We figured they could enter one another’s minds, but seeing the torture confirmed firsthand shakes me. The thought of the presence that prodded my mind the night Mrs. Morgan Broke swirls dizzying nausea in my gut.
I hear Fire’s voice so often, proffering comfort and urging me forward. If she can get inside my mind, all the Others can.
“Now, Ko. Are you going to tell us where to find the children, or are we going to have to pick their location out of your dying brain? In case you’ve forgotten, all we need from you Spritans is your genes. Your bodies are disposable.” The Prime Other’s voice is soft and laden with menace. The subtle hint of glee sickens me. Lucas’s hand rubs the small of my back but offers no comfort.
The Prime’s voice leaves no room for doubt. If Ko keeps our secret, it won’t be without great personal cost. I doubt it’s possible to withstand the kind of abuse the Others are capable of dishing out. Not for long.
Not forever.
Cadi snaps her fingers. I blink several times, adjusting to the candlelit kitchen in the building in the Wilds. I put my arms around myself, trying to hold it together. A short while ago it felt safe here. Now, no place will ever feel safe again. Lucas’s eyes meet mine, full of all the distress, confusion, and guilt fighting for prominence in my own heart.
Cadi tries speaking but her voice breaks and she pauses, blinking rapidly. After a deep breath she finds the strength to continue. “I’m not sure how much he’s revealed about your enchantments—protections—or your possible talents. Their means of torture are…convincing. He is strong, but no one can hold out indefinitely. They might know everything. At the very least, they are searching for you. Quietly, at the moment.”
Responsibility for Ko’s predicament has the substance and weight of a giant lead ball tied to my heart, pulling against each beat. My entire life his name, his note, has anchored me. His name was my promise that someday life will make sense. To see him imprisoned, suffering over the knowledge of my existence, makes a lump settle in my throat and my eyes burn.
“They know how we smell.” Lucas’s voice sounds hard, dead.
Cadi’s head snaps up. “Are you sure?”
Lucas tells her about Deshi and dismay streaks her features.
“They will stop at nothing to find you. Nothing.”
“But why? Why do they care about us at all?” The obnoxious, high-pitched whining of my own voice makes me want to slap myself, so I focus on calming down.
“The Others are seekers of knowledge, for one thing, and are scholars in the area of gene manipulation. They want to answer the simple question of what you might be capable of, given your parentage. Also because they can’t run the risk that you possess a hidden ability that could undermine them. Your planet is apparently rich in the resource they need to survive. They aren’t ready to go. Last, the Elements humiliated the Prime by deliberately disobeying him. He’ll make an example of them by killing you.”
Our odd talents will be the death of us. The heat, the cold, the undoing of the human veils. Lucas’s hand squeezes my knee, hard. It feels like a warning. I keep my mouth shut about our abilities.
Lucas keeps his hand on me, chilling through my jeans. “What’s the resource they need? How do they choose their host planets?”
Cadi keeps her eyes on her cold cocoa and bites her lower lip. She passes a hand absentmindedly over the top and it steams again. “I can’t answer that. It’s a secret the Others guard with single-minded tenacity. Only they know the source of their survival. From the moment of birth each Other mind is constrained, to a certain extent. The part of their brains harboring the secrets of their people is cut off from their ability to communicate.” She shakes her head, looking frustrated. “I’m sorry. It’s not easy to explain. But this restricted area in their brain is impenetrable, as far as we know.”
“So, they’re good at the mind-control thing and erecting these veils that make people believe they’re happy with the way things are. How did they do it, though? Take over Earth? There are so many more humans than Others.” My teeth clack together as late autumn wind rattles the windows.
“You’re cold. Let me help.”
Cadi snaps her fingers again and the kitchen goes black.
Nothingness surrounds me, and in the moments before my vision returns, the smell of jasmine, fresh and in bloom, wafts beneath my nose. Honeysuckle. Roses. Next, a warm, satisfying breeze tickles my cheek. Water laps gently, rhythmically. Tension unwinds from my neck and back as comfort and calm envelops me.
