Eternal Read Free Page A

It’s really quiet in the country—you don’t realize how noisy the city is until you get away from all the traffic and airport rumble. The silence of rural areas bothers some city people, but I love it. Whether it was the peacefulness or the fact that I’d given blood, I fell asleep immediately.

    I woke up thinking I was at Grandma’s, because I smelled fresh baked bread. Sat up, figured out where I was, and hopped into my clothes. The little poke on my arm was almost completely gone—I had to look hard to see it, and it was just slightly tender. I dragged a brush through my hair and went out to find the bread.
    When I opened my door, I gasped. The plazuela was filled with color: lilacs, both purple and white, coppery and yellow wild roses, iris in a rainbow of colors. I walked out through the nearest door in the glass wall and stood taking it all in. Floral fragrances blended with the baking smells. I wanted to eat all of it.
    Promising myself I’d spend some time out here reading, I followed my nose across the plazuela and into the portal on the far side. I heard voices from down the passage. Continuing that direction, I found an open door into the kitchen.
    Four men were sitting at a table by a window that overlooked the plazuela . They were all heavy on the Caeran DNA—same hair color, same green eyes. They were talking in the fluid language I’d heard Caeran use on the phone, but when I came in they clammed up and sat staring at me.
    My heart did a little joyful skip. Four Caeran clones! Maybe one of them was unattached. I gave them a hesitant smile.
    Madera was standing by the stove. He looked up at me and smiled.
    â€œGood morning, Amanda. Please come in.”
    He gestured toward a Mexican tile counter where there was half a loaf of bread, butter and jam, a bowl of sliced strawberries, and a teapot under a cozy. I went straight for the bread, which was still warm. It steamed a little when I whacked off a big slice, and the butter melted into it. I took a bite and my mouth exploded in bliss.
    The conversation started up again behind me, in quieter tones. Self-conscious, I stayed by the counter and poured myself a cup of tea.
    Madera was watching me. I swallowed the last of my bread. “This is wonderful. Thank you.” I glanced toward the table and added in a whisper, “I didn’t know you had other guests.”
    â€œThese are my neighbors. Would you like to meet them?”
    Boy, howdy—except that I felt strangely shy. I took another swallow of tea and nodded.
    Madera went over to the table and I followed a step behind him. The guys there stopped talking and looked up at us.
    â€œI would like to introduce Amanda,” Madera said. “She is my guest for a while. Amanda, these are Faranin, Lomen, Bironan, and Nathrin.”
    Wow, wild names. I would never remember them all.
    I smiled. “Hi.”
    Three of them just gave me serious nods. The fourth one, Nathrin, actually smiled.
    â€œ I am glad to meet you. You are a friend of Lenore?”
    â€œ Um, yeah.”
    â€œ She is a good soul.”
    I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just nodded. He was nice, I decided. His face was a little longer than Caeran’s, but in the dark I couldn’t have told them apart.
    As if summoned by my thoughts, Caeran walked in. He had Len’s car keys in his hand.
    â€œ Good morning, Manda. Did you sleep well?”
    â€œ Like a dead thing.”
    He looked confused, then smiled and turned to his four doppelgangers. “Are you ready?”
    They got up from the table and collected backpacks from a banco by the fireplace at the far end of the room. I looked at Caeran.
    â€œ Going somewhere?”
    â€œ My cousins need a ride to Albuquerque. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
    Five guys squished into Len’s car for that long a drive? Must be something important.
    Caeran exchanged a few words of flowy-talk with Madera, then led the