‘Thanks.’ Zed lifted me up. ‘I’l put her in my bed for tonight. Mom’s going to lend her some dry nightclothes.’
Snug and warm under Zed’s duvet, I didn’t feel sleepy. He was sitting on the window seat, guitar in hand, running through some soothing tunes. Karla had clucked a little about me being in Zed’s room but when it was clear he was not going to let me out of his sight, gave in, saying she trusted us to behave.
Zed leant his forehead against his mother’s, a gesture I found oddly touching seeing how much tal er he was than her. ‘Tel me what you see, Mom.
I’ve dropped my shields.’
Karla sighed. ‘I see you standing guard over her and behaving like a perfect gentleman.’
‘That’s right.’ He winked at me. ‘Sometimes having a mom who sees the future is a blessing.’
Now gazing at him framed by the night sky, I thought I’d never seen anything more perfect.
‘I love you, Zed,’ I said softly. ‘I don’t need to wait to sort out my memories; I know I do.’
He stopped playing. ‘Wel , now.’ He cleared his throat. ‘That’s the first time you’ve said it to me face to face like this.’
‘I’ve told you before; I’m sure I have.’
‘No, you’ve hinted but you’ve never just come out with it.’
‘I do, you know—love you, I mean. I’m a little shy so I don’t say it easily.’
‘A little shy? Sky, you’re possibly the shyest person I’ve ever met.’
‘I’m sorry.’
He came and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Don’t be. It’s part of what I love about you. You never think anyone’s going to like you and have this vaguely surprised expression when we al fal for you. It’s cute.’ He tapped the end of my nose.
‘I don’t want to be cute.’
‘I know, you want to be taken seriously.’ His expression was solemn but his eyes were laughing.
‘And I do—I swear it.’
‘You don’t—not about this.’
‘You don’t believe me?’
I shook my head. ‘I can read emotion you know.’
He brushed the hair off my forehead. ‘I may not have a poker face but I can’t believe I’m that transparent.’
‘You don’t understand. It’s my gift—I real y can read what you’re feeling. My gift—it unlocked.’
He sat back, his colours shifting into the mauve of bewilderment. I could see him processing what I said, the emotions moving to the warm colours of his love for me as he came to terms with it. ‘That’s OK
then, so you know that when I say I love you, I real y mean it. You know you’re my soulfinder.’
‘Yes. But I can tel if you lie to me too about other things. People have a shifty yel ow cloud to them when they tel a fib.’
‘Oh, wel now, that isn’t fair.’
‘You can see the future.’
‘Not al the time—and not so much with you now.’
I smiled sleepily. ‘Then you’d better watch your step with me.’
He trailed the back of his hand over my cheek.
‘You’re enjoying having the advantage for once.’
‘Yeah, I’m ahead of the curve, or whatever you say here.’
‘God help us al .’ He nudged me over and stretched out beside me. ‘When did you discover this?’
‘In the warehouse. It was how I knew that you hadn’t hurt me even though my brain was tel ing me you had.’ I paused, the images were stil so vivid.
‘Are you sure I never shot you—not even in make-believe like that fake knife?’
He groaned. ‘Don’t remind me of that. And yeah, I’m sure. It’s not something I’m likely to forget now, is it?’
‘I’m crazy, Zed.’ There, I’d admitted it.
‘Uh-huh. And I’m crazy too—about you.’
I came down to the kit
chen wearing clothes much
too big for me, jeans and shirt sleeves rol ed up, a pair of Zed’s wool y socks on my feet instead of slippers. I was getting used to seeing my parents regard me with that shocked, disappointed expression, the one where I knew I’d let them down but they were too scared to tel me off in case I col apsed on them.
‘Hi, love, ready to come home?’ asked Simon, a touch impatiently, jingling the car keys in his palm.
Zed came up behind, giving me the silent encouragement of his presence.
‘I’d like to stay a while, please. I think they can help me.’ I reached for Zed’s hand at my back.
Sal y touched the base of her throat. ‘For how long?’
I shrugged. I hated hurting them. ‘Until I know if this is going to work.’
Karla closed her eyes for a moment, feeling out to the future. She smiled when she looked at me. ‘I honestly think we can help Sky, Sal y. Please trust us. We’re just a short drive away. You’l be able to reach her in a few minutes if you’re worried about her.’
‘Love, are you sure?’ asked Simon.
‘I’m sure.’
Sal y hadn’t reconciled herself yet to this separation. ‘But, darling, what can they do for you that we can’t?’
‘I don’t know. It just feels right.’
She hugged me tight. ‘OK, we’l try it. You’ve got your boy to take care of you then?’
‘Yes, I have.’
Sal y nodded. ‘I can see that. If it doesn’t work, don’t worry. We’l just try something else and keep on going until we solve this.’
‘Thanks.’
My parents reluctantly headed back home leaving me with al nine Benedicts in their kitchen.
‘I like your parents,’ Zed said in a low voice, putting an arm around me. ‘They keep on fighting your corner, don’t they?’
‘Yes. I’m lucky to have them.’ I was very aware of our audience. I was stil to meet Uriel—he was the slim dark one standing next to Wil , both were eyeing me as if I was an exotic creature. Zed’s soulfinder.
The least physical y imposing of the Benedicts, Uriel was the one I most feared—the one who could read the past.
Karla clapped her hands. ‘Right, my little ones—’
Little ones? She was the smal est of the family by a long chalk.
‘Breakfast! Trace and Uriel—plates. Xav—knives and forks. Yves and Victor—you make the pancakes. Wil —get the maple syrup.’
‘What about Zed?’ grumbled Yves, getting out a mixing bowl.
Karla smiled at us. ‘He’s got his hands ful , comforting his girl, and is just where he should be.
Sit down, you two.’
Zed pul ed me into his lap in the breakfast nook and I sat back to enjoy the show. The most dangerous boys in Wrickenridge were completely different at home. Though Trace and Victor were grown men, they did not dare sass their mother and buckled down to the tasks with everyone else. Not having to hide their powers in front of me, I soon got used to seeing the Benedicts summon things they needed, floating it to hand. It was fascinating. I realized I could see them doing it. The power showed up to me as a white light, very faint, like a thread. I had to concentrate or I missed it. I wondered if I could do the same thing. I watched as Trace levitated an egg from the box and then, giving in to impulse, I imagined lassoing it with my own power. To my utter shock, the egg veered from his control and zoomed towards us. Zed made me duck just in time. The egg hit the wal behind us and slid to the floor.
‘Who did that?’ shrieked Karla in outrage. ‘Xav? I wil not have you throwing eggs at our guest!’
Xav looked most offended. ‘It wasn’t me. Why do you always think it’s my fault?’
‘Because it usual y is,’ said Wil drily, as he nudged Xav from behind, making him drop the cutlery on the table.
‘Who did it?’ Karla repeated, determined to get an answer.
‘Whoever it is wil have the rest of the eggs shoved down their neck,’ growled Zed, putting an arm protectively around my waist.
‘Who?’ repeated Karla, revealing that height was not needed to look scary.
‘Um … I think it was me,’ I confessed.
Zed’s jaw dropped. I discovered that astonishment was coloured glittering silver.