A small hand presses down on my arm. “You can open your eyes.”
The scene that greets me nearly knocks me out of my chair.
Wait.
I’m no longer sitting in a chair, but a boat. The floor is greenish blue water, and in front of me the sun sinks toward the horizon. The foliage is in bloom; the yellows, reds, pinks, purples, and blues dazzle me. The trees are green and lush like the grass covering the ground underneath them. Small pricks of light blink in the dusk.
Lucas gasps in amazement beside me, looking around in every direction. Cadi reclines in the bow of the boat with us, wearing shorts and a tank top. Her tiny feet are bare. She’s adjusted other small details as well. Instead of long pants, Lucas wears tan shorts and a short-sleeved polo shirt the same color of blue as the one he had on before. Instead of sneakers, he has on flip-flops.
Looking down at my own clothes, I feel a bit naked. The modest jeans and sweater have been replaced with a light pink dress. Small embroidered white flowers adorn the flowing skirt, which lands a bit shorter than Mrs. Morgan would have approved of. The top of the dress exposes a fair amount of my chest, and is supported by skinny straps. I’ve heard of these—sundresses. Never had an occasion to wear one, though. My feet are still stuck in my dirty white sneakers, but she’s stolen my socks.
I’m not cold, despite the generous amount of exposed skin. The hot breeze moves through the trees, floating the intoxicating aroma of the flowers out to the boat. A force—powerful, foreign, yet somehow recognizable—blossoms in my center. It flows through my organs, spills out my pores. I feel like I can do anything.
This is so strange. And awesome. Definitely awesome.
Lucas regains his powers of speech but doesn’t stop staring at me. “What is this place?”
“It’s not an actual place. It’s summer. I thought Althea might like to see it.”
She was right. “How did we get here?”
“Just a trick of the imagination. A rather simple one, honestly. We aren’t physically here, we are still sitting in the kitchen.”
“I belong here,” I breathe out.
Cadi studies me with a sorrowful stare. “Yes, you do.”
Lucas grimaces and wipes his forehead, already beading with sweat. “Little warm, don’t you think?”
Cadi laughs, the sound lilting and dreamlike. “For you, Lucas. If we get another chance, I would be happy to show you winter, though I much prefer summer myself. No offense.” She leans back on her elbows and dangles her bare feet over the edge of the boat. Her toes make little circles in the water. “I’ll answer your question now that you’re comfortable. First of all, the Others don’t control minds but emotions. Their veil separates beings from powerful feeling, anything that might inspire one to act out. Love. Anger. Affection. Jealousy. Protectiveness. Your species has more than most, a factor they did not expect and that gave them trouble at the beginning. They Broke many thousands before figuring out they have to purge the pent-up emotions.”
The word catches my attention. “Purge?”
“Yes, the yearly purging. The Others set it up as a tradition, but the point is to give them access to large groups at a time. They drain the bad feelings: the passionate urges, the trapped resentment, and anything else that won’t work in their favor from behind the veils. If veiled humans aren’t purged, they Break.”
After years of wondering what is wrong with everyone, this makes so much sense.
Most of it, anyway.
Lucas interrupts the silence. “So, even though we don’t get purged, we aren’t Broken because the Others never put up veils in our minds.”
“Because they didn’t know about us until this autumn.” I never thought I could feel so thankful for being different.
“Yes. Your minds are your own. Mostly.”
“You said the Others communicate through some kind of tunnels. We’re part Other. Can they get inside our heads, too?” It’s a concern that’s been plaguing me since the first time I heard Fire’s voice tonight.
Worry lines crease Cadi’s smooth forehead. “I have never sought you out in the tunnels, but it’s possible. They can enter mine—and Ko’s, as you saw.” She studies my face with great concentration for a moment. “The Others, the way their minds are connected, it’s like a huge cavern. A hive. They exist on many levels, in countless tunnels, down twisting paths. Each Other has their own alcove. They could find you, if they suspected you had one.”
