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They really saw us that way."
    "Yes."
    "So you can just alter reality whenever you feel like it?" My voice started to rise along with my temper. Who said Nevan even existed outside Caelan's mind? Maybe all of this was made up. 64
    Stacey Klemstein
    "I do not believe you were expecting Nevan to be in your home, so I could not have manipulated your thoughts in that manner, even if I had wished to," he said. "And it is only temporary, in a sense. If we had continued to stand before your officials, their minds would have begun to resist the outside influence and they would have seen us. But because we left, your officials have only the memory. It would be foolish of me to deceive you about Nevan and then keep you in my presence, for eventually, even by now, I wouldn't be able to continue the illusion and–"
    "I'd know it was fake," I said.
    "Yes," he said.
    Well, if that little bit of trivia was true, then he hadn't tricked me because I remembered everything as it had happened. But how was I supposed to know if he was telling the truth now?
    "I have nothing to gain by altering reality, as you described it, for everything is as I have told you," he said, and by the stiffness in his tone, I knew I'd offended him. But I couldn't let it go.
    "So you say," I pointed out.
    He remained silent for a moment. "I could show you that I am telling the truth, but even if it happens exactly as I have said, you will still find a reason not to believe." I winced at his words, but he was right. I'd already considered the idea of having him show me what he meant but discarded it when I realized he could cut off the illusion at any time and make it seem like it couldn't be maintained. "Look, I'm trying to trust you, but people lie all the time to get–"
    "I am not a person, and I would not lie to you," he said. Maybe not, but he did conveniently leave out parts of the truth.
    "Believe as you wish." He turned his head away from me. That pretty much ended the conversation.
    65
    The Silver Spoon

    Chapter 6

    "Stop the vehicle," Caelan said, when my jaw dropped in an enormous yawn for about the fourth time in a minute.
    "I'm fine," I said, through another yawn.
    "If you kill us by sleeping while driving, you will not be," he responded.
    Hard to argue with that logic, I guess. A certain amount of weariness had settled on me, from not sleeping in the last twentyfour hours and not sleeping well in a lot longer than that. We'd been on the road for close to twelve hours now, having escaped Findlay without difficulty. No one knew what car we were in or else we'd have been stopped long before now. Apparently that desk clerk hadn't taken the time to write it down. Maybe that was another thing that would have been bad for business. So, as long as I didn't speed, crash, or otherwise draw attention to us, we were fine.
    "Here is good." He gestured to one of the blue signs indicating food and gas at the next exit.
    "It's dangerous to stop," I pointed out. "Especially when we still have how many hours to go?"
    "Our destination is still a day's travel away," he said. "But we risk more with your weariness, and I'm not yet able to drive." I wasn't sure I'd let him anyway. "And why exactly do we have to go so far?"
    "That's where the other three are hiding. The others like me."
    "No memories." I signaled for the exit and pulled off the interstate.
    "Yes."
    "Got it. And what exactly are they going to do for us?" He didn't answer right away. Then finally he said, "We will 66
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    be safe from Nevan there, until we can determine a further course of action."
    Sounded okay. But I didn't like the way he'd hesitated before answering. "What are you not telling me?"
    "Nothing of importance."
    "And how do you define important?" I asked.
    "Food and fuel." He pointed to the right, changing the subject quite effectively.
    I sighed but let him get away with it for now. Besides, food was at the top of my list now too.
    We pulled into a Mobile and parked next to a gas