Chapter 10
But at the instant which would have made it akiss, Delos pulled away. Maggie felt the brush of his warm lips and then cold air as he jerked back.
"No,"he said."No." She could see the clash of fear and anger in his eyes, and she could see itsuddenly resolve itselfas the pain grew unbearable.He shuddered once, and then all the turmoil vanished, asif it were being swept aside by a giant hand. It left only icy determination in its wake.
"That's not going to help," Maggie said. "I don'teven understand why you want to be this way, butyou can't just squash everything down-"
"Listen," he said in a clipped, taut voice. "Yousaid that in your dream I told you to go away. Well,I'm telling you the same thing now. Go away anddon't ever come back. I never want to see yourface again."
"Oh, fine." Maggie was trembling herself withfrustration. She'd had it; she'd finally reached thelimit of her patience with him. There was so muchbitterness in his face, so much pain, but it was clear he wasn't going to let anyone help.
"I mean it. And you don't know how much of aconcession it is. I'm letting you go. You're not justan escaped slave, you're an escaped slave whoknows about the pass in the mountains. The pen-.alty for that is death."
"So kill me," Maggie said. It was a stupid thingto say and she knew it. He was dangerous - andthe master of that blue fire. He could do it at theturn of an eyelash. But she was feeling stupid andreckless. Her fists were clenched.
"I'm telling you to leave," he said. "And I'll tellyou something else. You wanted to know what happened to your brother."
Maggie went still. There was something differentabout him suddenly. He looked like somebodyabout to strike a blow. His body was tense and hiseyes were burning gold like twin flames.
"Well, here it is," he said. "Your brother is dead. I killed him."
It was a blow. Maggie felt as if she'd been hit. Shock spread through her body and left her tingling with adrenaline. At the same time she felt strangely weak, as if her legs didn't want to hold her up any longer.
But she didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it, not just like that.
She opened her mouth and dragged in a breathto speakand froze.
Somewhere outside the cave a voice was calling.
Maggie couldn't make out the words, but it was agirl's voice. And it was close ...and coming closer.
Delos's head whipped around to look at the entrance of the cave. Then, before Maggie could say anything, he was moving.
He took one step to the wall and blew out theflame of the little stone lamp. Instantly, the cavewas plunged into darkness. Maggie hadn't realizedhow little light came from the entrance crack-almost none at all.
No, she thought. Less light is coming throughthan before. It's getting dark.
Oh, God, she thought. Cady.
I just walked off and left her there. What's wrongwith me? I forgot all about her-1 didn't eventhink....
"Where are you going?" Delos whispered harshly.
Maggie paused in mid rush and looked at himwildly. Or looked towardhim, actually, becausenow she couldn't see anything but darkness against paler darkness.
"To Cady," she said, distracted and frantic, clutching the water bag she'd grabbed. "I left herdown there. Anything could have happened bynow.
o.
"You can't go outside," he said. "That's the hunting party I came with. If they catch you I won't beable to help-2'
I don't care!" Maggie's words tumbled over his."A minute ago you never wanted to see me again.Oh, God, I left her. How could I do that?"
'It hasn't been that long," he hissed impatiently. "An hour or so." Vaguely, Maggie realized that hemust be right. It seemed like a hundred years sinceshe had climbed up to his ledge, but actually every thing had happened quickly after that.
"I still have to go," she said, a little more calmly."She's sick. And maybe Gavin came back." A waveof fear surged through her at the thought.
"If they catch you, you'll wish you were dead," he said distinctly. Before Maggie could answer, hewas going on, his voice as brusque as ever. "Stayhere. Don't come out until everybody's gone."
She felt the movement of air and the brush ofcloth as he passed in front of her. The light fromthe entrance crack was cut off briefly, and then shesaw him silhouetted for an instant against gray sky.
Then she was alone.
Maggie stood tensely for a moment, listening.The sound of her own breathing was too loud. She crept quietly to the entrance and crouched
And felt a jolt. She could hear footsteps crunching on the broken slate outside. Rightoutside. Thena shadow seemed to fall across the crack and sheheard a voice.
"Delos! What are you doing up here?"
It was a light, pleasant voice, the voice of a girl only a little older than Maggie. Not a woman yet.And it was both concerned and casual, addressingDelos with a familiarity that was startling.
But that wasn't what gave her the bigjolt. It wasthat she recognized the voice. She knew it and shehated it.
It was Sylvia.
She's here, Maggie thought. And from the wayshe'stalkingshe's been here before - enough to getto know Delos. Or maybe she was born here, and she's just started coming Outside.
Whatever the truth, it somehow made Maggiecertain that Miles had been brought here, too. But then-what? What had happened to him after that?Had he done something that meant he had to disappear? Or had it been Sylvia's plan from thebeginning?
Could Delos have really... ?
I don't believe it, Maggie thought fiercely, butthere was a pit of sick fear in her stomach.
Outside, Sylvia was chatting on in a musical voice. "We didn't even know you'd left the groupbut then we saw the blue fire. We thought youmight be in trouble-"