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"This way" Cavenaugh leads hi, down a dim hallway in equally awful condition The selatinous Lev is about to conclude that Cavenaugh is a madman and run in the other direction when theit open to reveal a grand dining hall

"We’ve restored the north wing For now it’s all we need Of course, we’ve had to board all the s--lights at night in an abandoned ruin would be way too conspicuous"

The place is nowhere near in the condition itpaint, and water stains on the roof, but it’s farhall has two ed fro tables and benches suggest that a lot of people are served their e fireplace, and above it a full-length portrait, larger than life At first Lev takes it to be a painting of one of the Cavenaughs as a boy, until he looks more closely

"Wait--is thatood likeness, isn’t it?"

As he crosses toward it, Lev can see how good a likeness it really is Or at least a fine rendering of how he looked a year ago In the portrait, he’s wearing a yellow shirt that seeold In fact, the portrait is painted so that his skin gives off a sort of divine radiance The expression on his painted face speaks of wisdom and peace--the kind of peace Lev has yet to find in life--and at the base of the portrait are tithing whites metaphorically trampled beneath his feet

His first reaction is to laugh "What’s this all about?"

"It’s about the cause you fought for, Lev I’m pleased to say we’ve picked up where you left off"

On thefrom flowers to handwritten notes, to bits of jewelry and other trinkets

"These things spontaneously began to appear after we put up the portrait," Cavenaugh explains "We didn’t expect it, but les to process this Again, all he can do is giggle "You’re joking, right?"

Then off to his right, at a doorway to an adjacent hallway, a wo restless Can I let the to see around the rather heavyset woh tells her, then sine, they’re very excited to meet you"

"Who?"

"The tithes, of course We held a contest, and seven were chosen to personally greet you"

Cavenaugh talks like these are all things Lev should already know It’s all too much for him to wrap his mind around "Tithes?"

"Ex-tithes, actually Rescued before their arrival at their respective harvest ca clicks, and it dawns on Lev how this is possible "Parts pirates--the ones who target tithes!"

"Oh, there are certainly parts pirates," Cavenaugh says, "but to the best of ood cover story, though Keeps the Juvenile Authority barking up the wrong tree"

The idea that tithes are being rescued rather than sold on the blackthat has never occurred to Lev

"Are you ready to meet our little squad of ah signals the woman to let them in, and they enter in an orderly procession that doesn’t hide the high-voltage exciteht colors--intentionally so Not a bit of white in the whole bunch Lev just stands there dazed as they greet him one by one A couple of them just stare and nod their heads, too starstruck to say anything Another shakes his hand so forcefully Lev’s shoulder has to absorb the shock One boy is so nervous, he stuoes beet red as he steps away

"Your hair is different," one girl says, then panics like she’s gravely insulted hi!"

"I know everything about you," another kid announces "Seriously, ask h Lev is a bit creeped out by the thought, he says, "Okay, what’s my favorite ice creahtest hesitation The answer is, of course, correct Lev’s not quite sure how to feel about it

"Soyou were all tithes?"

"Yes," says a girl in bright green, "until ere rescued We knorong tithing is now"

"Yeah," says another "We learned to see the way you see!"

Lev finds hiht up in their adoration Not since his days as a tithe has he felt "golden" After Happy Jack, everyone saw him either as a victim to be pitied or a monster to be punished But these kids revere hih, it feels good Really good