It’s always when my guard falls that Fire’s voice spreads through my mind. I resolve to try harder to keep her out. If she can find me in there, what’s to stop the Prime Other, or Deshi, from doing the same thing? They’re both staring at me, so I change the subject. “The Elements are different than I expected.”
Lucas nods. “Me, too—warmer somehow. They seemed more human than Other to me.”
Cadi’s eyes soften as she hears the longing we’re trying to hide. “They are Other, children. Before experiencing love and parenthood, the Elements were as callous and merciless as the rest of their race. I will not tell you lies about the things they have done, the worlds they have helped destroy. Still, they are changed. Loving their Partners instilled humanity inside their alien bodies. I am not surprised you sensed it when you saw them for yourselves.” Her eyes hold no judgment. “We need to go soon. The Others monitor my whereabouts.”
Lucas gives me a sideways glance full of suspicion. “Why does she look like that?”
Cadi laughs, the infectious tinkling putting a grin on my own face. “The two of you have most likely not even grazed the potential of your abilities. Your natural season brings them closer to the surface.”
“Wait, what do I look like?”
He screws up his face. “It sounds stupid.”
“Oh, come on. I want to know!”
“Like you’re glowing, okay?” His cheeks deepen to a scarlet red.
Cadi and I both laugh, and after a minute Lucas chuckles as well. I grab his hand and hold it in my lap.
“One last thing. You told us how they control humans, but how do so few Others conquer whole planets?”
It’s a good thing Lucas is here, I’m too infused with glee over being in the warmth to think up proper questions. Cadi leans over to pick at her big toenail. I notice for the first time that her toes are fused together.
“They do it by not making a show, not presenting a threat. The Others land on a new planet without detection, and the first thing they do is determine the most significant rulers in each quadrant. Then they send the Elements in, one to each.”
I pipe up. “I thought it hurt them to be separated.”
“It does, but it’s not for long and they can communicate in their way. Voluntary separation is easier.” She sits back, scratching her cheek. “On Earth, the Others sent Pamant to a place called China, Apa to France, Vant to Brazil, and Flacara, your mother, to America. Each had a small contingent of Others with them. They began slowly, but within six months the leaders of those countries were veiled and under the control of the Others. They began peaceful negotiations with more humble countries to join them. The ones who resisted were taken by force. Many people died, more were Broken and disposed of. For a few years, the four original countries remained. Eventually Earth’s population dwindled until now everyone resides in what used to be America.”
My mind reels. More places exist on our planet than just the Other cities. Until a few weeks ago, I never guessed something more than animals and death lay outside the boundaries. I want to see a map, a picture of this America, these places the Elements fell in love.
The three of us lapse into silence and float, gently rocked into a daze by the rippling water. It’s so lovely. As the sun slips toward the horizon a new whirring noise greets my ears. “What’s that?”
Lucas answers. “Cicadas. They’re bugs. Huh. Guess you wouldn’t have heard them before.”
The sound is wonderful. I kick off my shoes and copy Cadi, dragging my toes in water as warm as a bath.
Lucas sits up so fast the boat nearly tips over. “What time is it?”
As the sun slips away, Cadi snaps her fingers one last time. An overwhelming sense of sadness conquers me as we find ourselves back in the collection center. Cold air worms its way under the door and around the windowsill, chilling me.
A clock chimes five times.
“Althea, we’ve got to go. It’ll take us more than an hour to get home and wake up is at seven.” Lucas pulls me to my feet and we yank on our coats and boots. Cadi follows us out the front door and to the edge of the clearing, stopping abruptly.
I look back at her. It’s not fair that she knows everything about me when I don’t know the first thing about me. The urge to break the rules, to stay out here talking all day and night, claws at me. Cadi catches me off guard and hugs me tight. She stares at Lucas for a moment, a fond expression tilting her mouth. “It’s odd, Lucas not wanting to trust me. He’s always been more trusting than you. It’s rather sweet.”
