[科幻]宿主-第83章
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I stared into his dark blue eyes； trying to decipher everything he was saying with that sentence—there
seemed to be something more than just courtesy in the words。 And then I realized that I could see the
color of Ian’s eyes； I glanced quickly up at the cracks above。 The stars were gone； and the sky was
turning pale gray。 Dawn was ing。 First light。
“Are you sure you have to do this？” Ian asked； his hands already half…extended as if to pick me up。
I nodded。 “You don’t have to carry me。 My leg feels better。”
“We’ll see。”
He helped me to my feet； leaving his arm around my waist and pulling my arm around his neck。
“Careful； now。 How’s that？”
I hobbled forward a step。 It hurt； but I could do it。 “Great。 Let’s go。”
I think Ian likes you too much。
Too much？I was surprised to hear from Melanie； and so distinctly。 Lately； she only spoke up like this
when Jared was around。
I’m here； too。 Does he even care about that？
Of course he does。 He believes us more than anyone besides Jamie and Jeb。
I don’t mean that。
Whatdoyou mean？
But she was gone。
Unlike most of the caverns here； the game room was much wider than it was tall。 I could see that now
because the dim blue lights hung from the ceiling rather than resting on the floor。 The ceiling was only a
few feet over my head； the height of a normal ceiling in a house。 But I couldn’t even see the walls； they
were so distant from the lights。 I couldn’t see the smelly spring； tucked away in some far corner； but I
could hear it dribble and gush。
Kyle sat in the brightest spot of light。 He had his long arms wrapped around his legs。 His face was set in
a stiff mask。 He didn’t look up when Ian helped me limp in。
On either side of him were Jared and Doc； on their feet； both with their arms hanging loose and ready at
their sides。 As though they were… guards。
Jeb stood beside Jared； his gun slung over one shoulder。 He appeared relaxed； but I knew how quickly
that could change。 Jamie held his free hand… no； Jeb had his hand around Jamie’s wrist； and Jamie
didn’t seem happy about it。 When he saw me e in； though； he smiled and waved。 He took a deep
breath and looked pointedly at Jeb。 Jeb dropped Jamie’s wrist。
Sharon stood beside Doc； with Aunt Maggie at her other side。
Ian pulled me toward the edge of the darkness surrounding the tableau。 We weren’t alone there。 I could
see the shapes of many others； but not their faces。
It was strange； through the caves； Ian had supported most of my weight with ease。 Now； though； he
seemed to have tired。 His arm around my waist was slack。 I lurched and hopped forward as best I could
until he picked the spot he wanted。 He settled me to the floor； and then sat beside me。
“Ouch；” I heard someone whisper。
I turned and could just make out Trudy。 She scooted closer to us； Geoffrey and then Heath copying her。
“You look rotten；” she told me。 “How bad are you hurt？”
I shrugged。 “I’m fine。” I started to wonder if Ian had let me struggle just to make a show of my
injuries—to make me testify against Kyle without words。 I frowned at his innocent expression。
Wes and Lily arrived then and came to sit with my little group of allies。 Brandt entered a few seconds
later； and then Heidi； and then Andy and Paige。 Aaron was last。
“That’s everybody；” he said。 “Lucina’s staying with her kids。 She doesn’t want them here—she said to
go on without her。”
Aaron sat beside Andy； and there was a short moment of silence。
“Okay； then；” Jeb said in a loud voice meant to be heard by all。 “Here’s how it’s gonna work。
Straight…up majority vote。 As usual； I’ll make my own decision if I have a problem with the majority；
funny。 A human was on trial for trying to kill an alien。 This had to be a horrible day for all of them。
“Who’s speaking against Kyle？” Jeb asked。
Ian started to stand beside me。
“No！” I whispered； tugging on his elbow。
He shrugged me off and rose to his feet。
“This is simple enough；” Ian said。 I wanted to jump up and clap my hand over his mouth； but I didn’t
think I could get to my feet without help。 “My brother was warned。 He was not in any doubt about Jeb’s
ruling on this。 Wanda is one of our munity—the same rules and protections apply to her as to any of
us。 Jeb told Kyle point…blank that if he couldn’t live with her here； he should move on。 Kyle decided to
stay。 He knew then and he knows now the penalty for murder in this place。”
“It’s still alive；” Kyle grunted。
“Which is why I’m not asking for your death；” Ian snapped back。 “But you can’t live here anymore。 Not
if you’re a murderer at heart。”
Ian stared at his brother for a moment； then sat on the ground beside me again。
“But he could get caught； and we’d have no idea；” Brandt protested； rising to his feet。 “He’ll lead them
back here； and we’d have no warning。”
There was a murmur through the room。
Kyle glared at Brandt。 “They’ll never get me alive。”
“Then it’s a death sentence after all；” someone muttered at the same time that Andy said； “You can’t
guarantee that。”
“One at a time；” Jeb warned。
“I’ve survived on the outside before；” Kyle said angrily。
Another voice came from the darkness。 “It’s a risk。” I couldn’t make out the owners of the voices—they
were just hissing whispers。
And another。 “What did Kyle do wrong？ Nothing。”
Jeb took a step toward the voice； glowering。 “My rules。”
