Chapter 16
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S teele stared up at Cyan, trying to assimilate everything she had just shared. Then he closed his eyes and fed his energy, using his temper to bolster his flagging reserves. Slowly he got to his feet and looked around, as he bolstered his strength, fueled by the anger.
“That’s a pretty amazing trick to getting back on your feet,” she noted, staring up at him while she still sat on the ground.
He reached out a hand, which she accepted and slowly stood up.
She was a little shaky, but she was standing on her own.
He looked her over, but her color was solid and so were her legs.
He smiled, starting to feel a bit better, but he knew he wasn’t out of the water yet.
They needed to get out of here and back to the hotel, where they could recuperate.
He tried to briefly explain his healing process to her.
“Yeah. It doesn’t work all the time, but I can tell you that a little bit of temper goes a long way.
In fact, it was beyond a little bit, but it did the job. ”
He was seemingly quite capable of standing, more so than he expected he would be. He immediately turned to her and asked, “How are you?”
“I’m okay—but not impressed that we got taken again.”
“No,” he replied, “neither am I. And it’s disconcerting to think that he did it quite easily, which means, if he did it twice…”
“Once for me,” she clarified with a smirk. “And I know why,” she pointed out, before he could say anything about her snarky comment, “and I’m really pissed at myself over that one. But I don’t know that he can do it again, and I don’t want to give him the chance.”
He frowned at her. “And why did he get a hold of you this time?”
She shrugged. “I think… because of our connected energy. Or because I was just caught by surprise.”
He stared at her for what seemed like an interminable moment.
She glared back, saying nothing. It was obvious she didn’t like the answers nor did she want to explore the possibility any more than she had to.
“I don’t want to stay around here, if and when he comes back,” she stated, “but neither am I comfortable letting him go through to the other side. Not when he has whatever abilities he has. I can’t have him getting near Terk and those babies, knowing that could be exactly why he’s here. ”
“I’ve already sent Terk a message,” Steele noted. “Telepathically. I’m hoping he received this one, but I haven’t had an acknowledgement.”
Surprised, she stared at him. “That’s a good thing.”
“I guess I didn’t want him to be taken unaware, and, as soon as I realized we were going down, I sent out an SOS.”
“Good, he’ll come if he—”
“Not for us,” Steele interjected, with a wince. When she turned to stare him down, he added, “I sent the SOS, telling him that he needed to go on lockdown.”
She stared at him, then slowly nodded. “That’s the best thing you could have done.”
“I don’t know about that,” he muttered. “The best thing would have been not to get caught again, damn it.” He swore, walking around and shaking out his arms and legs. “I feel like this is still the same damn woods,” he went on, “and that corner there is where the car is.”
She turned to look where he was pointing. “You could be right. And, if that’s the case, did we get anywhere? I thought we had,” she grumbled, “but I’m not so sure right now. I don’t think our attacker would have moved us.”
“Depends on what method he has at his disposal,” Steele pointed out immediately. “We’re assuming he would move us physically, but what if—”
“I know,” she cut in. “He’s an energy worker, with skills.” She frowned. “Do you think Terk needs our help?”
“No, I don’t think so,” he replied. “I think he has a full contingent of very capable people on that side. But, like you, I’m not comfortable going forward without sorting this out.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Simply put.”
He nodded.
She added, “At this point, I suggest we return to the hotel and get some rest and come back tomorrow. I know it’s not ideal, but now we both have injuries. What do you say to that?”
He didn’t like the suggestion one bit.
She nodded. “I get it. You want to just go after him. But he’s long gone, whether you recognize that or not.
He’s also got our number twice now, and I don’t want to face him in a weakened state, which, right now, I am.
And, like it or not, so are you.… So, as much as it pains me, I feel like that’s what we should do.
If I were alone, I would probably just be hiding and taking cover. ”
She paused, then added, “There’s no police for us, and no search and rescue when we get lost in the ethers,” she pointed out. “And tonight I need to not get lost.” She waited to hear what he would say.
*
“We’re getting some communication through,” Celia shared. “I spoke with Calum this evening. He can’t understand why, but there was a delay of multiple messages sent by Cyan and someone named Steele from the woods.”
“Cyan?” Terk’s eyebrows went up. “So she’s finally here.”
“And Steele? Do you know him?”
He nodded. “I do. I wasn’t aware he was planning on coming. Yet, as they both are in the woods, they came via the Beacon.”
“Yes, and their messages get more and more serious.”
Just then Calum walked in, looking tired. “That’s one way to look at it. Steele stated they were attacked in the woods, and his warning is for us to go into lockdown to stay safe.”
Terk froze, his senses soaring as he searched for the danger. And yet nothing triggered him. “And do we have any alert from the Beacon?”
“No.” Celia turned to her husband. “Which is why I’m more curious than worried.”
He nodded. In his head, he sent out a message to the Beacon. Report.
All is well.
Is it though? We had several concerning messages come through, finally, that two people were attacked in the woods.
Silence came.
Beacon, what did you see or hear? Are more people in the woods beside Cyan and Steele?
No.
Terk sat back, wondering what was going on. Everything should be working smoothly, yet this appeared to be an anomaly of conflicting information. So how do you explain the attacks in the woods? One of these people is a friend and the other is an acquaintance I’ve known for years.
I’m working on getting that information.
Do either of these people represent a threat to us?
Yes and no.
Damn it. Terk closed his eyes. Beacon, that’s not an answer .
Yes, it is. There is a threat with Steele, but I can’t define it.
If the Beacon couldn’t identify it, then what kind of threat could it be?