Topaz scowls at Leo. “You haven’t told her, have you?” It’s a reprimand, not a question.
Leo lets go of me and marches to the door. “I will when you get out.”
“We’re not leaving,” Rime says, mouth tight. “You’ve already wasted too much time.”
I get the weird feeling this could come to blows and I don’t want to be here to see it. Rime and Leo are glaring at one another and it’s impossible to tell who has the upper hand. Rime’s bigger, but Leo’s angrier. Cornered animal angry.
Do they know something Leo doesn’t want me to hear? Was Zander right?He’s not who you think he is.Then who else could Leo be? Because he’s not the threat Zander was implying he is. He just can’t be.
If there was ever a time to use my ‘gift,’ it would be now. If someone here is dangerous or is lying, I should be able to sense it, shouldn’t I? I have to try. Hastily, I sweep aside my own emotions and presuppositions. Then, going still, I open myself up to the energy coming off the three other people in the room.
It hits me fast and hard and all at once.
What the?—?
When I choke on a breath, Rime turns his attention to me. “What are you sensing there, little psychic?”
I inhale as I struggle to compose myself, glancing desperately over at Leo who’s still by the door.Open it and shove them out!Please.But he’s frozen, waiting expectantly for me to answer. I don’t want to reply; I don’t even want to speak. But if explaining what I sense will satisfy Rime and get him and Topaz out of here, I’ll do it.
“Something’s out of place,” I say. God, how do I put these feelings into words? “Like…like a puzzle piece from the wrong puzzle. One that’ll never fit.” The energies churn inside me, disturbing and potent. “There’s fear, too. Of something big and dark and…and evil.”
“Go on,” Rime urges, pale eyebrows arching.
“It’s that weird feeling…that scary feeling…the one you get when you realize there are things out there bigger than you.”
His eyes are wide. “She’s good.”
I don’t want to be good, I want to be wrong. I turn to Leo.Please tell me I’m wrong.
Please tell me what’s going on!
He closes the distance between us and takes me gently by the elbow. “Go get your stuff. I’ll take you home.”
Rime sprawls onto the couch. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m taking her home,” Leo bites out, but his voice softens as he turns back to me. “Go get your stuff.”
Whatever is going on here, I don’t want to make it worse for him. My backpack is by the door, but my phone and jewelry are still in his room. I steel myself as I make my way down the hall, anticipating shouting and punches the moment I’m out of sight. But they don’t come. Instead, I have to strain from the bedroom to hear the relatively peaceful discussion.
“What about your other psychics?” Rime asks. “Do they know?”
I stop moving, stop breathing, but I can’t make out Leo’s response.
What if that’s because he doesn’t want me to?
“Brier sent out his own team,” Topaz says.
“What?” Leo gasps. “When?”
“Most likely on the solstice.”
“Where are they?” There’s dread in Leo’s voice.
Rime answers, “We don’t know.”
My fingers tremble as I work the clasp on my amethyst necklace. I squint in the dusty full-length mirror, foolishly believing that if I can see better, I’ll stop missing the hook.
Their conversation collides with Zander’s accusations in the library. It blends with the words straight from Leo’s lips,I need to talk to you—tell you some things,and with the ominous feelings I just picked up in the living room. Has he gotten himself into some sort of trouble? Drugs? Organized crime? Does he owe Rime and Topaz money? Are they blackmailing him?
