Chapter 7

• He closed his eyes and exhaled. “Cristy, heart, come down off the roof. It’s going to be fine.”
• “But, Vic, you’re the justice and I don’t…” more mumbling.
• Victor looked at me, his expression wasn’t as cold as before. “Just come down off the roof. I don’t believe my judgement will be required.”
• “Are you sure? I can stay up here and figure it out.” She sounded winded.
• “I am sure, heart. Why don’t you go lend a hand with the furniture?” He suggested softly.
• “Okay. I can do that.” Cristy answered, sounding less frantic.
• “The more help the better.” A woman said in a soft tone.
• “Okay Beth, uh,” there was a pause, “I don’t know if I can get there. Every time I picture there, I see that roof and I don’t want to go there…”
• “I’ll meet you at the landing room, Crissy and bring you here.” A male said.
• “Meet Leone there, heart.” Victor said with steady patience.
• “Okay.”
• “I’ll reconnect in a few minutes.” Leone told everyone.
• Daxx turned to Autumn. “How did you get out of helping with that?”
• Autumn smirked. “What do I know about decorating? I lived in the back of a gym before here.”
• Daxx laughed.
• “Yes, Autumn graciously referred to my knowledge for the placement of everything.” Chase’s beloved said.
• Michael gave Autumn an inquisitive look. She shrugged at him.
• “Once again…”
• “Yes, yes.” Chase cut off Victor, “we’ll get on with the fact hunt post haste.”
• Troy looked amused.
• I frowned and wondered how one of the twins wound up being king. Usually it was the oldest, that I knew, but that was a bit harsh when you’re talking a few minutes apart—at least I always figured that’s how more than one baby was born. Not that I’d ever personally be doing any birthing of any kind.
• …cupid…
• I came back to reality to see everyone in the room looking at me. My gaze paused on Chase, he raised an eyebrow in question. I nodded quickly and looked around. “I don’t know what you need me to tell you.”
• “I, for one,” Chase straightened up, “would love to hear more about you shooting the freak with the glow in the dark purple eyes.”
• Quinton sat up and leaned on the table. “You shot a mage? Tell me it was in the ass.”
• I opened my mouth to say something about shooting people in the butt, then remembered Rafael was on the other end of the phone. I shook my head. “I actually, uh,” I glanced quickly to Chase then back to Quinton, “shot him through the hand.”
• “Ha.” Chase nodded, “more than a few of us would like to do that from time to time.”
• “Or every day.” Quinton said with a sneer.
• “Why his hand?” Victor asked.
• I took a deep breath, trying to coach my mouth to remember it was talking in a room with royal people. “I could hear…” they knew, so it was okay to say it…
• “We’re back.” Leone said.
• “Very good.” Troy looked at me. “Kara was just going to explain how she came to shoot a mage in the hand.”
• “I’m all ears.” Leone said.
• Daxx motioned to me, so I’d talk again.
• “I could hear his thoughts.” I bit my lip and waited for the judgmental looks and accusing stares. There were none. Okay, that was new. “I didn’t shoot him because of his eyes, that,” I looked at Autumn, “I figured, each to their own, however weird it was.” She nodded. “Then I heard what he planned on doing and it involved hurting someone,” I looked around, still no disapproving looks. “I don’t know who…” I leaned closer to the table, “then he starts rambling this bizarre stuff—and with the wind of,” I waved my hand, “I don’t remember exactly, but it kind of freaked me out.” I gave Chase a wide-eyed look, “like I was hitting an eight on my FOS,” his expression changed, “my-my freak out scale,” I felt dumb saying it out loud, no one said anything, “so-so I shot an arrow through his hand as he was waving it around.” I sat back. “He howled and cussed, but he stopped doing whatever he was doing.” I ended quietly. “I didn’t even care that it wasn’t a cheap arrow.”
• No one said anything, in the room or on the phone.
• Daxx turned and looked at Troy, he inclined his head like he knew what she was thinking. “Well, I for one…”
• Michael shook his head. “There are too many unknown…”
• “If you say variables, I’m going to throw something at you.” Daxx said. She pointed to me. “She can hear a mage while they are,” she looked at Quinton, then Michael, “casting or whatever it is they do.”
• “Oh,” Crissy said, “she can help find the traitor that I haven’t been able to find.”
• Autumn looked at Michael, “Eunice. She can see what she’s really thinking. See if this sudden confusion is real.”
• I looked from one to the other, then to Chase.
• Troy moved to stand by the table. “Are you able hear when you want?”
• “You mean on purpose?” I scrunched up my nose like I’d just smelled something awful. “Why would I want that in my head? I try to not hear it.”
• “Mmm,” he glanced to Arius.
• I couldn’t believe they were talking about this. Never, and I mean never in my life had anyone believed I could hear what a person was thinking. Second, why would I want to do it? I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. My heart kicked up to super speed. My FOS was spiking close to a ten now and I couldn’t stay calm, I couldn’t just sit here and do this.
• I jumped up from the table, the chair tipped over and I didn’t even care. Royalty or not, they had no idea what they were talking about. I paced toward the wall, then stopped and held my head between my hands. No. No.
• I spun around and ignored the wide-eyed looks. “I can’t. Can’t. No.” I shook my head and waved my hand around like a lunatic. “I can’t do it.” With a jerky movement I looked at Chase. “You-you want me to try on purpose to hear what people are thinking?” I didn’t wait for any sort of response. “I barely escaped. Barely.” I mumbled more to myself then them. “If I ever get put back in there I-I’ll…” I took a deep breath, “I won’t survive. I j-just won’t.”
• “What the hell is going on?” Rafael asked.
• I whipped my head around to look at the phone. Reality came crashing through my panicked thoughts. I pointed to the phone and looked at a few of the men. “I shot your brother in the tush, a huge error on my part, and for that I’ll,” I shook my head, “do penance or whatever, but I can’t go back.” My hands started shaking, I looked at Chase, hoping he understood. “I just can’t. They’ll drug me again and-and…” I closed my mouth and stood there shaking, hugging my arms around my waist. There was no way I could describe what I’d been through and have complete strangers understand.
• “What the hell is going on?”
• I jolted and turned to see Rafael standing in the door.
• …I don’t understand…
• I took a deep breath. Not now.
• …shit…
• “Chase? Is everything all right?” His wife asked on the phone.
• …Kara…
• I looked at Chase and shook my head. I was trying to not have a complete breakdown. The room suddenly started to close in on me. I need to look outside. “I need to look outside.” I whispered.
• “Troy.” Daxx stood up.
• Autumn stood up as well, then Quinton did.
• “What’s happening?” I think Paisley asked.
• …someone needs to help her…
• The more that stood up, the smaller the room seemed. I blew out a loud breath. “I need a window.” I gave Chase a panicked look. Rafael stepped into the room. I shook my head.
• …what the hell did they do?...
• I pressed my hand against my forehead, trying to stop them.
• The girl from the fire escape came running into the room, she didn’t stop just came at me and grabbed me without a word.
• My head filled with white noise, then my stomach lurched. I squeezed my eyes tight, this was a new reaction, I’d never had that reaction before. I swore there was a breeze, and opened my eyes. We weren’t in that room. “What the pish just happened?” I glared at Crissy where she stood a few feet away. We were on a roof.