Page 62 of The Tracker's Dawn: Sunderverse
CHAPTER 21
“Did that mean thatJake would’ve... exploded?” I asked in a trembling voice as we sat in Eric’s study half an hour later.
No one said anything. Damien had one hand pressed to his forehead while in the other one he held a tumbler full of Scotch.
At last, the mage answered, “Maybe not literally exploded, but... it wouldn’t have been pretty.”
I stood from the armchair where I’d been sitting and began pacing in front of the fireplace. We only had two days left, and though Damien had made some progress, it didn’t feel like enough, especially considering he was exhausted and didn’t look as if he could have another go at Velthgrek.
As if she’d read my thoughts, Rosalina asked, “Do you think you’ll have enough time to learn what it takes by Friday?”
Damien’s copper eyes went to Eric. There was a certain quality in them that seemed to hold the answer to Rosalina’s question. Eric knew Damien better than we did and read the response right away. He winced, and we didn’t need more than that.
The mage didn’t think he could do it.
He took a sip of his Scotch, then set the tumbler down on the side table. “I’m sorry, Toni, but two days is simply not enough time for me to be ready. Commanding the demon is a draining task in itself. Add to that using additional energy for telekinesis, and the whole thing... it’s just too much right now. It would take me weeks to build the necessary stamina.” He said that last bit between clenched teeth as if it pained him to accept defeat.
I stammered. “M-maybe one of your mage friends can help.”
Damien shook his head. “I don’t know anyone who specializes in telekinesis.”
Tentatively, Rosalina put a hand up, a careful expression on her face as if she were a kid trying to ask a question to the meanest person they knew.
“Um,” she began, “this is probably a terrible idea, but... what about your sister, Toni? Lucia has telekinetic powers, doesn’t she?”
I shook my head and stopped my pacing. Of course, this same idea had been taking root in the back of my head, but it was something I’d been resisting since it first occurred to me. I didn’t want to bring my little sister into this. Everyone who’d gotten involved in this mess was at risk. She had already been under the threat of Mekare’s hybrids. I didn’t need to put her under the threat of demons.
One of Damien’s white eyebrows went up. “Your sister has telekinetic powers?”
Eric nodded several times, remembering. “Yeah, she hurled basketballs at the hybrids, kept them from eating me, really. I never thanked her.”
“A natural telekinetic with innate abilities?” Damien persisted.
“Yes,” I reluctantly admitted.
“Why didn’t you say so?” the mage peered up at me as if I were as dense as a brick.
“I’m not dragging her into this!” I said, adamant. “Besides, my mom would kill me. There’s no way she’d let her anywhere near a demon. Mom would have an aneurysm, a stroke, and a heart attack all at once.”
“Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?” Eric asked.
Damien moved his head from side to side very deliberately. “No, I think that’s a pretty accurate assessment. Amalia is a bit... melodramatic.”
“If only telekinetics weren’t so rare. I don’t know any of them. Or if the skill wasn’t so hard to master for mages,” Damien mused. “Anyway, if it’s any help, your sister won’t be in any danger. You’ve seen how it is. The demon is confined to the pentagram to begin with. Then I let it out for a bit to do its thing, and when it’s done done, I command it back. I can certainly handle that. Lucia would be perfectly safe.”
I frowned, considering. Looking at it like thisdidhelp. A little. If there would be no possibility of the demon breaking free and taking possession of my sister, maybe it would be all right to let her help. She would enjoy the opportunity, for sure. Lucia loved doing shit she wasn’t supposed to do. Still, I doubted I could convince Mom to let her be part of our scheme.
Damien sank further into the sofa, closing his eyes and throwing his head back. “You think about it,” he said in a tired tone. “But don’t take too long. If you decide to bring her in, she’ll have to practice, too.”
I sank back into the armchair, raking stiff fingers into my hair, feeling as if our problems just kept getting more and more complicated every day.
“Maybe I’ll—” My phone vibrating in my pocket stopped me mid-sentence. I pulled it out and read the name on the caller ID.
