Page 50 of Her Magic Light

Coop slowed too, still supporting my weight. “Lexi might be in there. Maybe she can help you.”

I relaxed slightly. Yes, I liked Lexi. An image of my hummingbird came to mind, and my little friend brought me strength, too. I latched onto the image, trying to keep the colors in my mind.

Coop guided me right to the same chair I’d been in before, lowering me down next to Lexi. Her face creased in concern; two wrinkles appeared at the top of her nose and her mouth tugged down at the corners as she rested her palm against my cheek.

She gazed at me, her eyes seeming to penetrate right into my soul. “Are you okay?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She flicked her gaze to Coop. “Is she okay?”

He shrugged initially then shook his head, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he took up his usual position against the wall, his watchful gaze roving over the people in the cafeteria. Some of their faces had changed. Adrian didn’t seem to be here now, but I didn’t care enough to ask after him—I didn’t want it to look like I cared, anyway. And using the energy to inquire after him just wasn’t worth it.

Someone put a plate of food down in front of me, and I nodded in acknowledgement.

“Are you okay?” Lexi spoke again as she took my left hand between both of hers. She kept switching positions, touching my skin like the contact was helping one of us. Every time she moved, she asked if I was okay again. “You feel clammy,” she said. “Something’s wrong.” She looked up at Coop as though seeking confirmation, but he didn’t reply.

I met Lexi’s eyes, trying to telegraph my misery through gaze alone. I didn’t know how to explain what had happened, and I didn’t know what she could do. But I grabbed hold of every part of her concern for me and tried to wrap myself in the caring of it.

“Are you getting sick?” She looked at Coop again. “Is she getting sick?” This time, her voice was louder, more demanding. “What have you been doing to her?”

A chair scraped on the other side of the cafeteria, and my heart plummeted. Adrian was here after all. Coop stiffened behind me.

“Lexi.” Adrian yelled her name. “Stop touching the lying newcomer. She’ll contaminate you.”

Lexi narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t take her hands from me. “No, Adrian. Something’s really wrong. I can feel it. Something has hurt Meira, and she doesn’t know what it is. She doesn’t understand it. She’s in pain, and she’s confused.” She stopped and cocked her head. “Maybe a little hungry too, but cold and in pain. Something is blocking her breathing.”

My eyes widened as I watched Lexi. How the hell did she know all this about me when I hadn’t spoken a word to her? As relieved as I was she knew it all, that was just plain freaky. I tried to draw away from her touch, but she held tighter.

“Aw, Lex.” Adrian hung his head. “She’s already tainted you with her lying bitch mouth.” For a moment, he actually looked regretful that the words had come out of him. Or maybe he was more regretful Lexi was on my side. Either way, when he glanced at Lexi again, his eyes were hard.

Lexi jumped up from her seat, her hands clenched into fists. “Shut your damn mouth, Adrian. Or areyouan empath now, too?”

Adrian laughed, a slow chuckle that vibrated through me at a painful frequency. “You said she’s confused?”

Lexi nodded. “Leave her alone. You’re scaring her.”

Adrian stepped forward, switching his attention from Lexi to me. “Oh, maybe I can help her with some of that confusion, and I can certainly make all of her fear go away.”

Coop moved behind me as Adrian started to advance in my direction, shoving empty chairs aside as he did so.

Fear welled inside my chest but there was no room for it to grow as it pushed up against the tightness of the shadow already filling me. It pushed so hard I was about to explode again.

I reached for something to keep me secure, for anything to hide behind as Adrian moved closer and Coop took up a defensive position behind me. His taser appeared in his outstretched hand again.

“Lexi,” he murmured. “Lexi, you need to move away. Go and find another seat somewhere.”

But she only moved to stand behind me, her fingers resting lightly on the nape of my neck.

Adrian grinned, a predator sizing up his prey.

“Adrian, no closer,” Coop warned, but Adrian ignored him, and his eyes flashed red, sending another bolt of pure fear through me.

“No,” I roared as I flung my arm out, trying to defend myself, needing him to stay away. My chest clenched, and my fear surged outwards, forcing the tightness in my chest to release. I coughed, bending over as breath rushed into my lungs.

Adrian slumped to the floor, his head almost severed at the neck, blood gushing like a fountain. People ran, screaming, from the cafeteria, as droplets of blood coated the ceiling then rained down on them.

My chair was knocked out from under me, and like Locke before him, Coop threw his weight over my body.

“Lie still, Meira. Don’t move. I need to keep you safe.” There was an urgency in his voice I’d never heard as the cafeteria was plunged into darkness, and an alarm started to howl.

“Where’s Lexi?” I gasped the words. “Is she okay? What just happened?”

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