Chapter 6 #3
“They’re all monsters,” Lana said. “They held me down and they forced the Ward to hurt me. He didn’t want to.
Landon was his best friend, so they threatened to punish Landon.
The Ward did what he was told but I almost fucking died, so he stopped.
And then they punished Landon anyway! They whipped him! ”
“What does the Ward do?” Skye asked, her silver gaze practically glowing from the corner.
Lena gasped, not having realized Skye was so close to her.
“He collects affinities for the Crusader,” Lana said. They wanted my telepathy because I was strong enough to resist the Crusader.”
Skye’s eyes shot to mine, then her brother’s, but he was staring at Lana.
Lana…used to resist telekinesis? I’d never heard of such a thing.
“Lana,” Lena warned. “Don’t say any more. Please.”
Lana’s jaw worked, and she shook her head, moving to hold her temples. “It’s not telekinesis. He’s not telekinetic.”
“Lana!” Lena shrieked.
“Shut up,” Skye hissed. Lena whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut as if expecting a blow.
“Lana?” Zephyr moved closer to her. “Your head is pounding. Are you okay?”
Lana shook her head, swaying on her feet. Zephyr grabbed her, pulling her close and running his hands over her forehead. His brow furrowed as he moved to heal her.
“Lena,” Skye snapped. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t,” Lena said, her voice shaking.
Skye shot me a look that I knew well, because it was a look she gave Wyatt often. Her patience was nearing its limit.
“The W-ward,” Lana stuttered as she tried to speak.
Curiously, she didn’t immediately move out of Zephyr’s hold while explaining.
“He tried to take my affinity. But he can’t take the whole thing without killing someone.
Telepathy was my strongest affinity. He stopped just before it killed me.
It…” Her lip wobbled. “That’s why my forehead… ”
Zephyr’s eyes bounced between mine and his sister’s, like he wanted an explanation for what was going on with the forehead. I sent him a quick mental image of the ugly scar hidden beneath her heavy bangs. Zephyr’s eyes widened, and then he tightened his hold around Lana, enough for me to notice.
Not enough for Skye to notice, though. She was staring at Lana like she’d seen a ghost. We needed to have this debrief, and soon.
I finally strode forward.
“Lena,” I said, putting on my Prince voice. “Wake up my Link-mate.”
“No.”
Zephyr reluctantly let go of Lana. She seemed unsteady on her feet for a moment, but then she lunged for Lena, slamming the heel of her shoe down on Lena’s untied fingers.
Lena shrieked, making Zephyr jump slightly.
Skye stepped forward, squatting down next to Lena like she had to Lana only an hour before.
“Wake him up.”
Lena’s lip wobbled. “No.”
The fingers on her other hand all snapped at once, bending back unnaturally.
Lena gasped, then let out an unholy scream as she dropped her head.
Lana fisted her mother’s hair, pulling her head back up. Zephyr winced.
“Wake him up.”
Lena shook her head. “I c-can’t–” She cut off with another scream as her wrist snapped. “I CAN’T!”
“Why?” Skye demanded.
“The Crusader,” Lena sobbed, her tears collecting on the floor. “My m-mind. He’s…he’s–”
“He’s inside her mind,” Lana explained. “Like he was with Landon. Like he is with me. Anyone in his inner circle has to let him into their mind, twenty-four seven.”
“Who the fuck would agree to that?” Zephyr scoffed.
“My mother agreed for herself and both me and Landon,” Lana said. “But he’s stayed away from me ever since my telepathy was taken.”
Lena’s terrified gaze jumped to me while Skye only stared down at her captive. Then, Skye reached out, putting her hands on either side of Lena’s temples.
Lena screamed until a shadow muzzled her.
I stared at the shadow.
The shadow stared at me.
I…hadn’t told it to do that.
Skye tilted her head to the side, and Lena’s sobs cut off abruptly, her eyes going far away. A moment later, her chest heaved and she began to cry again, much more softly.
“There’s no one there,” Skye said. “Not like Landon.”
Lena shook her head back and forth furiously. “Please!” She cried out. “He’ll kill us all if you do this. Please don’t.”
Skye’s patience was waning. She looked to Lana.
“Wake him up,” Lana ordered again.
“She killed him,” Lena sobbed. “Lana, your own brother.”
“You were about to kill me,” Lana argued. “You tried once before. I don’t have any sympathy for you.”
“He’ll bring me back,” Lena sputtered as she caught Skye’s eye again. “He needs me. He can help you, too, Lana–”
“Lena,” Skye said quietly. “Wake him up. Now.”
Lena squeezed her eyes shut, her lip trembling.
Aiden sucked in a sharp breath from where he lay, and his eyes blinked open blearily. I lurched toward him on instinct, eager to see he was alright.
“Please don’t kill me, Phantom,” Lena whispered. “If you had a daughter like her…she never does as she’s told. Never cooperates. Always causes a headache. Please…understand me. Please be merciful.”
Skye stared at her for a moment. She blinked a few times.
“No.”
And then she squished her.