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Ellen decided she wanted to keep pany with my Evan here； and Carlos took up with Russell’s
Cindy。 And； of course； everyone needs Burns now and then —” He stopped talking abruptly； glancing
uneasily around him； as if he’d said something he shouldn’t have。 His eyes rested briefly on the tall
redhead in the back； who was still staring at me。
“Might as well get that out of the way；” the small dark man at Nate’s elbow said。
Nate shot a suspicious glance across our little line。 “Okay。 Rob’s right。 Let’s get this out there。” He took
a deep breath。 “Now； you all just take it easy and hear us out。 Calmly； please。 This upsets people
sometimes。”
“Every time；” the one named Rob muttered。 His hand drifted to the holster on his thigh。
“What？” Jared asked in a flat voice。
Nate sighed and then gestured to the tall man with the ginger red hair。 The man stepped forward； a wry
smile on his face。 He had freckles； like me； only thousands more。 They were scattered so thick across his
face that he looked dark skinned； though he was fair。 His eyes were dark—navy blue； maybe。
“This here is Burns。 Now； he’s with us； so don’t go crazy。 He’s my best friend—saved my life a
hundred times。 He’s one of our family； and we don’t take kindly to it when people try to kill him。”
One of the women slowly pulled her gun out and held it pointed at the ground。
The redhead spoke for the first time in a distinctly gentle tenor voice。 “No； it’s okay； Nate。 See？
They’ve got one of their own。” He pointed straight at me； and Ian tensed。 “Looks like I’m not the only
one who’s gone native。”
Burns grinned at me； then crossed the empty space； the no…man’s…land between the two tribes； with his
hand stretched out toward me。
I stepped out from around Ian； ignoring his muttered warning； abruptly fortable and sure。
I liked the way Burns had phrased it。Gone native。
Burns stopped in front of me； lowering his hand a bit to pensate for the considerable difference in
our heights。 I took his hand—it was hard and callused next to my delicate skin—and shook it。
“Burns Living Flowers；” he introduced himself。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter；
My eyes widened at his name。 Fire World—how unexpected。
“Wanderer；” I told him。
“It’s… extraordinary to meet you； Wanderer。 And here I thought I was one of a kind。”
“Not even close；” I said； thinking of Sunny back in the caves。 Perhaps we were none of us as rare as we
thought。
He raised an eyebrow at my answer； intrigued。
“Is that so？” he said。 “Well； maybe there’s some hope for this planet； after all。”
“It’s a strange world；” I murmured； more to myself than to the other native soul。
“The strangest；” he agreed。
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