I wonder what she means by Lucas’s distrust being sweet. “Can’t you come with us, or stay longer? What are we going to do about the interviews?”
Her eyes darken and look deep into mine. “I am not free to come and go as I please, Althea. I can’t even step outside this clearing unaccompanied. Come back tomorrow night, if you can manage it. I can help you escape, if it comes to that. I still have hope Ko’s work will hold.”
I nod, hugging her back and breathing in her woodsy scent. Lucas and I adjust our sky bearings to take us east, and use the stars to navigate our way back to town. The night is cold and dark, but the blackness eases to a silky blue over the next forty minutes. We don’t speak. The revelations of this night crack and sizzle along my synapses, warm my heart and chill my bones.
Who—no, what—we are is so unthinkable.
A loud growl knocks me out of my thoughts and back into the real world. Lucas stops, looking as dazed as I feel. We slip through a couple of bushes, stopping short when we see some animals in a standoff.
Small and grey with black stripes ringing their tales and eyes, the creatures don’t notice they have an audience. Two bigger ones have a smaller one cornered against a tree. The little one vacillates between whimpering and growling as the larger ones advance, loud snarls ominous and menacing.
One attacks the little guy and he squeals. Lucas runs forward with two sticks in his hands, banging them together. When he gets closer he uses one to fling the assailant off its victim and into the bushes. It scurries away, and the second bully follows suit. My heart races and all four layers of my clothes soak through with sweat in seconds as Lucas bends down to check on the littlest creature.
I scream for him to stop and run straight at him, but it’s too late.
CHAPTER 25.
The animal launches from its huddled, protective stance into Lucas’s legs, knocking him backward onto his butt. It snarls and bites and claws; Lucas struggles and grunts with the effort to get free. I race over to kick it, but it lets go and runs the opposite direction of its attackers, disappearing into the forest.
I shoot a panicked glance around the area, but we’re alone again, at least for now. Lucas’s face is white and slick with sweat. He takes several deep breaths as I drop to my knees and wrap my hands around his face. His left pant leg is ripped open and dark red blood colors the frayed edges.
“Are you okay?”
Pain flickers as he tries to smile. “Fine. I guess you were right about
the animals.”
My hands drop to my sides. “You shouldn’t have gotten so close. He was frightened to death already. You look like some sort of giant to him.”
Lucas reaches out a shaking hand to tug his ruined pant leg over the injury. “Well, well, what’s this? Althea defending the animals?”
“I’m not defending them, exactly. I’m saying you were stupid. This isn’t our world, out here. It’s theirs.”
He flinches as his fingers graze a gaping slash along his calf. My stomach turns at the metallic scent of blood but I push it away and lean in to inspect the wound. Flaps of jagged skin open to reveal red tissue and bubbles of something white.
“It’s deep, Lucas. We need to get home. Can you walk?”
He nods and struggles to his feet. I pretend not to see him wince, and set a slower pace as we walk the last twenty minutes to the boundary. Lucas doesn’t have as difficult a time with the climb over the fence as I expect. But the incident with the animals makes us later—it’s nearly six forty-five before we get back to our street. No time to fix Lucas. “Get that thing cleaned and bandaged.”
“Remember dinner tonight, with Mr. Morgan.”
It’s Tuesday, time for our Parent Sanction. If Mr. Morgan approves of our courtship, then we’ll have to schedule one with Lucas’s fake parents, too. If we live that long. “Right. See you in a bit.”
I race home, shutting off my alarm about five minutes before Mr. Morgan shouts a good morning up the stairs. My heart thumps as I take a shower and stuff breakfast in my face.
Mr. Morgan is even keeled this morning. “I spoke with the Crawfords. Lucas will definitely be coming here this evening for dinner. I’ve ordered something special.”
I nod and take our dishes to the sink, kissing him goodbye and hurrying out the front door for Cell. The sight of Lucas waiting for me, looking clean and healthy, eases my tension a bit. “How are you? How’s your leg?”
Dark Roses: Eight Paranormal Romance Novels Page 50