to tell

She stands up "When is your next break?" she asks

"I don’t know," I say

"I’ll try to find out and bring Eli and Hunter to see you" Anna bends down and touches Ky’s shoulder "And you," she says

After she leaves, I lean down to Ky "Did you hear all that?" I ask him "Did you hear how much your parents loved you?"

He doesn’t answer

"And I love you," I tell hi for your cure"

He doesn’t stir I tell hiain As I watch, I think the liquid dripping into his veins helps; there is a warht comes up

CHAPTER 32

KY

Her voice co me poetry

Then the pain comes back, but it’s different now My muscles and bones used to hurt But now I ache even deeper than that Has the infection spread?

Cassia wants me to know that she loves me

The pain wants to eat me away

I wish I could have one without the other, but that’s the probleet to choose the ree of joy you have

I don’t deserve either her love or this illness

That’s a stupid thought Things happen whether you deserve them or not

For now, I’ll ride out the pain on the song of her voice I won’t think about ill happen when she has to leave

Right now, she’s here and she loves ain