Exciti

Chapter 39 (Adam)

Loreal stood immobilized by the puzzle. she had stopped struggling and was now glaring in silence at Adam while he Eclipsed all her jewelry. The smile that stretched on her face when she saw him stop short of Eclipsing her earrings only made her look more menacing. "Why not? Go on, squash those bugs!"

Adam looked at the pathetic, trembling second circles and lowered his hand. Their life force was much more complicated. Their energy came from within and the emotions in their life force fused and parted in patterns he could barely comprehend. Those Exciti were different, they were conscious... alive.

"I'm not into killing things," He turned back to walk to the other end of the square, panting and suppressing a chill.

She was only quiet for a few seconds before she talked again, "This Benevolent-Eclipser attitude of yours won't last long in here."

He ignored her and plopped down to the ground. He winced when he collided with the solid surface. Every cell in his body ached.

He rested his back on the wall behind him and closed his eyes, letting the cool bricks absorb the heat from his feverish skin. He wanted nothing more than to get out of there and make sure that Liam was okay, but he was tired, so very tired.

And he had work to do. He fought to open his eyes and look at her, "Who sent you?"

"Let me go, and I will tell you everything I know."

He continued to stare at her in what he thought was a glare, even though his fatigue was swinging her image back and forth between blurry and clear. "If I let you go, you will kill me."

"With what? You Eclipsed every Excitus I own."

"your bare hands?"

Her laughter was strained, "I'm not that bad."

He tried to muster a growl, "You almost killed my friend."

"No, the bangles did. He should have ducked."

Adam glared at her. "He saved my life. It's what he always does."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's cut a deal! Your Tail friend has probably alerted the Kite bearers, and I wish not to be here when they come to your rescue. I don't want to be swallowed by the Cell again."

"You've been to the Cell?" He hated the bang of sympathy he felt for her.

She twisted a finger to point at her head, "Where do you think the white in my hair came from?" A shadow darkened her features, "I almost lost my sanity in that disgusting, horrible..." She stopped talking and closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she had on a smile that would make any sales agent proud., "but I digress. So, about that deal? Let me go before the Hushers arrive, and I will tell you everything I know. My ears tend to be wide, wide open."

Adam put his hands on the ground to support his weight, feeling so desperately sleepy and weak.

Noises came from nearby. He recognized Lucy's voice. Loreal must've heard them too, because her face drained of all color. "Please!" She begged.

Everything was turning blurry, and Adam knew he wasn't going to be able to keep his control over the puzzle pieces for much longer anyway, but he kept his ruse up, "Tell me what you know first!"

She rushed on, stumbling over the words in her haste. Her eyes kept darting to the entrance of the cul-de-sac. "There is a prize on your head, I don't know who placed it, but I know that they have kidnapped an apprentice who is supposed to be your sister."

He forced the words, "I gathered that much already."

She hurried, her panic now seeping from her face to her voice, "But what you don't know is this, this is much bigger than just you or your sister. Those people, they have been planning something big for a while. Something that will topple the power balance within The Society. A coup d'état on steroids."

He closed his eyes, "Why?" He breathed the words.

She clucked her tongue, "What do you mean why? Take your pick, Revenge, world domination, unlimited wealth...power, do you have any idea how powerful an army of Exciti could be? Whoever takes over HQ can take over the world if they so wish!"

"When will they...?" he could barely whisper.

Loreal's voice sounded like it came through water, "My guess? Very soon."

His shoulder hit the floor. He wasn't sure how he slid sideways like that. He had wanted to ask more about Tam, but he couldn't move a muscle.

The puzzle pieces had barely stopped hitting the ground with muted clanks when a ruckus announced the arrival of Lucy and the Hushers. A wisp of white and black slipping into a window was the last thing Adam saw before he slid into blissful sleep.