“She’s not one of us；” someone else protested。
Ian started to rise again。
I felt all the eyes in the dark room on my face as Jared now held his hand out； palm up； toward me。
“Willyou speak against him； Wanda？”
I stared at him wide…eyed； stunned that he was speaking for me； that he was speakingto me； that he was
using my name。 Melanie was in shock； too； torn in half。 She was overjoyed at the kindness in his face as
he looked at us； the softness in his eyes that had been absent so long。 But it wasmy name he’d said…
It was a few seconds before I could find my voice。
“This is all a misunderstanding；” I whispered。 “We both fell when the floor caved in。 Nothing else
happened。” I hoped the whisper would make it harder to hear the lie in my voice； but as soon as I was
done； Ian chuckled。 I nudged him with my elbow； but that didn’t stop him。
Jared actually smiled at me。 “You see。 She even tries to lie in his defense。”
“Triesbeing the operative word；” Ian added。
“Who says it’s lying？ Who can prove that？” Maggie asked harshly； stepping forward into the empty
space beside Kyle。 “Who can prove that it’s not the truth that sounds so false on its lips？”
“Mag —” Jeb started。
“Shut up； Jebediah—I’m speaking。 There is no reason for us to be here。 No human was attacked。 The
insidious trespasser offers no plaint。 This is a waste of all our time。”
“I second that；” Sharon added in a clear； loud voice。
Doc shot her a pained look。
Trudy jumped to her feet。 “We can’t house a murderer—and just wait around for him to be successful！”
“Murderis a subjective term；” Maggie hissed。 “I only consider it murder when something human is
killed。”
I felt Ian’s arm wrap around my shoulder。 I didn’t realize that I was trembling until his motionless body
was against mine。
“Humanis a subjective term as well； Magnolia；” Jared said； glowering at her。 “I thought the definition
embracedsome passion； some little bit of mercy。”
“Let’s vote；” Sharon said before her mother could answer him。 “Raise your hand if you think Kyle
should be allowed to stay here； with no penalty for the… misunderstanding。” She shot a glance not at me；
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。
Hands began to rise。 I watched Jared’s face as his features settled into a scowl。
I struggled to raise my hand； but Ian tightened his hold around my arms and made an irritated noise
through his nose。 I held my palm as high as I could get it。 In the end； though； my vote wasn’t necessary。
Jeb counted out loud。 “Ten… fifteen… twenty… twenty…three。 Okay； that’s a clear majority。”
I didn’t look around to see who had voted how。 It was enough that in my little corner all arms were
crossed tightly over chests and all eyes stared at Jeb with expectant expressions。
Jamie walked away from Jeb to e squeeze in between Trudy and me。 He put his arm around me；
under Ian’s。
“Maybe your souls were right about us；” he said； loud enough for most to hear his high； hard voice。 “The
majority are no better than —”
“Hush！” I hissed at him。
“Okay；” Jeb said。 Everyone went silent。 Jeb looked down at Kyle； then at me； and then at Jared。
“Okay； I’m inclined to go with the majority on this。”
“Jeb —” Jared and Ian said simultaneously。
“My house； my rules；” Jeb reminded them。 “Never forget that。 So you listen to me； Kyle。 And you’d
better listen； too； I think； Magnolia。 Anyone who tries to hurt Wanda again will not get a tribunal； they
will get a burial。” He slapped the butt of his gun for emphasis。
I flinched。
Magnolia glared hatefully at her brother。
Kyle nodded； as if accepting the terms。
Jeb looked around the unevenly spaced audience； locking eyes with each member except the little group
beside me。
“Tribunal’s over；” Jeb announced。 “Who’s up for a game？”
CHAPTER 36
Believed
The congregation relaxed； and a more enthusiastic murmur ran around the half circle。
I looked at Jamie。 He pursed his lips and shrugged。 “Jeb’s just trying to get things back to normal。 It’s
been a bad couple of days。 Burying Walter…”
I winced。
“Easy on the ball this time；” Aaron said to Kyle。 He stood over him； offering his hand。
Kyle took the offered hand and got slowly to his feet。 When he was standing； his head almost hit the
hanging lanterns。
“The last ball was weak；” Kyle said； grinning at the older man。 “Structurally deficient。”
“I nominate Andy for captain；” someone shouted。
“I nominate Lily；” Wes called out； getting to his feet and stretching。
“Andy and Lily。”
“Yeah； Andy and Lily。”
“I want Kyle；” Andy said quickly。
“Then I get Ian；” Lily countered。
“Jared。”
“Brandt。”
Jamie got to his feet and stood on his toes； trying to look tall。
“Paige。”
“Heidi。”
“Aaron。”
“Wes。”
The roll call continued。 Jamie glowed when Lily chose him before half the adults were taken。 Even
Maggie and Jeb were picked for teams。 The numbers were even until Lucina came back with Jared； her
two small boys bouncing in excitement。 Jared had a shiny new soccer ball in his hand； he held it out； and
Isaiah； the older child； jumped up and down trying to knock it from his hand。
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。
I shook my head and pointed to my leg。
“Right。 Sorry。”
I’m good at soccer；Mel grumbled。Well； I used to be。
I can hardly walk；I reminded her。
“I think I’ll sit this one out；” Ian said。
“No；�
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