1269_UgliesFreeBook

282 Scott Westerfeld
It landed on a crackling log, the metal heart burning
black for a moment, then gradually turning yellow and
white in the heat. Finally, a small pop came from it, as if
something trapped inside had exploded, and it slid from
the log and disappeared among the flames.
She turned to David, her vision spotted with sinuous
shapes from staring into the fire. He coughed at the smoke.
“Wow. That was dramatic.”
Tally suddenly felt foolish. “Yeah, I guess so.”
He moved closer. “You really meant that. Whoever gave
it to you—”
“Doesn’t matter anymore.”
“What if they come?”
“No one’s coming. I’m sure of it.”
David smiled and gathered Tally into a hug, pulling her
away from the edge of the fire. “Well, Tally Youngblood,
you certainly know how to make a point. You know, I
would have believed you if you just told me—”
“No, I had to do it like this. I had to burn it. To know
for sure.”
He kissed her forehead and laughed. “You’re beautiful.”
“When you say that, I almost . . . ,” she whispered.
Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion struck Tally, as if her
last bit of energy had gone into the fire with the pendant.
She was tired from the wild run here, from the long night
with Maddy and Az, from a hard day’s work. And tomorrow
she would have to face Shay again, and explain what had