Jake

I was back standing where I had been a couple of minutes ago. A couple of feet ahead of Marco. I felt dizzy and started to lose my footing. I heard running feet behind me and felt Marco steady me.

"Hey, man, you alright?" Marco asked me. I could barely hear him; all I heard was a strange buzzing sound.

"I killed him," I whispered.

"Don't be an idiot," he said to me. "Crayak just said that to wind you up. It's not true."

"Yeah, but if I had just…"

"No," Marco said firmly, "this is not your fault. This is the Yeerk's fault. You could do nothing."

"We need to get to Cassie's barn," I said, ignoring Marco and feeling just as guilty before he opened his big mouth. "I need to speak with the others."

"Yeah, sure," Marco said and together we walked slowly towards Cassie's barn, not talking much and me ignoring Marco's reassurance that this was not my fault. Like he'd know.

As I expected they were all there, except Ax. I looked at Rachel, but she carefully avoided my gaze. Cassie started to run up to me, but I put out a hand to stop her. She stopped, looking embarrassed and hurt. Suddenly in rushed in a handsome boy with a mixture of me, Rachel, Marco and Cassie. Ax.

"I came here quickly, Prince Jake," he said. I nodded.

((Jake, you know this is not your fault,)) Tobias said.

I gave him a piercing look that was even sharper than his hawk glare. He kept quiet after that.

"About that deal Crayak was offering," I said, looking around at them all, especially Rachel. "I seriously hope none of you were thinking of taking up that offer."

"Of course not, Prince Jake," Ax said immediately.

((Not for a minute,)) Tobias reassured.

"It would be nice to know that my family was safe from the Yeerks," Cassie said. "But I don't think I would ever give up the human race like that."

'I agree with Cassie," Marco said.

"Rachel?" I asked, furiously turning towards her and finally meeting my gaze.