1269_UgliesFreeBook

206 Scott Westerfeld
came thundering out of the smoke, driving the fire toward
me. And of course I had no idea the rangers were the good
guys. I thought they were Rusty pyromaniacs risen from
the grave!”
Everyone laughed, and Tally felt herself enjoying the
warmth of the group’s attention. It was like telling everyone
at dorm about a really successful trick, but much better,
because she really had survived a life-or-death situation.
David and Shay were hanging on to every word. Tally was
glad she hadn’t activated the pendant yet. She could hardly
sit here enjoying the Smokies’ admiration if she’d just
betrayed them all. She decided to wait until tonight, when
she was alone, to do what she had to.
“That must have been creepy,” David said, his voice
pulling her away from uncomfortable thoughts, “being
alone in the orchids for all those days, just waiting.”
She shrugged. “I thought they were kind of pretty. I
didn’t know about the whole superweed thing.”
David frowned at Shay. “Didn’t you tell her anything in
your note?”
Shay flushed. “You told me not to write anything that
would give the Smoke away, so I put it in code, sort of.”
“It sounds like your code almost got her killed,” David
said, and Shay’s face fell. He turned to Tally. “Hardly anyone
ever makes the trip alone. Not their first time out of the city.”
“I’d been out of the city before.” Tally put her arm around
Shay’s shoulder comfortingly. “I was fine. It was just a bunch