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It dawned on Evie that she was free fro better

Uncle Will thuh a book "You’re seventeen, is it?"

"According to my last birthday"

"Well Seventeen’s certainly old enough to doas you keep out of trouble Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," Evie said, astonished "Are you sure you’re related to my mother? There wasn’t a mix-up in the nursery?"

Will’s smile flickered for a second and disappeared "Your mother has never quite recovered from your brother’s death"

"She’s not the only one who misses James"

"It’s different for her"

"So they say" Evie sed down her anger "That bit you were talking about back there--people who could see the future or…" She took a breath "Read objects Diviners Do you know anyone like that?"

"Not personally, no Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," Evie said quickly "I suppose if there were Diviners, they’d be all over the papers and radio, wouldn’t they?"

"Or, if history is any indication, they’d be burned at the stake" Will gestured to thethem "We’ve an entire library devoted to such stories if you’d like to read more about Aarette in an overflowing ashtray "I’ a bit behind, and I’ton isn’t far from here--ten blocks Shall I have Jericho walk you over?"

"No," Evie said Even a ten-block ith stoic Jericho would probably be painfully dull "I’ll be jake on my own"

"Pardon?"