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A hesitation “Oh,” Xan said She stepped back, but she kept hold of his hand She didn’t want to let go of hiood for killed”

“I brought you to the dogs They fix things”

“Likewith how things look”

“I guess they had to change you so shifted and looked away, as if chagrined by the limits of their powers Cara shook her head “It’s okay This is wonderful Thank you”

“There are things I didn’t see before,” Xan said The words sounded faint Like he was speaking theht here in front of her “There are other things here I don’t knohat they are”

Cara tugged on his hand, pulling hi with her the way she used to sometimes before

“Coet home”

“What does it mean to be in a substrate?”

“I don’t know,” Cara said, tugging hiet there fro and bowed She didn’t knohy that see to do, but it did “Thank you soI can do to help you, just let me know and I’ll do it Really”

The dogaway through the forest on their strangely jointed legs She half expected the, but they didn’t They only faded into the forest again, as if it was the place where they ed Cara started out for what she was pretty sure was the south, and Xan followed along behind, his cool gray hand still in hers

She didn’t find the pond, but a break in the trees opened up on the road to her house The charcoal sky of twilight glittered with stars and the stick et where she wanted to be She just hoped no one would see the the way She wanted her parents to be the first to see what she’d accomplished

A soft breeze caainst each other They walked the same way they cah the changes Cara was already i up in theto the amazement and wonder of the town Xan asked how he’d died, and she spent the walk telling the story of his death, his funeral, everyone who’d come, how she’d made sure his body had stayed there for her to steal He listened more intensely than he ever had before and hardly interrupted at all

“The head of the soldiers really came to see me?” Xan asked when she was done

“He did”

“Do you think he’ll want to see us again now that I’et them in trouble”