Spring Rain (The Witchling #4)(47)

“Don’t you get it, Beck?” Noah twisted to face him with a smile.

“Absolutely not. I have no clue what’s going on, unless she fried your brain or that’s where your other toe ended up.”

“I’m a Dark witchling and I’m on campus.”

Beck’s breath caught. Had he inadvertently broken the shield by bringing Noah here? He pressed his hands to the ground and frantically sought an answer from the Light source.

It sent him an image of the barriers being up. Puzzled, he asked again.

“It’s not possible,” he said. “What is going on?”

“What’s going on is I need pants.” Noah was staring at the sweater covering his groin. “Pants and I swear I’ll tell you everything.”

Beck had the sinking feeling he either hadn’t woken up yet or the entire world had turned surreal. He resisted the urge to slam Noah into the ground the way he might Decker and demand answers. The kid had gone through enough, and by the glow in his eyes, he had something to say Beck wanted to hear.

Beck trotted to the dorm room he used to share with Decker on campus and retrieved clothing for Noah. Returning, he tossed it to him and laced his arms across his test. “Talk, Noah.”

“Morgan called me with this crazy plan.” Noah replied, his words muffled as he pulled on a t-shirt. “She said her ancestor once burned the Dark out of a man to turn him Light.” He stood and paused to pull on sweats.

“Did what now?” Beck asked, frowning. “I’ve never heard of that.”

“Me neither. Who knows for sure. Anyway, she wanted to know if I’d be game as her … test subject.”

Beck’s mouth dropped open.

“It was for a good cause,” Noah rushed on. “To save Dawn’s life and her baby’s. We thought if she wasn’t Dark then Bartholomew couldn’t keep his hold on her. Of course I said yes. And …” He drifted off. “And other reasons. But that was the main one. All I had to do was agree to let her set me on fire.”

“Do you have any idea how insane that sounds?” Beck almost yelled. In all his years, he’d been on the receiving end of such a question, but never met anyone crazy enough that he thought he’d be asking it. “You let her set you on fire? You let her risk going Dark and your own life for something as ape shit crazy as this?”

Noah reddened and then smiled. “Beck, I’m standing on campus.”

“I don’t give a shit where you’re standing, Noah!” Beck snapped, the Master side of him as riled up as the side that loved Morgan. “You have no idea … whatever the hell she’s doing, I’ve got to stop it!” He whirled, incensed with the urge to save Morgan from herself.

“Beck!” Noah snatched his arm.

Beck yanked away, and Noah wobbled. Realizing how weak Noah was after his ordeal, Beck steadied him, reigning in the side of him that was sobbing internally over losing Morgan to the Darkness.

“I’m. On. Campus.”

Beck stared at Noah, his meaning finally clicking. No Dark witchling could be on campus which meant … “No. It’s not possible.”

“Look. Into me.” Noah took his wrist and placed his hand on his head. “However it is you check people for Light or Dark.”

Beck didn’t need to release his magick into Noah. He stilled his emotions the best he could so he could get a read on Noah. The Master side of him could track Light witchlings and right now, Noah was reading as Light. “It’s not possible,” he repeated, his concern deepening. “It’s … Noah … this can’t … my god. I need to talk to someone. Stay on campus. You can take my room. In fact, don’t go anywhere in case you end up exploding or something.” He hurriedly handed Noah his keys and pointed towards his room before spinning away and sprinting towards the forest.

Trees cleared a path for him. He ran blindly, unable to comprehend that Morgan had torched someone for the purpose of turning him from Dark to Light – and that she had succeeded. Sam had told him she could purify Darkness, but like this? What possessed her to try it knowing how delicate her situation was teetering on the edge of the Dark?

“Sam, I really need you!” Needing to let off steam, Beck ran until he was breathless and his legs were heavy. He stopped then, not caring where he was. Sam was capable of finding him anywhere, and his magick could transport him to whatever his next destination was. One of the trees nudged him, and he pushed back gently, in no mood to play or talk to its whispering spirit. “Not now,” he whispered to it. “Sam!” he cried and threw his head back to the rainy sky.

Several moments later, he heard the sound of wet branches scraping tree roots and rocks and turned to face the wet forest yeti. It is rainy and cold, Sam complained with a chortle. What disturbs you, young Master?

“Morgan.” Beck’s mind was racing too hard for him to form the words. He took a moment to nail down his thoughts. “She turned a Dark witchling Light by frying him nearly to death. Tell me … tell me she didn’t do this at the cost of her own soul!”

This is what concerns you most? Her soul? Not the feat she performed that has not been performed since Tranin? Sam was amused. He perched on a tree stump.

Earth warmth calmed him, and Beck wiped the rain off his face. “I can’t begin to think it’s possible.”