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She shook her head. “No. It’s not. ”
“I didn’t think so. Who would want to come to a Realm like this?”
She sat, resting her hands on her lap. A knot of pain throbbed deep inside her right bicep. “They wouldn’t . . . but it’s all we have. ”
Caleb’s gaze came back to her. “I’m sore everywhere. Even my teeth hurt. ”
“Do you want something? I can get you medicine or—”
“No . . . just stay. ” He gave her a shaky smile. “Seeing you is good. It’s making me feel better. You’ve changed, Aria. ”
“Have I?” she asked, though she knew she had. They used to spend afternoons cruising the art Realms. Seeking out the be
st concerts, the best parties. She barely recognized the girl she used to be.
Caleb nodded. “Yes. You have. When I get better, I’m going to draw you, changed Aria. ”
“Let me know when you’re ready. I’ll get you some paper. ”
“Real paper?” he asked, brightening. Caleb had only drawn in the Realms.
She smiled. “That’s right. Real paper. ”
The spark of excitement left his eyes, his expression turning serious. “Soren told me what happened. About Ag 6 . . . and Paisley. Have you forgiven him?”
Aria glanced toward Soren, who had fallen asleep nearby. She nodded. “I had to, to get you out. And Soren has DLS—a disease that makes him volatile. But he’s on medications to control it now. ”
“Are we sure they work?” Caleb said, with a weak smile.
Aria smiled. If he was making jokes, he couldn’t feel that terrible.
“He wasn’t the reason Pais died,” Caleb said. “It was the fire that got her that night. Not him. He was crying when he told me that. I never thought I’d see Soren cry. I think . . . I think he blames himself. I think he stayed and helped us get out of Reverie because of that night. ”
Aria believed it because it was true for her as well. She’d brought Paisley to Ag 6. Because of that night, she’d never again leave someone she loved in need, if she could help it.
Caleb squeezed his eyes shut. “Pain is such a pain, you know? It’s very taxing. ”
She knew. Aria lay down, settling in beside him, feeling like she’d found part of herself. She saw her past in Caleb. She saw Paisley and the home she’d lost, and she never wanted to forget them.
“Not exactly the Sistine Chapel, is it?” she asked after a while, staring at the jagged shapes that pierced down from the darkness.
“No, it’s rather purgatorial,” Caleb said. “But if we squint really, really hard, we could imagine it otherwise. ”
She pointed with her good hand. “That big one there looks like a fang. ”
“Mm-hmm. It does. ” Beside her, Caleb’s scrunched his face. “Over there. That one looks like a . . . like a fang. ”
“And just to the left? Fang. ”
“Wrong. That is clearly an incisor. Wait, no . . . it’s a fang. ”
“I’ve missed you, Caleb. ”
“I’ve mega missed you. ” He peered at her. “I think we all knew it was going to come to this. Everything started to change after that night. You could feel it. . . . But you’re going to get us out of here, right?”
She stared into his eyes, finally clear about where she was needed. She’d do more good on the mission than she would here, regardless of her arm or any lingering tension between her and Perry.
“Yes,” she said. “I am. ” She told him about Hess and Sable, and about the mission she’d be part of in the morning.
