Nightingale (The Sensitives) Part 37

Eloise's hair glints copper and orange in the firelight. "I miss you! All you do is work, work, work." Her eyes crinkle around the corners. "I thought maybe you and I could do some magic. Practice where we left off?"

I narrow my eyes. "Why?"

Her smile fades. "I thought it would be fun."

My tongue presses against the back of my teeth as I study the two of them. A curious look flashes in Henry's eyes and I can tell he's concerned about my reaction.

"Not to get a better handle on my abilities?"

"Lark! What in the world is wrong with you?" Henry asks. "Eloise wants to enjoy time with you and you're accusing her of spying?"

Miss Tully slips between us and sets the tea service on the low table. As she pa.s.ses me, she gives my shoulder a soft squeeze. It's such a Bethina thing to do that tears sting in my eyes.

d.a.m.n it. I promised myself I was done crying.

"I...I..." The fog drifting through my mind recedes a little. "I don't know what I'm doing. Annalise said that if I took control of the State, everything would be better, but it's not. I'm making a mess, and I don't know what to do."

Henry reaches over takes my hand. His olive green eyes search my face. "Did Malin do something to you? When you first arrived?"

I jerk my hand away. "She helped me remember who I was."

"By hurting you?" Henry speaks in a soft, soothing tone.

"No." I pick at my fingernails. "Maybe. She set me on fire, once."

Eloise's mouth drops open. "She did what?"

I shrug. "It's nothing. I did the same to Ryker when I needed to teach him a lesson."

Henry's face twists into a weirdly pinched look. "Did she ever tell you about Northwoods and Bethina?"

"Yes. I know Bethina was her step-sister and that you are their half-brother. I also know she killed your mother." I squint at him. "I thought you were tongue tied."

"The spell broke when Malin died." Henry shifts uncomfortably. "When Malin came into her powers, she locked my mother in a room and tried to confuse her by switching day and night. But she took the magic too far and it turned lethal. She blew up our home to hide what she'd done."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because my sister has done that to many Light witches. It's her way of 'helping' them."

"Is it possible your mother brainwashed you?" Eloise asks.

"Of course not! She loved me!"

"Did she lock you in a room and make you think you were crazy?" Henry counters.

I wilt against the chair. The memory of the fireb.a.l.l.s burning my skin races through my mind. The lack of contact with anyone other than her. The way she kept repeating what she wanted me to say.

"Yes," I whisper.

Annalise bursts from the empty s.p.a.ce near the table and shoves herself between Henry and me. "What are you two doing? Who gave you permission to speak to Lark?"

I push myself up so that I'm facing Annalise directly. My sister-in-law is taller than me, but I'm stronger and she knows it. "I wanted to speak to them. Is that a problem?"

She smiles coolly. "Of course not, but I have to think of your safety. They're Light witches." There's a tiny hint of nervousness to her voice. "Not to mention that Eloise is Eamon's sister."

My body stiffens. "What?"

"Did she not tell you?"

Eloise's wide eyes stare at me in fear. "I wanted to, but it never seemed like the right time." She moves closer to Henry, as if seeking his protection. "Lark, you have to believe me, I want nothing to do with him."

My shoulders sag under the weight of the revelation, but somehow, miraculously, I keep my magic in check. "He's your brother?"

"Yes."

I press my hand against my stomach as bile churns.

"It's really no different than you and Callum, though, right?" Her eyes flit to Annalise. "I mean, Eamon and I can't stand each other. Just like you despise Callum. You told me that yourself."

"Lark?" Annalise says. Her fingers curl around my shoulder and magic nibbles at me. Softly, as if it doesn't want to be detected. "You want them to leave, don't you?"

I shift so Annalise's hand falls off my shoulder and the sensation disappears.

Without giving anything away, I keep my face blank and say to Henry and Eloise, "Go."

Beneath my calm facade, my heart whirls in a mess of emotion. Kyra was right: Annalise is using magic to keep me in check. Or at least to get me to be more agreeable.

"I don't think you should be alone. I'll stay with you," Annalise says, touching my upper arm. Again, a faint trace of magic washes over me, but this time, I manage to keep my brain lucid.

Eloise was right, I never trusted my brother, but it was his wife I feared. Until recently. When she became my mentor.

Stay calm. But that's easier said than done, because every muscle in my body feels like it's being stretched taught, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.

How did I not see it before? Annalise had access to Mother. She knew Beck's secret. She wasn't with us at the Ag Center that day.

"I need to be alone."

"Not when you're like this," my sister-in-law insists, trying to guide me back to the chair. When I jump at her touch, she narrows her eyes. "Very well. If that's what you want."

"I'll ping if I need anything."

As soon as she's gone, I rip my wristlet from my arm and hurl it into the fire. Annalise has been using magic on me, and I've been too numb to sense it.

Like an agitated snake, I slink to the ground and curl up before the fire. My hand arcs before me, and I say, "On." The wallscreen appears on the far wall. For a long moment, I stare at the blank screen, trying to figure out what exactly I should be searching for. Finally, I say, "Annalise De la Cruz." My sister-in-law's life fills the screen: images of her as a child, her family tree, her school merit awards. A picture of Annalise and Callum on their Binding Day catches my attention. Annalise looks nervous, but undoubtedly excited while Callum looks...pained. Mother stands behind them with her hand resting on Annalise's shoulder and a wide smile.

