New York: Allie's War, Early Years

He didn't answer. When I looked up next, he motioned to the other side of the clearing with his head. I realized he was indicating towards the third person who'd been tied to a log...the guy with all the symbols burned and inked into his skin.

"We should talk to him," he said.

I nodded, looking down at my legs, as if willing them to move.

I couldn't help but wonder why he was bringing me along to talk to the guy though, and not the seer, who actually could have gotten some information off him. They'd seemed pretty friendly, so maybe he was just being considerate, letting her go.

It struck me a moment later that I was almost jealous.

The thought made me laugh a little. It was too ridiculous not to laugh.

If the man noticed me smiling, he didn't ask.

"How did you get free?" he said. I looked up and his pale eyes held that wariness, nearly on the surface. "I was tracking you...then I heard the screams. I came, and it looked like something had already happened. What?"

I only shook my head again, answering truthfully.

"I honestly don't know. Really."

"But something happened?"

"Well, yeah." I looked around the clearing, at the piles of scattered and smoldering wood, the man with the burned face and hair crumpled on the ground. "...Obviously."

I tried to think past the pounding in my head, but I was still coming up blank.

"...There was a bright light," I said finally. "I guess one of them must have done something to the fire, because once I could see again, it was spread all over like this...and some of the others were on fire. Screaming, like you said."

"One of them?" he said. "You mean one of them decided to let you go?"

I looked around at the bodies on the ground, but it didn't really help. I could count seven, and I'd only seen seven before, but I didn't exactly have the best vantage point on that log.

"I guess."

"Why would they do that, Alyson?"

"I have no idea. Why would they want to set us on fire in the first place?"

My answer only seemed to irritate him more.

But he didn't say anything. Sliding an arm around my waist to support some of my weight, he helped me walk over to the third log. As we approached, I saw symbol-guy speaking into the sky, something that sounded almost like a prayer.

"...And the day will come when the darkness will become Light, and the light, Dark," he recited. "And the gods will open the gate a last time, and the brothers and sisters will look across time and remember they are no longer alone..."