“Erin,” Tad said, his voice filled with worry and warning.
“She should know,” Erin said.
“We have to take her inside,” Tad said. “She’s been marked.
She’s one of us now.”
“What do you mean ‘one of you’?” Verity asked, clutch-
ing Addison protectively to her chest. “What do you mean
‘marked’?”
“We used to be campers here,” the girl said. “Now we’re
Tania’s prisoners.”
Tad gave her a look that made Erin correct herself with
a sigh.
“Guests, I mean. Guests who can never leave.”
Addison’s skin was so hot to the touch now that Verity
could no longer hold onto her.
Tad knelt by Addison’s side and felt her wrist for a pulse.
“Erin, we don’t have time for this now. We have to get her
inside. It’s getting worse.”
The beautiful girl met Verity’s eyes, waiting for instruc-
tions, but all Verity could say was, “Prisoners?”
Tad nodded impatiently. “What do you want us to do?”
“What happens if I won’t let you take her?”
Tad didn’t hesitate. “She’ll waste away and die, probably in
the next few minutes.”
Verity would never have believed him if she hadn’t seen
Erin nod, seconding his implausible, impossible words.
“And if you do take her—is she going to be okay?” she
asked feebly, her chin wobbling.
“We’ll take care of her,” Tad said.
It was no choice at all, though Verity acknowledged that
she was taking a good deal on faith. Tad picked Addison up in
207
