“It be not all that she can do,” I said.
Bess stopped walking. “Cara mentioned something about the animals.” She shook her head. “Them, and the life energy thing—could it be coincidence?” she asked. “Could different Cryptid powers combine to make that happen?”
The knot in my gut twisted tighter. “I think a better question be—are we so certain that our people would not leave a child among the humans?”
Bess’s mouth opened, and closed. “She’s not Liberi. No way.”
“Not pure, no.”
“I cannot believe any Liberi would willingly surrender a child.”
“We used to think they wouldn’t ever betray the Elders, either,” I said through gritted teeth. But they had. An entire group of female Liberis, including Isobel, had walked away from everything they’d believed—to follow a madman.
At the time, I thought Isobel be followingme.
Bess blinked. And then the corners of her mouth turned down. “Galeran was very persuasive.”
She had no idea. He’d convinced me. Made me believe that I be doing the right thing. So had Isobel.
I’d never been so betrayed.
I pushed the thoughts aside. We had new issues to worry about. “Jacques be looking into her past. But he thinks the council be involved in covering up the details of the accident where she lost her memory. And the fight instructors suspect she’s had training.”
Bess straightened. “Cara’s due back today or tomorrow. We’ll see if she has any insights.”
As I walked down the stairs with Bess, I doubted that even the powerful Watcher could sort the mystery that be Anna. And I be not looking forward to discussing the situation with her, either.
Because when it came to that beautiful blonde Shade recruit, my own motives be suspect.
44
Anna
After the Watcher left, Mari and I lay on our beds and stared at the ceiling. Trix was plastered to my side, her gaze fastened on my face.
When I’d come to, I’d almost confessed everything to Bess. But somehow, looking at the Watcher’s peaceful, calm expression and sensing the power of the energy coming off her, I just couldn’t do it.
Which meant I couldn’t ask about Trix’s eyes, either. I was going to have to wait until Cara returned.
Mari’s thoughts wandered along different, but equally important, paths. “He’s not fit to lead us,” the ogress said.
“No. He’s not.”
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” And I didn’t. I wanted to be a Shade worse than ever. I’d thought I would be able to work with that bastard. That I could act like a hub and hold us all together.
I was wrong.
And now, my troubles were so much worse than not being talented at all. It seemed my touch could kill. Or heal. But I didn’t have any control over it. So where did that leave me?
I had no idea.
“I should return home,” Mari shared.
The recrimination in her voice snapped me out of mine. “These people can teach us how to control our talents.” I groped for something that may change her mind. “Maybe if we all go to Amadeus, he’ll assign us to other teams.”
Mari was silent for a bit. Then she said, “I want to be on your team.”
