Free The Heart of Two Worlds by Anne Plichota

himself from falling. Some of the Runaways cried out in surprise, others, led by Oksa, rushed to hold him up.
    “What’s the matter with him?” she cried, staring desperately at Dragomira.
    Baba Pollock looked worriedly at Naftali and Brune who, far from reassuring her, shook their heads as if to confirm a bleak diagnosis.
    “Come and eat something, Gus,” she advised.
    “I can’t…” groaned Gus, hunching over.
    “I’ll take him back to our cabin,” said Pierre gravely.
    He walked out of the mess room supporting Gus, followed by Dragomira, Reminiscens, Jeanne and Naftali. Oksa and Zoe trailedbehind at a discreet distance. The adults hurried into the cabin, leaving the two girls outside. A moment later, Abakum and Reminiscens came out again, carefully closing the door behind them.
    “I think they’re trying to hide something, don’t you?” murmured Oksa.
    “Yes,” added Zoe. “And I think it must be something serious.”
    Oksa felt as if all her blood had drained from her body. Zoe took her hand: it was freezing—as cold as the dread gradually invading the two girls’ hearts.

12
B URNING Q UESTIONS
T
    HERE WAS A STRANGE MOOD ABOARD THE SHIP HEADING north towards the rough waters of the Sea of the Hebrides. The Runaways passed the time as best they could to mask their anxiety. Walking the entire length of the trawler and back again, Oksa and Zoe passed Cameron Fortensky’s three sons playing cards, Andrew the minister with his head in a book, Cockerell chatting animatedly to Naftali in a foreign language, and Kukka sulking in a corner. Although they’d been told nothing about Gus’s worrying condition, the two girls hadn’t stopped looking for clues. Anxiously, they’d sounded out everyone who’d accompanied Gus back to his cabin, but it was futile… all the witnesses seemed to have signed some secret pact. Every time, they were given the same reply:
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine…”
    “They’re treating us like kids!” raged Oksa. “We’ll have to find out on our own since no one will tell us anything.”
    She tugged Zoe along behind her through the ship’s narrow gangways to the Bellangers’ cabin. A few minutes later, Oksa was kneeling in front of the cabin door, concentrating hard on unlocking it with the tip of her index finger.
    “See, Zoe? The door’s locked. That’s a bit strange, isn’t it?” Zoe silently nodded. Oksa stood up and triumphantly opened the door. Inside the cabin, Pierre was asleep, his large body turned to the wall. The faintlight from the gangway barely disturbed him. His breathing faltered for a few seconds before regaining its steady rhythm. The girls closed the door behind them and looked around for Gus in the gloom. He was on the bottom bunk, his knees against his chest. Curled up on a pillow near him, the baby Lunatrix was snoring peacefully.
    “He doesn’t leave your side!” whispered Oksa sitting down next to Gus, as Zoe squeezed in beside her.
    “I think he thinks I’m his father,” murmured Gus, stroking the small downy head. “So what are you two doing here?”
    “We’ve come to find out what’s going on straight from the horse’s mouth,” whispered Oksa. “How are you?”
    Gus lifted his head: he looked ghastly.
    “Sick as a dog,” he said, pulling a face, before adding: “That’s such a stupid expression! I’ve never seen any dog as sick as I am right now.”
    “What’s wrong with you
exactly
?” asked Oksa.
    “No idea,” replied Gus, wrapping his arms around his knees.
    “Haven’t your parents told you anything? What about my gran? I’m sure they know something…”
    She noticed Zoe signalling to her to stop. Too late—she’d just stupidly given Gus something to worry about.
    “If they haven’t told me anything, then it must be serious,” concluded Gus, making Oksa feel even guiltier. “Perhaps even incurable.”
    Zoe put her hand on Gus’s shoulder in a gesture of comfort, while Oksa gnawed the inside