Chapter 22 #2
With a chuckle, he reaches out and stills my hands.
“You’re fine,” he says. “I’m mostly teasing you.
You’re a little flushed, but that can easily be explained away by the chill in the air.
And your lips . . .” he starts, but then seems to get a little distracted when he glances down at my mouth.
His pupils dilate and he absently licks his lower lip, making my stomach dip.
He shakes his head, like he’s trying to refocus himself. “They’re a little swollen, but I don’t think anyone’s going to notice but me.”
My gaze dips to his mouth too, noticing that his lips also appear a little plumper and red.
I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anything more tempting.
I’m leaning toward him before I even realize what I’m doing.
Then a voice calls out, snapping me out of it, and I take a quick step away from him.
The look in his own eyes tells me he knows exactly how I’m feeling right now.
“We made it,” my dad calls out as their small group steps into the tiny clearing with us.
Brushing past Becks, I jog over to meet them.
“Was the walk too much?” I ask my dad, looking closely to make sure his coloring is normal and that he doesn’t appear winded.
“No. It was exactly what I needed,” he says with a smile.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” my mom says with an encouraging smile.
I give a nervous laugh, keeping the information to myself that I haven’t even tried to access my magic yet.
Talon and Locklyn are standing hand in hand next to my parents. I give them a little wave hello. Talon nods in greeting, but Locklyn’s attention drifts past me, her gaze locking on Becks behind my shoulder. There’s a small frown on her face as her eyes flick from him and then to me and back again.
My stomach flips.
Can she somehow tell what just happened? She is his best friend. If anyone can read Becks, it’s probably her.
As the silence lingers, my stomach starts to knot.
Her frown makes me wonder if she doesn’t want me getting close to Becks. Is she worried I’m going to take him away from her?
I’d never do that. There’s clearly a special bond between the two of them I’d never get between.
“So,” Talon says, grabbing my attention. “Are you all warmed up?”
I peek over my shoulder at Becks, who couldn’t look more pleased with himself. He winks at me with a smug smile on his face. I give a small shake of my head and roll my eyes before turning back to the group.
“You could say that,” I answer honestly, even though I haven’t so much as created a spark of magic.
I’m riding a high for the rest of the day that rolls over into the next.
Not only was I able to easily reach my magic, demonstrating everything I’ve learned with Becks—without blowing anything up or setting the forest on fire—but with Talon’s help I was also able to tap into some other magic I never had before.
I open a bud on an oak tree, revealing I have an affinity for earth magic, and also am able to create a weak gust of wind.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Talon is a better teacher than Becks, but his insight is different, which is what helps me unlock these other aspects of my magic.
I’m a little worried Becks will be upset that I was able to do so much with Talon’s help, but after I make the bud open, there’s nothing but pride in his gaze.
Training the next day goes equally as well. My parents and Locklyn don’t tag along this time, which takes some of the pressure off, and I learn even more. I’m starting to feel like I’m making headway, which bolsters my confidence.
Things are finally looking up.
My magic is developing. Most of the time, when I try to sneak a glance at Becks, I find him gazing back at me, making me think he’s feeling what’s between us as strongly as I am.
Even the weather is finally cooperating.
It’s warmed up a touch, chasing away the frigid early freeze that’s been upon us since we got to the cabin, and even melting some of the snow.
The sun is out, the air is fresh, and life couldn’t be better.
That is, if an evil demon wasn’t hunting me, intent on sucking me dry so it can take over the world.
Besides that, everything is peachy, which is why when Talon pulls us all together later that evening to talk about our situation, it doesn’t faze me.
My eyes widen when Talon pushes on the wall across from my room and a door pops open.
The door is camouflaged. “Wait, are you telling me this room has been here the whole time?”
Talon looks amused as I enter with everyone else.
It feels a little like stepping into a command center. In the windowless room are computers and monitors, two desks, along with a table for all of us to sit around. Talon gestures that we should take a seat at the table.
“What is this place?” I ask when we’re seated.
“Surveillance room,” Talon answers. He flicks some switches and the monitors come to life, showing video of the area around the cabin.
I’m not sure whether to be impressed or think Talon’s a little paranoid. I glance at Becks, and he just smirks and says, “Secret society, remember?”
Right. Talon was raised in the Arcane Society. Trained to prepare for anything and everything. I’m not complaining, his preparations probably saved my life. I’m just surprised by how deep that instinct runs.
“Why are we meeting like this?” my mom asks.
“We need to decide on next steps,” Talon says. “This cabin is safe for now, but it’s only a temporary solution. We all can’t live here forever. Sooner or later, that demon will find us, and I’d rather have a plan before then.”
“Agreed,” Becks says next to me, and Locklyn nods from her place next to Talon.
“So, what are we going to do?” I ask, and the room falls silent.
“The problem we have right now is limited information,” Talon finally says.
“There’s only so much we know about this demon.
We know it wants Haven and what its ultimate plan is.
We know that it’s using humans as vessels, but not much more than that.
” He pauses, and I get a feeling I’m not going to like what he’s going to say next.
“I think in order to come out of this alive, we’re going to have to go on the offensive.
But until we know some of the demon’s weaknesses, that would be suicide. ”
“I agree about the suicide part,” I say, while my parents exchange a concerned look.
Becks leans forward. “We need more information. How do you propose we get it?”
“It’s a risk, but the Order—”
“No!” my dad erupts as soon as the word is out of Talon’s mouth. “Absolutely not. I will not work with that organization.” He looks close to jumping out of his chair, and I worry about him because he’s still recovering.
Locklyn, who’s sitting closer to him than me, reaches over and pats him on the arm and then takes his hand. “Don’t worry, Dad. We’re not going to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
“We’ll figure something else out. Right, Talon?” she asks, looking at her husband.
Talon nods, understanding in his eyes. “Yes, of course. It was just an idea. We’ll figure out how to find the information another way.”
My dad visibly relaxes, leaning back in his seat with a relieved sigh as he smiles at Locklyn.
Something ugly stirs in my chest as she smiles at him, and I immediately feel shame over it. I glance away and catch Becks watching me, an unreadable expression on his face, but it feels like he knows exactly what I’m feeling right now. Under the table, his leg gently bumps into mine.
“If the Order is off the table, then we have to come up with something else,” Becks says, and there are nods all around.
We spend the next two hours throwing out ideas, each one worse than the last. My good mood starts to slowly dwindle, and by the time we call it quits I feel like a deflated balloon. When I rise, Becks lays a hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
Leaning over, he whispers in my ear, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.”
I give him what I hope passes as a thankful smile, though it feels a little weak.
Locklyn catches my eye before I turn to go, offering a wan smile and a small nod. It’s not exactly reassuring, but I appreciate the effort. I’m about to leave when I hear her ask Becks if they can talk.
“Sure,” he says easily. When I glance back, his gaze finds mine. “I’ll come check on you later,” he adds with a smile, and there’s a gleam in his eye that starts my stomach flipping.
“Sounds good,” I manage, heading down the hall, trying not to think about the two of them talking alone.
I tell myself I don’t care what they’re discussing, that it’s their business and none of mine, but unease creeps in all the same. Something about the way Locklyn has watched Becks and me these last few days feels off.
Becks and I haven’t gone public with our relationship, doing our best not to touch or be too obvious about our attraction in front of my parents or her or Talon, but I can’t shake the feeling that she knows, and disapproves.
As I walk away, the thought of the two of them talking alone leaves me feeling unsettled, like there’s a piece of the puzzle I’m not seeing.