Night World : Witchlight Chapter 11

Shes what? Keller utter, coming out of the bath dwell, toweling her hair.Shes sick, Winnie say. Runny jimmy, teentsy temperature. Looks interchangeable a cold. Her mom says she has to term of enlistment home from school.Well, it looks exchangeable were having a run of upright luck, Keller thought. It would be much easier to protect her inside the house.Winnie and Nissa had worn out(p) the night in Dianas room, while Keller, who was supposed to be asleep on the sofa bed in the family room, wandered the house in between catnaps. Shed asked Galen to stay in the guest room, and he had done honorable that.We can pull in a quiet day, she said now to Winnie. This is great-as long as she gets considerably for Saturday.Winnie grimaced.What?Um-youd die go in and talk to her yourself.why?Youd merely better go. She motives to talk to you.Keller started toward Dianas room. She said over her shoulder, Check the wards.I fill out, Boss.Iliana was seated up in bed, wearing a frilly nightg testify that actually seemed to baffle a ribbon woven into the lace at the neck. She looked fragile and beautiful, and thither was a delicate flush on her cheeks from the f ever.Howre you feeling? Keller said, making her character gentle.Okay. Iliana modified it with a shrug that meant fairly rotten. I just valued to see you, you know, and say commodity-bye.Keller blinked, tranquillise rubbing her hair with the towel. She wasnt crazy astir(predicate) water, especially not in her ears. Say good-bye? forward you go.What, you retrieve Im liberation to school for you?No. Before you go.Keller stopped toweling and focused. Iliana, what be you talking close?Tm talking well-nigh you guys leaving. Because Im not the stupid male monarch.Keller sit down on the bed and said flatly, What?Dianas eyes were that addled iris color again. She looked, in her own behavior, as annoyed as Keller felt. Well, I thought that was obvious. I cant be the high-risk Power. I dont confuse the blue fire-or whatever. She tacked the last words on.Diana, dont play the dumb blond with me dear now, or Ill moderate to kill you.Diana just stargond at her, picking at the coverlet with her fingers. You guys make a mistake. I dont fuck discharge any powerfulness, and Im not the individual youre looking for. Dont you think you ought to go out and look for the real unreasonable Power before the bad guys find her?Diana, just because you couldnt stop that gondola doesnt mean that you dont have power. It could just be that you dont know how to tap into it yet.It could be. Youre admitting that youre not sure as shooting.Nobody can be absolutely sure. Not until you demonstrate it.And thats what I cant do. You probably think I didnt ripe(p)fully try, Keller. plainly I did. I tried so hard.Dianas eyes went distant with agonized remembering. I was rest in that location, looking down, and I suddenly thought, I can do it I actually thought I felt the power, and that I knew how to use it. alone and indeed when I r all(prenominal)ed for it, thither was nothing there. I tried so hard, and I wanted it to work so much Dianas eyes filled, and there was a look on her face that struck Keller to the heart. wherefore she agitate her head and looked back at Keller. It wasnt there. I know that. Im certain.It has to be there, Keller said. order first light has been investigating this ever since they found that prophecy. One from the hearth that becalm holds the spark. Theyve tracked down all the other Harmans and checked them. It has to be you. and so per stake its well-nighbody you havent found yet. Some other lost witch. just now its not me.She was completely adamant and genuinely convinced. Keller could see it in her eyes. She had managed to neglect back into denial in a whole new way.So I know youll be leaving, Iliana went on. And, actually, Ill really miss you. She blinked away rupture again. I suppose you dont believe that.Oh, I believe it, Kel ler said tiredly, look at an exquisite money-and-white dresser across the room.I really like you guys. But I know what youre doing is important.Well, is it okay with you if we just hang nearly for a little while longer? Keller asked heavily. only until we see the on the loose(p) and realize youre not the Wild Power?Iliana frowned. Dont you think its a forsake of metre?Maybe. But I dont make those decisions. Im just a grunt.Dont you direct me like a dumb blond.Keller opened her mouth, lifted her detention, then dropped them. What she wanted to say was, How can I help it when youre determined to be much(prenominal) a nincompoop? But that wasnt going to get them anywhere. Look, Iliana. I really do have to stay until I get orders to go, all right? Keller said, looking at her. So youre just going to have to bide with us for a little while longer.She stood up, feeling as if a weight had fallen on her. They were back to squ atomic number 18 one.Or maybe not quite.Besides, what ab out Galen? she said, turning back at the door. Do you want him to go?Diana looked confused. Her cheeks got even pinker. I dont I meanIf youre not the Wild Power, youre not the Witch Child, Keller went on ruthlessly. And you know that Galen has to promise himself to the Witch Child.Iliana was take a breath quickly now. She gulped and stared at the window. She bit her lip. She really is in love with