The rest of the Cardinals moved closer, bringing with them waves of worries. Once again, I tried to raise my shield and form a barrier, but it didn’t work.
“The fiends stole her memories like the one in New York did to David Lee,” Izzy said.
I frowned. “We’ve battled these demons before?”
“Yes, a week ago,” Bran said. “One attacked a Damned Human in New York and stole his memories too then followed us to Myrtle Beach, but you got him.”
“Or her,” Kim added. “They don’t come out of the cloud even during battle, so it is impossible to tell what they are. The one in New York deflected the rays from the Kris.”
This was worse than I’d thought. No demon should escape the rays from the Kris Dagger. Once again, I raked my memory, trying to connect the words with what I knew and came up blank. I was afraid to ask how long it had been since we were on Jarvis Island.
My gaze connected with Bran’s. His emerald eyes were narrowed, a frown between his eyebrows. The others continued to stare at me as though they expected me to keel over again or something.
How bad is your head? he asked.
I couldn’t hide anything from him if I tried. Times like this I wished he wasn’t in tune with my emotions or felt my pain. Please, don’t tell the others. Let’s just go home.
Okay. “I’ll take Lil home,” he said louder.
I don’t know if I can even teleport, I telepathed, feeling both useless and angry. I hated feeling helpless.
Don’t worry about it. He put both arms around me and nodded to the others. “I’ll see you guys in a few minutes.”
“What about the icebergs?” Remy asked.
“We don’t want humans noticing them this far south and starting to panic about global warming and melting icecaps,” Kim added.
“I could melt them, but I might end up frying sea creatures around here,” Sykes added. “I can make sure Lil makes it home safely,” Sykes added, starting toward us. “Izzy can watch my back in case the cloud demons are keeping tabs on us and decide to follow our telegate.”
I didn’t want to leave with Sykes and Izzy. It would be so humiliating if I couldn’t teleport. I felt bad enough a demon got the better of me, but the extent of my injuries was something I wanted known to only to Bran and me for now. I didn’t voice my reluctance, but Bran felt it.
“Thanks for the offer, Sykes, but I have her.” Bran put his arms around me.
“Some of us should go with you and watch your backs in case the fiends pull a fast one,” Sykes insisted.
Bran paused as though considering it, then he nodded. “Good idea. Remy?”
“I concur. The two of you,” he nodded at Sykes and Izzy, “go with them. Kim and I will start working on those icebergs. We’ll move them closer to the island and away from any cruise ships out there. I may not be able to melt them, but I can keep them submerged.”
“About the things the students left behind,” Bran said, looking at the Security Guardians. “Could you take care of them?”
“Of course, Cardinal,” Evangeline said. “But when you return, we have to discuss what to do about the students and the teachers.”
Bran nodded. “We’ll check with Mrs. D at HQ about that.”
Listening to them made me both confused and angry all over again. I had no idea why they were discussing icebergs, students and teachers. The portal to Xenith was on Pearls Island, which was in Bermuda, hardly the region for icebergs. After facing Coronis, the Queen of Demons, and battling hordes of demons in back alleys, fighting demons didn’t terrify me as much as when I first started hunting. Having one screw with my memories and powers was something new, different and bad. I was scared to learn just how much memory I’d lost and what abilities I couldn’t control anymore.
- 4 -
LIES
Relief raced through me after we left the island and appeared on top of some building. No demon followed us. I mentally checked off teleporting on the list of ‘possibly screwed up abilities’ as we looped our route, even though something was different when I was in this energized state. I wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad.
The house was quiet when we appeared inside my bedroom. Bran leaned back and grinned, dimples appearing on his cheeks. You did great.
His smile was forced and tinged with worry, but I pretended not to notice and gave him a toothy smile. I know.
Let me take a look at your head. He walked around, parted my hair, and searched for the bump. I exchanged an uneasy smile with Sykes and Izzy, who had followed our telegate and were watching us from the doorway with worried expressions.
It is not healing, Bran added, his hand gentle and cool on my throbbing bump. See if Izzy can take care of it.
I didn’t like that suggestion—I didn’t want Izzy and Sykes to know something was wrong with my dagger and my powers. Like all Guardians, I self-healed most superficial wounds, but the dagger usually enhanced that ability. I still gripped the hilt, hoping for a miracle or a tug as we linked. So far, I felt nothing. Nothing was bad.
“Lil?”
From Bran’s scowl, it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get my attention. Izzy and Sykes also continued to watch me. They’d eventually know the truth. Besides, my head was killing me.
I shoved the Kris Dagger in its sheath. “Izzy, could you take care of my head?”
She nodded and entered the room then gasped when I turned and Bran showed her the swelling. “Lil, this is huge. It should be gone by now.”
“My powers are off.”
I felt rather than saw her hand hover near my wound, then there was warmth and the pain disappeared. The pounding inside my head didn’t go away though. Refusing to panic, I made eye contact with Bran, who looked like he wanted to punch something. Once again, I wished he couldn’t feel my pain.
“Is that better?” Izzy asked, drawing my attention away from Bran as she entered my line of vision.
“Yes, thanks,” I lied smoothly. “Thanks for the escort too, guys, but I’d like to rest now.”
No one made a move to leave, making me feel worse. I hated being the cause of their worry. Unfortunately, something always happened to me to give them a reason to worry. This time, there was nothing they could do about it.
I glanced at Bran. Please. They won’t go unless you leave.
“Could you guys head to HQ and tell Mrs. D what happened?” Bran asked. “I’ll join you shortly.
“Sure, but first, I have something to say,” Sykes said as he sauntered to where the three of us stood and elbowed Bran and Izzy out of the way. “Give me room.”
He gripped my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye as if trying to read my thoughts. Thankfully, he couldn’t. His love and concern flowed to me though and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from saying something reassuring. Bran was in the room, watching Sykes with annoyance. Sykes had never bothered to hide the fact that he loved me. Maybe not as passionately and completely as Bran, but he loved me in his own way.
“You are going to be okay,” Sykes vowed.
“Of course she is,” Bran retorted.
Sykes ignored him and added, “You remember me, right?” He peered at me. “The guy you secretly have a crush on.”
I giggled.
“Don’t believe anything they,” he jerked his thumb to indicate Bran and Izzy, who were shaking their heads at his antics, “tell you about me. Remember this face.” He pointed between his eyes and turned his head left then right to give me side profiles, blond hair sweeping his broad shoulders. “This is the face of your number-one fan.”