Part 28 (1/2)
His face flits through my mind as I skirt a puddle and the urge to reach out to him consumes me. The more I think of him, the more I want to be with him. It's like swimming in a flood-I can't stop without fear of drowning.
And I will drown in Beck. My body craves him.
As we near the school, the rich, earthy smell of Spring fills my nose and I inhale deeply. I've always loved this time of year, when slivers of green push their way skyward and the birds return. And while the days are still short, they grow warmer, but not too hot.
This may be the last time I experience a perfect day. Perhaps these are last breaths I take.
Ryker swears he will do it quickly and without warning.
In the distance, the greenhouses sit nestled in the glen. Students sprint between them and the main building. What I wouldn't give to go back in time. Everything was simple and my biggest worry was pa.s.sing my a.s.sessment.
Dawson pauses at the gate of the barrier dividing the Presidio from the City and waits for the gate guard to wave us through.
Tiny rivers flow down the hill, was.h.i.+ng away rocks and mud. Sunlight glints off their surface and the water glimmers.
I smile. At least there's still beauty in the world.
Dawson motions to us, and Oliver and I follow him into the bustling City beyond the barrier. Mother's house is just up the hill and our steps shorten as we climb. Men in trench coats and women in clear, flexible rain bubbles cross the street to avoid us. I suppose we look odd without protective gear or bubbles, but I don't care. The rain feels comforting on my skin.
Mother's front door is already open. Oliver must have pinged our arrival. The house manager waits for us in the entryway and offers warm towels to dry ourselves with.
I don't take one. Instead, I run up the stairs two at a time and turn right. Mother agreed to move Eloise here. More for my convenience than sisterly love towards Henry, but she did say keeping them here would allow for better monitoring. I suspect she doesn't want me visiting without her knowledge.
When I pa.s.s my old room, I pause, remembering the way Beck grinned at me as the sun lit him from behind.
A perfect moment.
Oliver beckons me forward and as I get closer to the Eloise's room, I hear a laugh. It stops me cold and I wrinkle my brow.
It rings out again. A soft, lilting laugh.
My lips turn into a wide smile and I sprint the rest of the distance.
”You're-”
”Awake,” Eloise finishes for me.
She's sitting in an oversized chair with a plush throw across her lap. Other than sallow skin and slightly sunken eyes, she looks fine.
Alive. Eloise is alive.
”Why didn't anyone tell me?” I ask Henry.
He runs his hands through his hair front to back, back to front. ”And interrupt your time with Ryker? You're newly bound.”
”You know that it's not real. Besides, this is more important than bindings and Ryker.” I drop to my knees next to Eloise. ”How do you feel?”
”Weak. But the healer says if I drink this, that I'll feel like my old self in no time.” She points at a steaming mug of questionable contents and laughs again before taking a long sip. ”What?”
When she looks at me, I realize I've brought my fingertips to my mouth. There are so many things I want to say to her, starting with, ”What were you thinking?” but this isn't the time.
”I'm just relieved.”
Eloise drinks again. When she's done, Henry takes the mug from her hands, and she rests the side of her head against the chair back. Her chest lifts slightly, then falls. Her eyes flutter before closing completely.
Alarmed I start to rouse her, but Henry stops me. ”There's Sleep Tea in the medicine. Let her rest. She needs it.”
I hesitate. After sleeping for nearly a week, does she really need anymore? ”The healer gave her that?” I ask.
”Yes. I saw it prepared with my own eyes.”
”And you know the exact contents of what they mixed?”
Henry chuckles. ”Lark, I wouldn't let anyone give Eloise anything questionable. I swear.”
Satisfied, I stand and stretch my legs. ”Is Mother treating you well?”
”Everything is exceptional.” He frowns, two tight lines that cause wrinkles near his eyes. ”I heard about your outbursts.”
Heat builds in my chest. ”It's getting worse. I don't realize what I've done until after.”
”I had hoped it wouldn't be like this for you.” Henry twists his hands together. Wringing and rewringing them until I fear they'll fall off.
”Why didn't you tell me Mother was a pure Dark witch?”
My uncle taps his lips. ”I can't. But I should have at Summer Hill.”
”Did you hope my father's Light magic would be enough to prevent me from becoming like this?”
He bobs his head. ”You're so different than Malin. Perhaps it was naive of me, but yes, I did hope.”
”All those times at Summer Hill when you swore I'd be different. You convinced Beck to bind us because it would keep his Light magic locked in me.” I glance at Eloise and lower my voice. ”You told him it would protect me from going completely Dark. Was it all based on guesses?
”And you told me that Mother blew up Northwoods. Did she kill your mother? Is that what you've been keeping from me?”
Henry watery eyes find mine. ”Yes.”
”Yes, what?” I say more sharply than I mean to.
”All of it.”
I rub my eyebrows. This is my future. Killing. And more killing. Unless I die first.
”Lark? Are you okay?”
Nothing is going the way I had hoped. Or the way Henry had promised Beck. And despite this, I feel no anger toward Henry.
”I've been better.” I force a smile. ”At least Eloise is healing.”