"There are not that many parabatai pairs," Jem acknowledges. "We only have until we are eighteen to find one." Will was likely only to have him for a year after they turned in and that was optimistic. His heart clenched at that the thought. Time was running out too fast.

He stops outside a door. He turns to her. "Can I persuade you to remain out here?...you would not like what is inside."