Echo by Alicia Wright Brewster

Author:Alicia Wright Brewster
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragonfairy Press
Published: 2012-12-26T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

It was way too soon for another field trip. But I didn’t have many other options, since Elder Kohler hadn’t yet officially booted me from the team.

Unlike yesterday, the task forces had split up today. Our team included me, Loken, Mauryn, and four people I didn’t know. Again, Yashor piloted our vehicle, and Rey—grinning like a giddy fool—slipped into the driver’s seat of the other, which would stay with us for this mission. We’d gotten word that the female Mage had been spotted just north of Vallara.

“You know, I don’t have to go with you guys,” I whispered to Loken. His arm brushed against mine in the transport, sending delightful tingles through my body every time one of us moved.

His forehead creased. “Why wouldn’t you come with us?”

“Because you want me off the team.”

He leaned his head back against the headrest as the vehicle rocked into motion. “No. I don’t. I was just upset.”

“Because I left you.” My voice barely reached a whisper. I chewed the inside of my cheek but said nothing else. Conflicting emotions warred in my chest. I deserved some kind of punishment.

Loken stared up at the ceiling. “You abandoned your team.” My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. “But it was an unfair position for you to be in. And anyway, that’s not why I was upset.”

Our transport shot upward through the opening in the ceiling, and then sped north. I was getting used to the world rushing past me. I didn’t even avert my eyes downward this time.

“I thought you were dead,” Loken whispered.

I turned from the window to find him staring at me, his gray eyes silvery, reflecting the sunlight. I wanted to reach for his hand. But I didn’t want to create an awkward scene around the other practitioners in the transport, especially since I knew only two people in here other than the driver. I hadn’t made the best impression on the Ethereal task force. I wanted to start squarely within the good graces of these other practitioners.

I clasped my hands in my lap. “I’m fine.”

“Thank the gods.”

“You believe in the gods?”

“I’m working on it. It’s a new development.”

“Since when?”

One side of his mouth quirked up. “Since yesterday, when you went missing.” He chuckled. Then his face became serious again. “I’m not going to lose you.”

My fingers tingled with the need to touch him. I resisted. “Well then, I guess I’ll just have to work harder on my ability, so I can protect myself and not drive you crazy.”

“Thanks.” He grinned widely, showing off a set of straight white teeth.

Mauryn’s voice broke into our conversation. “Are any of us concerned that this Mage is clearly close enough to Vallara to go after all the practitioners at the Council, yet she’s hanging out on the outskirts of the city?”

“Why should we be concerned about that?” I asked.

“If a Mage is drawn to something, he—or she, in this case—usually just goes for it,” Mauryn said. “Why not this time? It’s like she’s waiting for something.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.