Stephenie Meyer - The Host

“It’s still alive,” Kyle grunted.

“Which is why I’m not asking for your death,” Ian snapped back. “But you can’t live here anymore. Not if you’re a murderer at heart.”

Ian stared at his brother for a moment, then sat on the ground beside me again.

“But he could get caught, and we’d have no idea,” Brandt protested, rising to his feet. “He’ll lead them back here, and we’d have no warning.”

There was a murmur through the room.

Kyle glared at Brandt. “They’ll never get me alive.”

“Then it’s a death sentence after all,” someone muttered at the same time that Andy said, “You can’t guarantee that.”

“One at a time,” Jeb warned.

“I’ve survived on the outside before,” Kyle said angrily.

Another voice came from the darkness. “It’s a risk.” I couldn’t make out the owners of the voices-they were just hissing whispers.

And another. “What did Kyle do wrong? Nothing.”

Jeb took a step toward the voice, glowering. “My rules.”

“She’s not one of us,” someone else protested.

Ian started to rise again.

“Hey!” Jared exploded. His voice was so loud that everyone jumped. “Wanda’s not on trial here! Does someone have a concrete complaint against her-against Wanda herself? Then ask for another tribunal. But we all know she hasn’t harmed anyone here. In fact, she saved his life.” He stabbed one finger toward Kyle’s back. Kyle’s shoulders hunched, like he’d felt the jab. “Just seconds after he tried to throw her into the river, she risked her life to keep him from the same painful death. She had to know that if she let him fall she would be safer here. She saved him anyway. Would any of you have done the same-rescue your enemy? He tried to kill her, and yet will she even speak against him?”

I felt all the eyes in the dark room on my face as Jared now held his hand out, palm up, toward me.

“ Will you speak against him, Wanda?”

I stared at him wide-eyed, stunned that he was speaking for me, that he was speaking to me, that he was using my name. Melanie was in shock, too, torn in half. She was overjoyed at the kindness in his face as he looked at us, the softness in his eyes that had been absent so long. But it was my name he’d said…

It was a few seconds before I could find my voice.

“This is all a misunderstanding,” I whispered. “We both fell when the floor caved in. Nothing else happened.” I hoped the whisper would make it harder to hear the lie in my voice, but as soon as I was done, Ian chuckled. I nudged him with my elbow, but that didn’t stop him.

Jared actually smiled at me. “You see. She even tries to lie in his defense.”

“ Tries being the operative word,” Ian added.

“Who says it’s lying? Who can prove that?” Maggie asked harshly, stepping forward into the empty space beside Kyle. “Who can prove that it’s not the truth that sounds so false on its lips?”

“Mag -” Jeb started.

“Shut up, Jebediah-I’m speaking. There is no reason for us to be here. No human was attacked. The insidious trespasser offers no complaint. This is a waste of all our time.”

“I second that,” Sharon added in a clear, loud voice.

Doc shot her a pained look.

Trudy jumped to her feet. “We can’t house a murderer-and just wait around for him to be successful!”

“ Murder is a subjective term,” Maggie hissed. “I only consider it murder when something human is killed.”

I felt Ian’s arm wrap around my shoulder. I didn’t realize that I was trembling until his motionless body was against mine.

“ Human is a subjective term as well, Magnolia,” Jared said, glowering at her. “I thought the definition embraced some compassion, some little bit of mercy.”

“Let’s vote,” Sharon said before her mother could answer him. “Raise your hand if you think Kyle should be allowed to stay here, with no penalty for the… misunderstanding.” She shot a glance not at me, but at Ian beside me when she used the word I’d used.

Hands began to rise. I watched Jared’s face as his features settled into a scowl.

I struggled to raise my hand, but Ian tightened his hold around my arms and made an irritated noise through his nose. I held my palm as high as I could get it. In the end, though, my vote wasn’t necessary.

Jeb counted out loud. “Ten… fifteen… twenty… twenty-three. Okay, that’s a clear majority.”

I didn’t look around to see who had voted how. It was enough that in my little corner all arms were crossed tightly over chests and all eyes stared at Jeb with expectant expressions.

Jamie walked away from Jeb to come squeeze in between Trudy and me. He put his arm around me, under Ian’s.

“Maybe your souls were right about us,” he said, loud enough for most to hear his high, hard voice. “The majority are no better than -”

“Hush!” I hissed at him.

“Okay,” Jeb said. Everyone went silent. Jeb looked down at Kyle, then at me, and then at Jared. “Okay, I’m inclined to go with the majority on this.”

“Jeb -” Jared and Ian said simultaneously.

“My house, my rules,” Jeb reminded them. “Never forget that. So you listen to me, Kyle. And you’d better listen, too, I think, Magnolia. Anyone who tries to hurt Wanda again will not get a tribunal, they will get a burial.” He slapped the butt of his gun for emphasis.

I flinched.

Magnolia glared hatefully at her brother.

Kyle nodded, as if accepting the terms.

Jeb looked around the unevenly spaced audience, locking eyes with each member except the little group beside me.

“Tribunal’s over,” Jeb announced. “Who’s up for a game?”

The congregation relaxed, and a more enthusiastic murmur ran around the half circle.

I looked at Jamie. He pursed his lips and shrugged. “Jeb’s just trying to get things back to normal. It’s been a bad couple of days. Burying Walter…”

I winced.

I saw that Jeb was grinning at Jared. After a moment of resistance, Jared sighed and rolled his eyes at the strange old man. He turned and strode quickly from the cave.

“Jared got a new ball?” someone asked.

“Cool,” Wes said beside me.

“Playing games,” Trudy muttered, and shook her head.

“If it eases the tension,” Lily responded quietly, shrugging.

Their voices were low, close beside me, but I could also hear other, louder voices.

“Easy on the ball this time,” Aaron said to Kyle. He stood over him, offering his hand.

Kyle took the offered hand and got slowly to his feet. When he was standing, his head almost hit the hanging lanterns.

“The last ball was weak,” Kyle said, grinning at the older man. “Structurally deficient.”

“I nominate Andy for captain,” someone shouted.

“I nominate Lily,” Wes called out, getting to his feet and stretching.

“Andy and Lily.”

“Yeah, Andy and Lily.”

“I want Kyle,” Andy said quickly.

“Then I get Ian,” Lily countered.

“Jared.”

“Brandt.”

Jamie got to his feet and stood on his toes, trying to look tall.

“Paige.”

“Heidi.”

“Aaron.”

“Wes.”

The roll call continued. Jamie glowed when Lily chose him before half the adults were taken. Even Maggie and Jeb were picked for teams. The numbers were even until Lucina came back with Jared, her two small boys bouncing in excitement. Jared had a shiny new soccer ball in his hand; he held it out, and Isaiah, the older child, jumped up and down trying to knock it from his hand.

“Wanda?” Lily asked.