I continue to page through the book in front of me. It’s a large, handwritten tome with brittle pages and faded ink, and it contains the history of my family and the wells. I’m hoping to find any answer as to why themadness is only getting worse for some of us and why or how the Drained evolved.
Kellan chuckles. “So you’re enjoying the honeymoon period?”
I gesture to an abandoned needlepoint project that I’m planning to make into a pillow. “I’m fantasizing about creative ways to kill him.”
Kellan grins as he reads the nearly finished linen. “Disembowelment?”
“I’ve already run through the more obvious choices,” I say with a shrug. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him about Henry’s unique ability, but I hold back. I don’t trust him not to tell my parents out of fear for my safety, and I won’t lose my chance to get the tunnel key.
Kellan comes to stand over my shoulder to see what I’m reading. “Interesting choice. Doing some light research?”
Up close, the dark circles under his eyes are more severe, as is the distinct crease permanently etched between his brow.
“You look old.”
He laughs, and the lightness brings some youth back to his face. Still, I can tell something is weighing on him. He sits down beside me and takes a book from my stack.
“I saw him last night, you know?”
I still. “Oh?”
“Leaving a bar where rebels were meeting.”
I turn a page, but I’m no longer reading. “Henry? Was he speaking with them?”
“No, he was leaving when we arrived, and we found no one inside meeting about the rebellion.”
“So it was a bad tip?”
“Or we got there too late,” Kellan says.
I’m almost positive that Henry dropped that message from Rochelli in the fire on purpose. What I don’t know is why. I wish I knew what it said, but when I asked him later, he only remembered what I’d already read.
The wise thing would be to tell Kellan, but I know I’m not seeing the full picture, and the pieces almost fit together too well. If I tell him, he will run with it, and at least for the time being, I need Henry to trust me so I can take down Rafe.
I haven’t waited this long to finally settle my score with him to spoil it for some man. It’s not like I trust Henry anyway.
I release the crumbling page of the book and turn to look at Kellan. “Do you think he’s working with the rebellion?”
“I honestly don’t know. Either he is or he has remarkably bad luck.”
I flip my hair and grin. “Heismarried to me, so that tracks.”
“Nonsense. You’re a ball of sunshine,” he says. “Is he treating you well?”
“He’s treating me like he knows I’m trouble. He’s careful.” I go back to the faded handwriting in front of me.
Kellan slides a book from the stack and starts to page through. “So why the research?”
I lean an elbow on the table and rub my tired eyes. “Because I had dinner with Able last night. He had to be sedated, Kel. In the middle of the dining room.”
He cringes. “It’s getting worse. You’re trying to figure out why?”
I nod. “I have a few theories.”
Kellan leans back in his chair. “Let’s hear them.”
“Could it be how much they use their power?” I ask.
