this."
Petra shook her head, her brow furrowed as
she thought. "We received a list of organics that might help, but
I'm not sure if it's a cumulative list, or if I should try each
item individually. Are you willing to help evaluate?"
"I am ever your happy guinea pig." He cleared
his throat. "Did Kristoff tag Kelly too?"
His sister blanched and Nathan used his
telekinesis to whisk a chair to her side. "Are you okay, Pet?"
"Thanks," she said, sinking into the chair.
"I'm just not ready to believe Kristoff is operating at full
strength already."
Nathan wasn't sure that was the real issue,
but he wasn't feeling strong enough to breach Petra's mind. "He was
causing all kinds of hell when I went undercover." He studied his
sister's face, picking up on the clues. "Kelly said he came after
you." It was his worst nightmare to have his work putting his
family at risk.
"The reverse actually. Well, not really." Was
she blushing? "A little of both is the most accurate answer.
"I thought I was losing my mind and my gift,"
she began. She shared bits and pieces, filled in the blanks, and he
cringed frequently during her recitation.
"Remind me to thank Gideon when I'm up and
able."
"What, you don't want to kill him
anymore?"
"Didn't say that."
"Moving on," she said with an aggrieved sigh.
"I've continued researching Kristoff and his connections. And I've
stumbled on a few things we can talk about later. For now, let's
get you feeling better."
"Good plan." He winced again, as another icy
lance of pain pierced his temple. "Where's that list of
plants?"
She pulled a small notebook out of her
pocket. He laughed. "Still afraid of the modern conveniences?"
"Of course not," she snapped. "If you'd put
half as much energy into your health as you put to irritating me,
you'd be walking by now."
Nathan laughed, but he was terribly afraid
she was wrong.
* * *
Kelly heard Nathan's laughter, and the steady
voice Petra used with tough clients. She hoped Petra never
discovered the truth about Nathan's mental connection to her,
though unless she left right now, she'd be hard pressed to explain
her presence at the breakout.
She sighed. It was too late to lie and she
sucked at it anyway. Her father –
The raw emotion associated with her father
brought her to tears. She blinked furiously until she regained
control. She'd promised herself grieving time when the map box was
secure again. Maybe her uncle could point her in the right
direction.
Though Nathan had promised to help her, she
wouldn't hold him to it. Not only was his physical condition
sketchy, she was frightened of the talents he'd demonstrated while
they were running. Who could drive a car by memory, with a
remembered map as well? And the little choking stunt in the car
made her wary. He was an unknown commodity and a risk her personal
mission couldn't afford.
He'd nearly killed her. While she cared for
him more than was practical, it sounded like he was safe. He could
recover with family and friends, maybe get a little psychiatric
help for that black-out-and-choke-your-rescuer problem and she
could move on. It was for the best.
Really.
It was time to make her investigation
the priority. She threw back the sheet and swung her feet over the
bed. They dangled, the curse of being short, so she hopped down.
Except her head swam and her knees buckled, dumping her in a
graceless heap.
"Miss!" a nurse in a stark-white uniform
nurse rushed over. She was a very young woman with coffee-colored
skin and odd golden eyes. "You must be more careful."
A timely warning. "Yeah, I noticed." When
Kelly was steady, leaning against the bed, she glanced around the
room looking for a clock or calendar, but any clues to her location
were conspicuously absent.
The fresh, mildly antiseptic scent, new bed,
crisp sheets, and upgraded peripheral furniture screamed private
hospital. They couldn't possibly be selling fast service if they
hid the clocks from their patients.
"Where am I?"
"You are in
Petra shook her head, her brow furrowed as
she thought. "We received a list of organics that might help, but
I'm not sure if it's a cumulative list, or if I should try each
item individually. Are you willing to help evaluate?"
"I am ever your happy guinea pig." He cleared
his throat. "Did Kristoff tag Kelly too?"
His sister blanched and Nathan used his
telekinesis to whisk a chair to her side. "Are you okay, Pet?"
"Thanks," she said, sinking into the chair.
"I'm just not ready to believe Kristoff is operating at full
strength already."
Nathan wasn't sure that was the real issue,
but he wasn't feeling strong enough to breach Petra's mind. "He was
causing all kinds of hell when I went undercover." He studied his
sister's face, picking up on the clues. "Kelly said he came after
you." It was his worst nightmare to have his work putting his
family at risk.
"The reverse actually. Well, not really." Was
she blushing? "A little of both is the most accurate answer.
"I thought I was losing my mind and my gift,"
she began. She shared bits and pieces, filled in the blanks, and he
cringed frequently during her recitation.
"Remind me to thank Gideon when I'm up and
able."
"What, you don't want to kill him
anymore?"
"Didn't say that."
"Moving on," she said with an aggrieved sigh.
"I've continued researching Kristoff and his connections. And I've
stumbled on a few things we can talk about later. For now, let's
get you feeling better."
"Good plan." He winced again, as another icy
lance of pain pierced his temple. "Where's that list of
plants?"
She pulled a small notebook out of her
pocket. He laughed. "Still afraid of the modern conveniences?"
"Of course not," she snapped. "If you'd put
half as much energy into your health as you put to irritating me,
you'd be walking by now."
Nathan laughed, but he was terribly afraid
she was wrong.
* * *
Kelly heard Nathan's laughter, and the steady
voice Petra used with tough clients. She hoped Petra never
discovered the truth about Nathan's mental connection to her,
though unless she left right now, she'd be hard pressed to explain
her presence at the breakout.
She sighed. It was too late to lie and she
sucked at it anyway. Her father –
The raw emotion associated with her father
brought her to tears. She blinked furiously until she regained
control. She'd promised herself grieving time when the map box was
secure again. Maybe her uncle could point her in the right
direction.
Though Nathan had promised to help her, she
wouldn't hold him to it. Not only was his physical condition
sketchy, she was frightened of the talents he'd demonstrated while
they were running. Who could drive a car by memory, with a
remembered map as well? And the little choking stunt in the car
made her wary. He was an unknown commodity and a risk her personal
mission couldn't afford.
He'd nearly killed her. While she cared for
him more than was practical, it sounded like he was safe. He could
recover with family and friends, maybe get a little psychiatric
help for that black-out-and-choke-your-rescuer problem and she
could move on. It was for the best.
Really.
It was time to make her investigation
the priority. She threw back the sheet and swung her feet over the
bed. They dangled, the curse of being short, so she hopped down.
Except her head swam and her knees buckled, dumping her in a
graceless heap.
"Miss!" a nurse in a stark-white uniform
nurse rushed over. She was a very young woman with coffee-colored
skin and odd golden eyes. "You must be more careful."
A timely warning. "Yeah, I noticed." When
Kelly was steady, leaning against the bed, she glanced around the
room looking for a clock or calendar, but any clues to her location
were conspicuously absent.
The fresh, mildly antiseptic scent, new bed,
crisp sheets, and upgraded peripheral furniture screamed private
hospital. They couldn't possibly be selling fast service if they
hid the clocks from their patients.
"Where am I?"
"You are in
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