Or sent them back as spies—ones who could keep an eye on the others, report back to the DOD with any suspicious activity. Seemed paranoid, but this was the government we were talking about.
“But that doesn’t explain why the Arum would work with the DOD.”
“It doesn’t.” Matthew moved to the fireplace. He propped his elbow on the mantel, swirling the ruby liquid with his other hand. “I am afraid to theorize over what that could mean.”
“Part of me doesn’t even care about that right now.” Daemon finally spoke again, sounding tired. “Someone betrayed Dawson. Someone had to tell the DOD.”
“It could be anyone,” Matthew said wearily. “Dawson didn’t try to hide his relationship with Bethany. And if anyone was watching them closely, they could’ve suspected something happened. We all watched them when they first got together. I’m sure some of us didn’t stop.”
That did nothing to really calm Daemon. Not that I expected it to. We left Matthew’s house shortly after that, silent and stuck somewhere between hope and despair.
At my mom’s car, I handed him the keys when he asked for them. I started toward the passenger side, then stopped. Turning around, I went back to him and snaked my arms around his taut body.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, squeezing him tight. “We’ll figure out something. We’ll get him back.”
After a moment of hesitation, his arms wrapped around me and held me so tightly I could’ve molded to him. “I know,” he said against the top of my head, his voice firm and strong. “I’ll get him back if it’s the last thing I do.”
And part of me already knew and was afraid of what Daemon was willing to sacrifice for his brother.
Chapter 24
Daemon didn’t want his sister to know Dawson was most likely alive. I promised, mainly because I understood that imagining what was being done to Dawson right now was probably worse than thinking he was dead. Daemon didn’t want to share that helplessness with his sister.
He was that kind of guy, and I respected him for it.
But there was a rising tide of sorrow for his brother I wished I could take away.
During the next couple of days, I did my training with Blake and then after he left, Daemon and I would drive to Moorefield. Brian hadn’t returned home since the night we’d seen him and Nancy with the Arum. I had no idea what Daemon planned, but whatever it was, I wasn’t letting him do it alone, and for once he wasn’t hell-bent on doing everything alone.
On the Thursday before Christmas break, Blake and I worked on manipulating light. It was harder than freezing an object. I had to pull from within me, to tap into an ability I had no real understanding of.
Frustrated after hours of me not being able to produce even a spark of the deadly light, Blake looked like he wanted to run his head into a wall. “It’s not that hard, Katy. You have it in you.”
My foot tapped the floor. “I’m trying.”
Blake sat on the arm of the recliner, rubbing his brow. “You can move things easily now. This shouldn’t be that much harder.”
He was doing wonders for my self-confidence.
“Look at it this way. Every cell in your body is encased in light. Picture in your mind pulling all those cells together and feel the light. It’s warm. It should vibrate and hum. It’s like lightning in your veins. Think of something that feels that way.”
I yawned. “I’ve tried—”
He shot off the chair, moving faster than I’d ever seen him. Grabbing my wrist until his thumb and forefinger met, he stared into my wide eyes. “You’re not trying hard enough, Katy. If you can’t manipulate light, then…”
“Then what?” I demanded.
Blake drew in a deep breath. “It’s just that…if you can’t control the strongest part of you, there’s a chance you’ll never really be under control. And you’ll never be able to defend yourself.”
I wondered if it had been this hard for Bethany. “I’m trying. I promise.”
He let go of my wrist and ran a hand through his spiky hair. Then he smiled. “I have an idea.”
“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “I don’t like your ideas at all.”
He cast a grin over his shoulder as he pulled his keys out of his pocket. “You said you’d trust me, right?”
“Yeah, but that’s before you threw a knife at my chest and caught my fingers on fire.”
Blake laughed, and I scowled. None of that was funny. “I’m not doing anything like that. I think we just need to get out of here. Go grab something to eat.”
Wary, I shuffled from one foot to the next. “Really? That…doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
“Yeah, why don’t you grab a jacket and we’ll get some food.”
Lately, I was always hungry, so the prospect of greasy food sealed the deal. Grabbing my chunky sweater, I slipped it on and followed Blake out to his truck. It wasn’t as huge as the ones the guys drove around here, but it was nice and brand spanking new.
“What are you in the mood for?” He clapped his hands together, warming them up as the engine roared to life.
“Anything that will cause me to gain ten pounds.” I buckled myself in.
Blake laughed. “I know just the place.”
Pressing against the seat, I decided to ask the question that had been plaguing me since Daemon and I talked to Matthew. “What happened to the Luxen who healed you?”
His hand clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles bleached. “I…I don’t know. And not knowing kills me, Katy. I’d do anything to find out.”