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"How long can I keep you safe? It’s only goan to get worse and worse We’re heading into places where folks lived off the land and hunted, where there weren’t Wal-Marts on every corner with aisles of cans to live off of They’re goan to be starving, Evie Desperate"

The new food chain

"I’ll be taking you straight into danger, and it randmother’s even alive"

"She is"

"Why you sound so confident about her? You’ve had more visions, haven’t you? Damn it, why haven’t you told me?" In a surly tone, he added, "Bet you told coo-yôn"

How to reply to that one?

"It’s like you two communicate in soot to accept that, ether "Why’s that boy always talking about the future? You said he lectured you--ould he be lecturing a psychic like you?"

I began pulling at a new hole in my jeans

"Is helike you? Can he see the future?"

Though Isecrets, I couldn’t lie to him anymore "I don’t have visions of the future, Jackson I am not psychic" But I also couldn’t tell him Matthew’s secrets

Jackson flashed s I’ve watched you get nosebleeds"

I bit h a fillanced back, he had that analytical look on his face Uh-oh "The day we rescued that boy, you toldwithout his help He ain’t simple, is he?" When I eventually shook my head, Jackson added in a mutter, "I’d kinda hoped he was"

"He’s justdifferent"

"When are you goan to co him just before the Flash We do communicate differently He’s one of the voices I hear"

"Heh You haven’t had a single nosebleed since we picked up that boy"

I sed, uneasy here this was going

"This is like those puzzles we used to do in school If soure out a solution If you haven’t told ht--"

"I haven’t!"

"--then I can back my way into the truth One You said you can’t see the future, but you didn’t anshen I asked if that coo-yôn could Two For some reason, you think his help can protect your life Three You once toldshoved into your head Maybe ’cause they were?"

Cunning, perceptive Jackson

Realization lit his expression "You’ve been growing plants so the future? It makes sense"

I just stared at him

"Did he send you those visions to protect you?"

Why bother denying it? "He tried to get me ready for the Flash I barely listened to hi about you dying, Evangeline?"

Oh boy "When he talks aboutDeath, he’s doesn’t mean it like you think More like I should be prepared to face a big-bad or so I know it sounds weird, but he considers Death to be aperson Someone who can be defeated"

A measure of tension eased frohtable adversary was soifts" Then his face fell "That’s why you like each other so much"

"It’s not like that with Matthew and ht"

"He’s a sixteen-year-old boy, Evie He sees you in only one light! Trust "

"Like I did with Clotile?" he asked, and I thought he was holding his breath

"Exactly He’s a kid brother to me"

Jackson briefly closed his eyes At the memory of Clotile? Or from relief at my words? Both?

Had he truly believed I was interested in Matthew? I could only iine what all Selena had told hi bitch

Jacksonfor you" He reached for his nearby bag, rooted around inside, then produced a bottle of Sprite

My lips parted as he handed it to ht as well have presented um, every time we drank a soda or ate a candy bar, there was one less treat in the world, never to be replenished

"Of course I did see you at five lunch periods I’ve been saving it for when you could enjoy it--alone"

I unscrewed the top, handing it back to him "We will share it"

"Oh, you’ll drink after me?"

My cheeks flushed "Sometimes I can be immature, Jackson I know it’s not always easy to be patient with ain "I’ forward blindly And there’s some Why woan you trust me? Is it because of the stuff I did back in school?"

Arcana means secrets "It’s not you, Jackson, it’s me"

He scowled at that, about to question ot to head out to work, uard, but her bow shoots better froet in and out of a camp full of soldiers without her"

"I understand"

"You woan have to worry about Baggers today And hell, coo-yôn can probably see any threats co, huh?"

"Don’t worry about h I kneas brave and resourceful, I didn’t want hier he was about to wade into "I want you to make it back, okay?"

"I could almost think you really care about uard to protect you"

"You’re more than that to me," I said quietly "And you have to know that--so why are you acting like you don’t?"

"Then prove it" He eased closer, until our faces were inches apart "Tell me your secrets"

God, I loved it when he looked at me like this, with his eyes so steady andaffectionate?