Page 32 of Her Magic Light

He stopped walking like my use of his name had short-circuited his forward movement, and he glanced into the cell I had my hand on—because that was what it was. It was most definitely a cell for holding… someone.

“They’re guests,” he murmured as he touched his own hand to the glass alongside mine. “They’re guests,” he said again like he needed to reassure himself.

But the emotion in his voice was fleeting, and he straightened again almost immediately and executed a military-precision turn before he strode away again, his steps more rapid than before.

I hurried to catch up. “Coop.” But his name didn’t have the same effect as before.

He didn’t slow, and he didn’t stop. Instead, he seemed to speed up. “This way.”

Whatever moment I’d thought we’d had, it had passed. Coop had returned to being the grumpy guy in the suit I’d first met. His glasses were in place, and I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“You honestly have no difficulty seeing in those?” I gestured to my eyes so he’d know I meant his glasses.

He shook his head. “No, ma’am.”

At the next cell we passed, a man leaned against the window, and I glanced at the wide expanse of glass. It must have been thick, reinforced, because it seemed to bear most of his weight.

Like he could somehow read my thoughts, the man against the window thumped it with his fist and smiled a little before his mouth relaxed into a lazy grin.

I gasped and drew away, hurrying to the other side of Coop. For a moment, it had looked like the guy had fangs.

I shook my head. First wings on Lexi and now fangs on some random guy. I shuddered.

This place was breaking my mind.

twelve

Ididn’t look into any more of the cells. I didn’t want any more mind tricks, any more hallucinations… whatever they were. I didn’t need to see any more stuff that wasn’t real, and I didn’t want to think about real people in cells. How could they be here like this? Could I somehow help them all? My heart twisted. The desire to protect made me think of Bess. I wanted her to be safe, too, but I needed to figure out how to break free.

I just needed sleep first, and I didn’t care if it happened in a cell. As long as there was a bed.

Coop stopped abruptly again. This time in front of a fully darkened cell. Instinctively, I tried to peer in.

“It’s yours.” Coop’s voice was gruff. Reluctant, almost.

He lifted his hand and for a moment, it almost looked like he might remove his glasses. If he showed me his eyes, what would I see there? Apology?

But I pushed the thought away. Why the hell would I see that?

And from Coop of all people.

He pressed his hand to a touchpad by a narrow door to the right of the window. I’d been too focused on the windows and crazy people behind them to realize the locations of the doors.

“Wait. Am I crazy? Is that why I’m here?” I shivered.

His head bowed as he waited for the door to slide aside. The hole gaped, dark and almost foreboding. “This is your room.”

I hesitated still. “It’s dark in there.”

He barely nodded. “I know.”

We stood for a few moments. Stalemate.

I was unwilling to walk forward into the darkness, and he seemed unwilling to make me.

“Coop. Glad I caught up to you.” Locke arrived at our side. He turned his head side-to-side like he was glancing over the space. “This hers? Let’s get her in there.”

It was like their roles were reversed. Coop was the one hanging back, playing good cop. Locke was the one pressing forward in the name of the process or the procedure when he’d always seemed the more approachable of the two before.

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