him, Keller thought. And she knows it.Just something to prevail in mind, she said, and went out the door.Did you get any info on the license plate?Nissa shook her head. Not yet. Theyll call us when they have anything. And a courier brought this. She handed Keller a box. It was the size of a habilitate box but rattling sturdy.The scrolls? I think so. There are wards on it, so we have to get Winnie to open it.They had a chance after breakfast. Mrs. Dominick took the baby and went out shopping. Keller didnt worry too much about her. Just as Jaime was now being watched by order Daybreak a gents, any members of Ilianas family who left the safety of the wards would be followed for their own protection.They sit down about the kitchen table-except for Iliana, who refused to join them and sat in the family room in front of the TV. She had a box of tissues, and every few minutes she would apply one to her nose. Before you open that, Keller said to Winnie, how are the wards around the house?Theyre fine. Intact and lovesome. I dont think anybodys even tried to mess with them. Galen said, I wonder why.Keller looked at him quickly. It was just what she had been wondering herself. Maybe it has something to do with what happened yesterday. And thats the other thing I want to talk about. I want to hear everybodys opinions. Who was in that car-Night someone or human? Why did they try to run over Jaime? And what are we going to do about it?You go first, Winnie said. I think you had the surpass view of it.Well, I wasnt the only one, Keller said. There was someone else beside me . She looked toward the living room. Iliana made a put down of ignoring her completely.Keller turned back. But anyway, simplest first Lets say the car was from the Night universe. They cruised down the street in front of the school once before coming back. Its perfectly possible that they saw Iliana standing at the window. Maybe they were trying to determine for sure that she was the Wild Power. If shed stopped the car, theyd have had solid proof. On the other hand, Nissa said, they must be pretty sure shes the Wild Power. After all, its really beyond question. She was looking earnestly at Keller, but she spoke loudly enough for Iliana to hear everything distinctly. Keller smiled with her eyes. True. Okay, more ideas. Winnie.Uh-night. Winnie sat up straighter. The car was from the Night World, and they werent actually trying to run over Jaime. They were going to snatch her because they somehow knew shed been with us, and they figured she might have some information they could use .Nice try, Keller said. But you were over by the door. You didnt see the way that car was driving. No way they were planning to grab her.I agree, Galen said. They were going too fast, and they were heading right for her. They meant to kill.Winnie dropped her chin into her hands. Oh, well, fine. It was just an idea.It brings up something interesting, though, Nissa said thoughtfully. What if the car was from the Night World, and they knew Iliana was watching, but they werent trying to get her to demonstrate her power?What if they were just trying to intimidate her? Show what they were capable of, by lolling her paladin right in front of her eyes? If they knew how close she and Jaime were-How? Keller interrupted.Lots of ways, Nissa said promptly. If they havent snooped around that high school and talked to other kids, their in orderigence system is worse than I think. Ill go farther. If they dont know that Jaime was in that music room with us yesterday at lunch, they ought to turn in their spy badges.If thats true, then maybe its even simpler than we think, Galen said. The law says that any human who finds out about us has to die. Maybe the car was from the Night World, and they didnt know that Iliana was watching-or they didnt care. They thought Jaime knew the secret, and they just wanted to carry out a good, old-fashioned Night World execution.And maybe the car wasnt from the Night World Iliana yelled suddenly, jumping off the family room couch. She wasnt even pretending not to listen anymore, Keller noted. Did any of you ever think of that? Maybe the car just belonged to some crazed new-made delinquents and its all a massive coincidence Well? Did you think of that? She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at all of them. The effect was somewhat weaken because she was wearing a frilly nightgown with a flannel vest over it and slippers with teddy bear heads on them.Keller stood up, too. She wanted to be forbearing and make the most of this opportunity . But she never seemed to have much suppress where Iliana was concerned.Weve thought of it. Circle Daybreak is trying to check on it-whether the cars registered to a human or a Night Person. But youre asking for a lot of coincidence, arent you? How often do people deliberately run each other over in this town? What are the chances that you just happened to be watching when one of them did it?She felt Galen nudge her ankle with his foot. With an effort, she shut up.Why dont you come over here and talk with us about it? he said to Iliana in his gentle way. Even if youre not the Wild Power, youre unbosom involved. You know a lot about whats been going on, and youve got a good mind. We need all the help we can get.Keller saw Winnie glance at him sharply when he said the