Free Luminary by Krista McGee Page A

those words out without crying, but I did.
    “What?”
    “I’ve seen you.” I turn and look at him. His green eyes are wide and I cannot look away. “You have feelings for her. And that’s all right. I understand.”
    “I have feelings for Rhen?” Berk stands there, his jaw flexing. “And you understand ?”
    I stand and brush the grass from my fingers. Why is he angry? He should be relieved, not angry.
    “Thalli.” Berk takes a step closer to me, places his hands on the sides of my face. I feel the heat from his touch, thawing what I thought was frozen. “How can you think that?”
    I can’t think when Berk is touching me. I pull away, examine the grass. “You were with her all the time.”
    “You almost died, Thalli.” Berk waves his arms. “Your body was still processing the toxins from the annihilation chamber. Your emotions were all over the place. We were trying to spare you needless stress.”
    “You were trying to spare me?” I am not sure what in his last statement didn’t offend me. I feel my heart freezing again. “You almost died too, Berk. You were barely able to walk.”
    “But my mind wasn’t compromised.”
    “And mine was?” If he wants to see emotions out of control, he will see it. “Was it compromised when I saved your life? When I carried the chamber and helped John? Is that what you and Rhen were talking about? Poor, deluded Thalli. She spent too long in the annihilation chamber. Let’s ignore her so she doesn’t get upset and do something to endanger us all.”
    Berk opens his mouth and closes it. His self-control, apparently, is also superior to mine.
    “Say it, Berk.” I push his shoulders with my hands. “Go ahead.”
    Berk takes a step back and shakes his head. He is leaving. I want to stop him. I want to apologize, to grab him and hold him and beg him to choose me over Rhen. But I do not. I cannot. I stand in place, watching Berk walk away, wishing he had left me in the State.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

    H ey, new girl.” A boy about my age, with dark hair and eyes, olive complexion, tall, and very muscular, runs up to me, his white smile wide.
    I have been in New Hope for three days. Carey and Kristie have given us rooms in what they call their home—part of the large structure we first saw when we arrived. Berk and John are on the opposite end as Rhen and me. They have been spending their days at the healer’s. John seems to be moving better, so I suppose it is working.
    I have not spoken to Berk, have only seen him in passing. I have spent my days reading. I read the book by Dickens, a storyof a boy who loves a girl who treats him terribly and doesn’t love the girl who truly loves him. I am not sure if I feel more like the boy in the story, the terrible girl, or the good one.
    I decided to take a walk outside, avoiding the path to the lake where Berk and I fought. But within minutes of starting, this boy approached, smiling as if he knows me.
    “Dallas.” He holds out his hand.
    “Excuse me?”
    “The name’s Dallas.” He takes my hand in his and moves it up and down before releasing it. “I’m Carey and Kristie’s grandson.”
    The idea of a grandson is so strange. I have to think for a moment what that is. “I am Thalli.”
    “Thalli, huh?” Dallas has trouble saying my name properly. As if his name is easy to pronounce. “I met Rhen. She is something.”
    “Something what?”
    “I mean something.” Dallas spreads his hands wide. “As in . . . really cool.”
    “Cool?” I have found the atmosphere here to be quite warm, with a wetness to the air that makes my skin damp and my thick brown hair curl more than usual, causing it to lie heavier down my back.
    Dallas shakes his head. “It’s like we speak a different language.”
    “I would like to learn more about yours.” I cannot help liking this friendly young man. He seems so comfortable with himself. “We hope to make our home here.”
    “I’m glad to hear that.” Dallas smiles and starts