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"There wasn’t tiht before her sixteenth birthday"

"That’s leaving things until the last minute," Az said

"But very draly

"Actually, I didn’t have much choice I hadn’t even heard of the S That was about a week before my birthday"

"Shay? I don’t believe we’ve met her," Az said

Tally looked at David, who shrugged He had never brought Shay here? She wondered for a one on between David and Shay

"You certainly made up your ht her mind back to the present "I had to I only had one chance"

"Spoken like a true S a dark liquid from the kettle into the cups "Tea?"

"Uh, please" Tally accepted a saucer and felt the scalding heat through the thin, whitethat this was one of those Sue, she sipped carefully Her face twisted at the bitter taste "Ah I meansorry I’ve never had tea before, actually"

Az’s eyes widened "Really? But it was very popular back e lived there"

"I’ve heard of it But it’s more of a crumbly drink Um, I mean, mostly only late pretties drink it" Tally willed herself not to blush

Maddy laughed "Well, we’re pretty cruuess it’s okay for us"

"Speak for yourself, my dear"

"Try this," David said He dropped a white cube into Tally’s tea The next ti the bitterness It was possible to sip the stuff noithout gri

"David’s told you a little about us, I suppose," Maddy said

"Well, he said you ran away a long tio Before he was born"

"Oh, did he?" Az said The expression on his face was exactly like David’s when a erous with a vibrasaw

"I didn’t tell her everything, Dad," David said "Just that I grew up in the wild"

"You left the rest to us?" Az said a bit stiffly "Very good of you"

David held his father’s gaze "Tally came here to make sure her friend was okay All the way here alone

But she ht not want to stay"

"We don’t force anyone to live here," Maddy said

"That’s not what I mean," David said "I think she should know, before she decides about going back to the city"

Tally looked from David to his parents, quietly alies and cru Like equals

"I should knohat?" she asked softly

They all looked at her, Maddy and Azsecret," Az said, "the one that o"

"One we usually keep to ourselves," Maddy said evenly, her eyes on David

"Tally deserves to know," David said, his eyes locked with his mother’s "She’ll understand how important it is"

"She’s a kid A city kid"

"She ibberish directions to guide her"

Maddy scowled "You’ve never even been to a city, David You have no idea how coddled they are

They spend their whole lives in a bubble"

"She survived alone for nine days, Moh a brush fire"

"Please, you two," Az interjected "Sheis sitting right here Aren’t you, Tally?"

"Yeah, I am," Tally said quietly "And I wish you’d tellabout"

"I’m sorry, Tally," Maddy said "But this secret is very ierous"

Tally nodded her head, looking down at the floor "Everything out here is dangerous"

They were all silent for ahis tea

"See?" David said finally "She understands You can trust her She deserves to know the truth"

"Everyone does," Maddy said quietly "Eventually"

"Well," Az said, then paused to sip his tea "I suppose we’ll have to tell you, Tally"

"Tell mewhat ?"

David took a deep breath "The truth about being pretty"