talents.”
“Agent Gallagher,” a man near the back yelled. “How did you find out about this? What tipped you off?”
“I’m not able to discuss that at this time.” He looked to the right and nodded at someone in a uniform, turning back to the still-yelling crowd. “That’s all the questions I can take right now. We’ll update as we get more information.”
Mark stepped off the small stage and then the picture switched to two people sitting at a desk.
“Wow, Marcia, this is quite a story. Unwanted kids being trained in underground camps to be . . . what? Elite soldiers?”
The woman named Marcia shook her head. “I don’t know, Gary. It all just turns my stomach.”
Gary nodded. “Although you have to admit, the idea, if executed properly, would have huge societal benefits.”
Marcia’s mouth fell open. “You must be kidding. To achieve improvements in society, we turn to The Hunger Games? Is that it? Maybe eventually we could all get the abuse of these children in a feed straight to our mobile devices. Sounds riveting. A modern-day Roman coliseum.”
Gary looked momentarily interested in the idea, but then laughed, holding his hands up. “Whoa, whoa. I’m just voicing what others are thinking too. Now, I’m not saying the moral ramifications of the idea aren’t too extreme to actually put into practice, I’m just saying, you have to understand your enemy to fight them. Or in this case, even find them.”
“Going by your comments, I’m worried more people will want to become them rather than fight them.”
Then the two people named Marcia and Gary, who must be very important for people to want to hear all their opinions, started talking about societies who fell to ruin, and other things Jak tuned out because he was too busy sniffing Harper’s hair. She still smelled like his Harper, but also like the river. He attempted to pull her closer again, and she came halfway up his lap. She looked back at him, and he gave her a bashful smile. She laughed softly, running her hand over his jaw.
Laurie switched off the TV. “Well, that’s probably enough of that. When do you two get out of here?”
“Hopefully any minute,” Harper said.
“I’m sure you’re tired and want to sleep. But if you’re hungry, I could make dinner . . . oh, I’m sure you want to be alone.”
Between them, Harper squeezed his hand.
“Dinner with you and Mark would be good,” Jak said, meaning it.
Laurie smiled like she’d just caught the biggest fish in the river. No, no, like . . . like she was happy they wanted to be with her. “Wonderful.”
The door flung open and someone else rushed inside their room. “Rylee,” Harper said, standing up and hugging her friend.
“Oh my God, I couldn’t believe it when I heard. Are you okay?” She stood back, looking at her the same way Laurie had.
Two men came in the room and Harper smiled at them. “Hi, Jeff. Mr. Adams.”
“Harper.” They both hugged her too and then turned to Jak and Laurie. Harper told them their names and told Jak and Laurie that they were Rylee and Jeff and Mr. Adams, even though he’d just heard that they were. Introductions, he remembered the word for that from his grandfather. Good manners.
They all shook hands. Jak saw Rylee look at Harper and mouth oh my God, before she glanced at Jak and away. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he didn’t think it was good manners.
“I’d love to have you all for dinner too if you’re available,” Laurie said, and Rylee took Harper’s hand in hers.
“We’d love that.”
Then everyone started talking at once, the way the birds did in the morning, happy to be alive for another sunrise and chitter-chattering to tell the whole forest about it. Or like . . . well, that was good enough for now. He couldn’t second-guess every thought in his head. Civilized thoughts would come naturally to him someday . . . probably.
Harper met Jak’s eyes and they gentled. She smiled and his brain went empty the way it did each time she looked at him that way. I love you, she mouthed. He mouthed it back. He loved her. He worshipped her. He cherished her. He would forever. And that was all.
That was all.
EPILOGUE
The fire crackled, shadows dancing on the library walls. Jak smiled, brought from his daze, as the scent of the woman he loved met his nose. “Hello, wife.”
Harper laughed softly, coming around the chair and taking a seat on his