bit about Iliana having a good mind. But she didnt say anything.Iliana looked a little startled herself. But then she picked up the box of tissues and slowly came to the kitchen table.I dont think well when Im sick, sh e said.Keller sat down. She didnt want to undo what Galen had accomplished. So where does that leave us?she asked, and then answered her own question. Nowhere, really. It could be any of those scenarios or none of them. We may need to depend for whatever Circle Daybreak comes up with.Keller looked around the table grimly. And thats dangerous, she said. presumptuous it was the Night World that sent that car, theyre up to something that we dont understand. They could attack us at any moment, from any direction, and we cant anticipate them. I need for all of you to be on your guard. If anything suspicious happens, even the fittest thing, I want you to make known me.It still bothers me that they havent even tried to get in here, Galen said. No matter how strong the wards are, they should at least be trying.Keller nodded. She had an uneasy feeling in the set of her stomach about that. They may be laying some resistant of a trap somewhere else, and they may be so positive(p) that wel l fall into it that they can afford to wait.Or it could be that they know Im not the one, Hiana chimed in sweetly. And theyre off kidnapping the real Wild Power while you guys are wasting your time here. She blew her nose.Keller gritted her teeth and felt a pain in her jaw that was getting familiar. Or it could be that we just dont understand calculuss, she said, possibly with more force than was necessary. She and Diana locked stares. You guys, you guys, Winnie said nervously. Um, maybe its time we opened this. She touched the box Circle Daybreak had sent.Dianas eyes shifted to it with something like involuntary interest. Keller could see why. The box had the mysterious allure of a Christmas present. Go ahead, she told Winnie. It took a while. Winnie did witchy things with a bag of herbs and some talismans, while everyone watched intently and Diana mopped her nose and sniffled.At last, very carefully, Winnie lifted the top of the box off.Everyone leaned forward. Piled inside were rafts and dozens of pieces of parchment. Not entire scrolls but refuse of them, each incased in its own plastic sleeve. Keller recognized the writing-it was the old expression of the shapeshifters. Shed learned it as a child, because Circle Daybreak wanted her to keep in touch with her heritage. But it had been a long time since shed had to register it.Diana sneezed and said almost reluctantly, Cool pictures.There were cool pictures. Most of the scraps had three or four tiny illustrations, and some of them had only pictures and no writing. The inks were red and purple and deep royal blue, with details in gold leaf. Keller spread some of the plastic sleeves across the table.Okay, people. The idea is to find something that exit show us how to fight the dragon, or at least something to tell us how he might attack. The truth is that we dont even know what he can do, except for the black energy he used on me.Um, I cant read this, you know, Diana pointed out with excessive politene ss.So look at the pictures, Keller said sweetly. Try to find something where a dragon is fighting a person-or, even better, getting killed by one.How do I know which ones the dragon? It was an amazingly good question. Keller blinked and looked at Galen.Well, actually, I dont know. I dont know if anybody knows how to tell a dragon from another Night Person.The one in the mall-Azhdeha-had somber black eyes, Keller said. You could tell when you looked into them. But I dont suppose thats going to show up on a parchment like this. Why dont you just look for something with dark energy around it?Iliana made a tiny noise that in someone less delicate would have been called a snort. But she took a pile of the scraps and began poring over them.Okay, Keller said. Now, the rest of us-But she never got to finish. The phone on the kitchen wall shrilled. Everyone glanced up toward it, and Iliana started to stand, but there was no second ring. After a long moment of silence, it rang again-once. Ci rcle Daybreak, Keller said. Nissa, call them back.Keller tried not to fidget as Nissa obeyed. It wasnt just that she was hoping against look forward to that there was useful information about the car. For some reason she couldnt define, that very first ring of the phone had made her feel unsettled.The early ensample system of the shapeshifters. It had saved her life before, by giving her a spot of danger. But for what was about to happen now, it was entirely useless.Nissa Johnson here. Code word nonsuch Rescue, Nissa said, and Keller saw Dianas eyebrows go up.Yes, Im listening. What? Suddenly, her face changed. What do you mean, am I sitting down? Pause. Look, Paulie, just tell me whatever-And then her face changed again, and she did something Keller had never seen Nissa do. She gasped and brought a quick hand up to her mouth.Oh, Goddess, noKellers heart was pounding, and there was a boulder of ice in her stomach. She found herself on her feet without any memory of standing.Niss as light brown eyes were distant, almost blank. Her other hand clutched the receiver. How? Then she shut her eyes. Oh, no. And finally, very softly, Goddess help us.