House of Leights (Secret Keepers #3)(20)

“House of Imperial is the keeper of the underworld. Volcanic in nature, their power controls fire. The cleanser of souls.”

Keeper of the underworld? I was so not touching that one. Brad swung his head in my direction, eyes really wide. I lifted my shoulders in a shrug.

“And finally, House of Royale,” Chase said. “They control water, or as we call it, legreto. The energy which runs through the currents of legreto is powerful. It can shape worlds.”

I knew he’d given us a basic, one-line description for powers that no doubt needed a ten-thousand-word essay, and I really wanted the essay, because that didn’t seem like enough. I wanted to know more.

“And I was born in House of Leights?” I confirmed, my voice barely a whisper. “In the … trees?”

I was in the back seat, on the opposite side to Chase, so he was able to turn his head and see me. “Yes, you were born in my sector of Overworld. My parents were there. I was also there as a … teenager.”

“You were there when I was born? Like in the same room?” Was that as weird as it felt to me?

Chase chuckled, and the sound was really nice. Too nice. Focus. “Not in the same room, but we were close by.”

“How old are you?” Brad asked. “You don’t seem that much older than us, but you said you were a teenager eighteen years ago.”

Right, he had said that. He didn’t look more than twenty.

Chase turned back to the road, even though it was still one long stretch of dirt. No obstacles to worry about. “Daelighters do not age as humans do. It’s not slow and gradual, more like random bursts of growth. I’d guess in human years I’m around fifty. But on my world, I’m young.”

Fifty!

“Daelighters also don’t die of old age,” my father cut in. “Not really. They age very slowly … so slowly that technically they could live forever.”

I had forgotten that my parents knew a lot about these aliens, having worked with them. My father’s family had been part of it as well. The family business I’d never known about.

“You don’t age?” My voice sounded a little raspy.

“Just very slowly, as your father said. But we can die from injury and there are a few diseases as well.”

I was having trouble wrapping my head around that, but even in my shock, I didn’t miss the exchange of a look between my father and Chase. My dad shook his head, answering whatever silent question had been asked, and I really wanted to know what it was. But I kind of felt like I might be at the end of my ability to process any new information right now.

I’d ask later.

After this I shut myself down and stared out the window, trying to ignore the consistent pull in my body to move closer to Chase. If I didn’t sort myself out soon, I was going to be labeled a stalker.

At one point we entered a small town, which seemed to pass by in a blink, and then we were back on a forest road. I was about to ask how much longer, when he turned off the main road and drove into the trees. Our ride got very bumpy as we left the cleared path, but Chase easily maneuvered the huge vehicle. I couldn’t believe the car fit, but somehow it got through.

Only … were the trees moving out of his way? I knew I hadn’t imagined that when we were walking. It was much more obvious now, because the car required a lot of room. Guess I was starting to understand the Leights powers.

It grew darker once we were under the canopy. I found myself pressing my face to the window, so I didn’t miss anything. For the first time in a long time, there was a low level of excitement thrumming in my center. I was invested; I wanted to know everything. Despite the initial dangers I had faced, I couldn’t be angry this was happening to me. It felt like my world had opened up so much, and it had only been a few hours.

Even with my vigilance in staring out the window, I totally missed the cabin until the car slowed and we pulled up in front of it. It blended into the environment in a way that was pretty darn impressive.

“It’s protected by the land,” Chase told us as he opened my door. “House of Leights’ power is weaker on Earth, but I still have some pull here.”

Yeah, I think we’d all noticed that. No doubt it was this power he’d used when he saved me and Brad in the alley. As everyone exited the vehicle, I struggled to unbuckle the complicated harness, and just when I was about to declare that the car was really nice and I might stay in here forever, Chase leaned in through the door – bending himself in half to fit – and in two swift movements had me free from my restraints.

He hadn’t been this close to me before. I could feel energy running across his skin … as crazy as that sounded. It was bringing every hair on my body to attention. Goosebumps broke out over my arms and a scent of pine and mint invaded my senses. Just like the leaf I’d found at the party. That very fresh smell of nature, mixed with man, created a heady sensation.

My chest heaved as he stepped back, lips parting to suck in air faster. He held out a hand to help me out, but I still couldn’t bring myself to touch him. If I touched him, I was pretty sure everything inside of me would cease working, and I needed to retain some bodily function.

“Thank you,” I said, deftly ignoring his outstretched hand to slide out on my own. “I appreciate your help.”

A flash of white teeth; he grinned in the same lazy way he had in the forest, like he knew exactly why I was avoiding him. These aliens did not lack confidence, but he wore his without an ounce of arrogance, and that was so seductive.