Anathema (Causal Enchantment #1)(56)

The torrent of water hit us, beating down on every muscle in my shoulders and back and effortlessly driving my hands apart. Thankfully my bare feet were touching hard ground before I had a chance to panic.

“You can come out now,” Caden whispered.

I pulled my face away from the comfortable nook I had located in his chest.

“I figured it was best not to tell you what we were doing,” he explained, looking sheepish.

“Good call,” I muttered, allowing only a fleeting scowl. I can’t be mad at you.

He smiled—such a sweet, genuine smile—then nodded to something behind us. I turned. And squinted at a sea of silver, thousands of metallic, ropelike vertical strands glowing brilliantly in the darkness of a wide tunnel. They swayed gracefully back and forth as if being coerced by a gentle breeze that never touched my skin. They had to be at least three feet high, growing in round clumps right out of the bedrock.

Stepping forward, awe slowing my feet, I reached out to touch one of the strands. It was soft and pliable, like yarn. My eyes widened. I knew what it was.

15. Sea of Merth

“This is how Merth grows?” I whispered, turning to Caden.

He shrugged. “Guess so. None of us have ever seen it like this before. It’s next to impossible to find. The Council’s been hunting for it since the war. We knew Jethro had some, but didn’t know where he got it from. It’s why he was so territorial about this place. I’ll bet there are groves of this stuff in these mountains.”

The mention of the Council reminded me of Rachel. “So … will Rachel tell the Council about it?” And about me?

Caden sighed loudly. “We’re not telling her about this.” He closed the gap between us, his expression serious. He reached up to delicately touch my cheek. The gesture made my heart begin hammering erratically in my chest. “She’s not going to tell them about you. I’m making sure of that.” I caught the sudden twitch in his cheek, like he was trying not to wince.

“What’s wrong?”

He dropped his hand, moving away from me. “Being around this much Merth is painful. But I wanted to show you. If we can figure out a way to get some out, you should take it back with you … for protection.”

I suddenly remembered. “Sofie asked me to bring back as much as I can. I don’t know why,” I added when I saw his questioning look.

His jaw tightened. “What is that witch not telling you?”

Probably as much as I’m not telling you, I thought guiltily. Watching him wince in pain just so he could show me a way to shield myself from him and his kind, my need for secrecy and protection vanished instantly. “I can bring you back with me,” I blurted.

Caden’s eyes widened in alarm. “What? You said—”

“I lied! But I’m telling you now. There is a way to take you back.”

“How do you know?”

“Sofie told me.”

Caden sneered, his doubt obvious. But then he must have had a thought, because his face turned grim. “Take who back, exactly?”

They really don’t miss anything, do they. I swallowed. “Well, that’s the problem; I don’t know how or who I can bring back—”

Caden cut me off. “Don’t say a word to the others about this.”

“Because I may not be able to bring them back with me?”

“Yes, exactly. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“But if I can figure out how, then you can come back with me.”

“No!” Horror made it a shout. I jumped back, and he softened his tone. “I mean, it doesn’t matter if one of us goes or all of us go …” He chewed his lip as if deliberating what to say. “We haven’t been exposed to human blood in over seven hundred years,” he began, then paused to clear his throat, which had turned hoarse. “That necklace disguises what you are here, right?” I nodded. “But you said that, in your world, it’s useless. These vampire friends of yours can smell your blood, sense your emotions, all that.”

Again, I nodded and his jade eyes locked with mine, turning hard as he spoke again, slowly and deliberately. “What do you think will happen when one of us is exposed to the scent of human blood—a scent that drives us to kill with more intensity than you could ever possibly imagine—for the first time in seven hundred years?”

I pursed my lips, beginning to understand where the conversation was going.

He didn’t stop there, though. “And which human will be in close proximity?” His left eyebrow arched, and I swallowed. “You wouldn’t stand a chance. You’d be dead before you knew what was going on.” Caden grimaced.

“But you could control yourself, couldn’t you?”

“No, Evangeline.” Caden shook his head, dismissing my faith in him. “You don’t understand how powerful this need for blood is.” He stepped away from me and began pacing. “When Amelie was still human, she had a boyfriend. They’d been dating for three years. She loved the guy. He was a bit of a wanker in my opinion, but … I’m her older brother so I’m supposed to be hard on boyfriends. Anyway, when she was turned, she made the mistake of going to see him. I don’t know what she was thinking. Well, I do. She wanted to see him. She had to see him.”

“What happened? Was he scared off?” I asked.