have thrown the food away. But here, the idea of throwing away
anything
to eat was inconceivable.
It was amazing what even a little food could do. Carter, especially, seemed to wake up from the trance theyâd found him in. It was like watching him come back to life. Jane could have drunk gallons more water than theyâd been given, too. Even so, she felt stronger than she had in days.
And then, finally, the conversation began.
There were questions first. Lots of questions. Carter listened as they explained what had happenedwithout him, and how
Ohzooka
had been called after his escape.
Then he told them about his own strange turn with Chizo. It had been Chizo himself who had pointed the way for Carter to run.
âMaybe he was hoping youâd get lost in the jungle,â Buzz said.
âOr worse,â Vanessa said.
âI donât know,â Carter told them, looking up. âIt was weird. I could have really taken him out in that fight, and I didnât. I think he was paying me back.â
âYeah, well . . .â Vanessa said, and held up her bound wrists. âI guess it
almost
worked. Thanks for nothing, Mima.â
âI canât believe sheâd do this,â Jane said.
âDonât say that,â Carter told her. He looked up again, Jane noticed, but there was nothing to see. Just the starry sky and the back of one of the guards.
âWhy not?â Vanessa asked. âListen, I get it. She had to do what she had to do. But meanwhile . . . well, never mind.â
Vanessa sat back again and shut her mouth.
âYou can say it,â Jane told her. âWeâre stuck. Theyâre going to try and take us away from Carter in the morning. And thereâs nothing we can do about it now.â
âDid Mima really need the blood ring that badly?â Buzz asked. âShe already had the
seccu
.â
âListen,â Carter said. âWe wouldnât turn on each other, would we? Mima wouldnât do that to us, either.â
âWhat are you talking about?â Buzz shot back. âShe just did!â
âOmigosh, do you still
like
her?â Vanessa asked. âWhatâs wrong with you? This is about way more than a crush, Carter.â
Carter didnât take the bait. He kept his voice low. âIâm just saying, weâre going to be okay,â he told them.
âHow can you say that?â Buzz asked.
âAnd why do you keep looking up?â Jane added.
When she looked for herself, the guard had stepped away from the edge of the pit. She could hear him talking to the other one, nearby.
Carter glanced up once more. Then he leaned forward and rolled to the side, showing them the dirt wall behind his back. It was too dark to see much in the pit, but Jane could tell something was there. It had been shoved into the soft earth, she saw, just before Carter moved back into place.
When she looked up again, the guard was there, staring down at them.
âWhat was that?â she asked Carter in a whisper.
Carter looked around at each of them in turn. âThis is what Iâve been trying to tell you,â he said quietly. âRight after Mima tied me up, she gave me her knife.â
Carter laughed for the first time since he could remember. The wide eyes on all three of his siblings were clear, even in the dark pit.
âI knew it!â Jane said. âI knew she couldnât just turn her back on us.â
âWhy didnât you say something?â Vanessa asked.
âI just did,â Carter said.
âBut what does it mean?â Jane asked. âWhat are we supposed to do with it?â
âItâs not like weâre going to . . . stab anyone,â Vanessa said.
âAnd even if we cut ourselves free, how do we get out? And past the guards?â Buzz asked.
It was still strange, speaking out loud for anyone to hear. But the guard didnât even turn