Mother always like Callum's mate more than him. Which would explain why they've been married for several years and have no children to show for it. And it would also explain why Callum is so positively nasty to her in private.

The fire cracks, sending an array of sparks into the air, and I startle.

With a sigh, I swish my hand and the wallscreen disappears. If Mother preferred Annalise, then what reason would Annalise have for wanting her dead? Surely, she was better off with Mother in control. I've done nothing but make a mess of things and make her life difficult.

I visualize a cool glove encasing my hand before sticking it into the fire to retrieve my wristlet. After I dust off the ash and inspect it for damage, I wrap the still warm metal around my forearm.

Maybe Kyra's right. Maybe Beck didn't do this. And if Henry and Eloise are telling the truth, Mother manipulated my mind.

If I thought things were confusing before, I'm positively bewildered now.

But one thing's for sure: I'm going to find out who killed Mother. And when I do, they'll beg for death.

34.

The house sits on the edge of the road. There's no sidewalk or landscaping. Just a three story-high house that looks like it may tip forward at any moment.

"Are you sure this is it?" I ask Kyra. Dawson stands off to the side, his back to me and his eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. On the way here, I occasionally caught strains of the Alouette, another reminder the Splinter group is seeping into my city. It also proves that what I'm about to do is absolutely the right decision.

Kyra half-glances at her wristlet. "Positive. Three sixty-five Fourth Avenue."

I wrinkle my nose. "I can't imagine living like this. Stacked on top of another family with no privacy. It's like being at school all over again."

"I don't know. It's not that bad." Kyra turns to my older guard. "Where do you live Dawson?"

"A few blocks over. In a house much like this."

Sometimes I forget my male guards have families. They rarely speak of them. "I'm sure your home is lovely," I say and glare at Kyra.

I squint at the house. "Does she know we're coming?"

"No."

"Ring the bell."

A deep boom sounds inside the house. We wait a few seconds, listening, and then I hear it: feet rushing down a flight of stairs. The door flings open, and Lena stands before us. "Kyra! I thought you weren't coming today." Her hands fly to her mouth, and she blinks in confusion. "Lark! What are you doing here?"

Her voice is a little too high and her hug a little too enthusiastic.

Kyra taps her foot. "You're being rude. Invite us in."

"Of course." Lena holds the door open and motions us up the stairs. "Timothy isn't here right now. But if I ping him, I'm sure he'll hurry home."

"No need," I say, taking in the home's meager furnishings. "It's you we want to see."

"Can I get you a drink? Something light to eat?"

"No, but you can tell me where Ryker is." I smile sweetly.

Lena's mouth drops open before she quickly snaps it shut. "I don't know. I haven't seen Ryker since he was kicked out of our house."

"I know that's not true. I saw the two of you together, but you don't remember, do you?"

I jerk my head and Kyra walks toward our old housemate. Lena's eyes grow wide, but she doesn't pull away when Kyra lazily drapes her arm over her shoulder. When Kyra told me she believed Lena had been hiding the boys, she was livid. But not for the same reasons as me.

"Has he contacted you?" Kyra asks.

Lena grimaces and her jaw locks shut.

"Someone tongue-tied her," Dawson says from his station behind me.

I circle Lena and she spins with me. "He was here, wasn't he? I can see it in your eyes."

She shakes her head vigorously.

"Lena's lying," I singsong. "You've always been a little too..."

"b.i.t.c.hy?" Kyra offers. The anger in her voice radiates across my skin and I draw it into my core.

I tap my finger against my lip. "I was going to say 'mean girl', but b.i.t.c.hy works."

Lena scuttles backward, slowly, like a crab. Her chest heaves.

"Do you fear me?" I ask, closing the distance between us.

She shakes her head again, but she's lying. The fear radiating off her oozes into me and I savor it.

"Oh, Lena. That wasn't the right answer." I flip my hand over and a ball of energy bounces in my palm. "Ryker told you what I am, didn't he?"

She keeps her arms tucked into her sides, as if trying to become as small as possible. "Please don't hurt me," she begs.

A knot forms in my stomach as I stare down at my former housemate's quaking figure. The energy ball blinks out, and I run my hands over my face. What am I doing?

"Leaders don't hesitate, Lark." Dawson's voice booms from the corner of the room.

This is wrong. So, so wrong. I don't need to hurt Lena. I take a half-step away from her.

"Is this how you show strength? I thought you were a leader, Lark," Dawson chides. "Malin would never back down."

My gaze flits between my guard and the girl on the floor. Dawson's right, I need to show strength, but at what price? What has Lena done besides love the wrong boy?

"Please," Lena whimpers. "I don't want to die."

As she speaks, her fear floods my body, and I gasp. Horror follows and my blood sings. It's absolutely intoxicating.

"I could," I whisper. And looking down at Lena, I realize it's true. If I wanted, I could end her life.