Hidden (House of Night #10)(37)

"Wet isn't all I wanta get with you," he said. "Girl, I'm gonna open up a whole other world for you."

"I'm ready for it," she said silkily, still touching herself. "'Cause I'm sick of the boring-ass world I've been living in."

"Lightning, girl. Let's make some lightning and some changes."

"Bring it!" Erin said.

Dallas closed the distance between them. The two of them were wrapped together and so into each other that Shaunee didn't have to worry about them hearing her when she rushed away, totally nauseated, her eyes filled with tears.

Zoey

"If you guys don't mind I'm gonna go to the media center. Damien thought there might be some old books on True Sight in the reference section if I dig hard enough. He's probably better at research than I am, but I'm stubborn," Shaylin said. "If there's something to find, eventually I'll find it."

"No problem," I said and Stevie Rae gave a shrug saying, "Sounds good to me."

She started to walk away and then paused. "Hey, thanks for letting me come with you and talk to Thanatos. And thanks for hearing what I had to say in there. And, well, sorry again for that thing with Aphrodite earlier."

"I'm not the one you need to keep apologizing to for that," I said.

"Yeah, well, I think you're the only one who will listen," Shaylin said, glancing in the direction Aphrodite had twitched off.

"Aphrodite'll listen. Just not very well," Stevie Rae said. "You did good in there, Shaylin. I like what you say about people's colors. I think you should focus on following your gut about what you see."

"Huh," Kramisha huffed as she hurried up to us. "I say guts can get you in a shit ton of trouble."

I was thinking, understatement of the year, as Stevie Rae was asking, "What's up, Kramisha?"

"It's Dallas's red fledglings. They're actin' like they wanta help clean up the stable."

Stevie Rae frowned. I chewed my lip. Kramisha crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"Is helping a bad thing?" Shaylin spoke into the uncomfortable pause.

"Dallas's group has been, well..." I hesitated, trying to form a phrase that didn't involve using words I tried (pretty much) to avoid.

Kramisha beat me to it, "They's ass bites."

"Maybe they're trying to change," Shaylin said.

"They's devious ass bites," Kramisha added.

"We don't trust them," I explained.

"And we have lots of reasons to don't trust 'em," Stevie Rae said. "But I have an idea. Thanatos said I gotta practice being a leader and Shaylin's gotta practice her True Sight thing. So let's do both." Stevie Rae straightened her back and her voice changed from sweet and girl-like to a woman who sounded more confident and lots older. "Shaylin, you can go to the media center later. Right now you'll come with me to the stables. I want you to look at the colors of the red fledglings there and tell me which ones are most dangerous."

"Yes, ma'am," she said.

"Uh, you don't have to call me ma'am," Stevie Rae said quickly, sounding like herself again. "Just lettin' me boss you around is good enough."

"You ain't that bossy," Kramisha said.

"Well, I'm tryin' to be." Stevie Rae sighed, then glanced at me.

I grinned at her. "You can boss me if you want to."

She gave me an ack! look. "If I ever try to you can call me a wiener and tell me to slap myself with a bun and mustard."

I laughed. "Well, then, if you don't care I'm gonna take some time by myself. I need to think about this Seer Stone thing. I'll meet you at the stables in a little while, though. If you see Stark, tell him I'm fine and I'll be there soon."

"Okie dokie," Stevie Rae said.

I watched the three of them walk off. I could hear Kramisha asking Shaylin about her color, and before the kid could answer her, she was already explaining to Shaylin that there was no damn way her color could be any kind of orange 'cause she didn't like her no orange. Shaylin was looking confused but interested. Stevie Rae looked thoughtful and determined, like she was trying to reflect on the outside the leadership she was working on on the inside.

Me? I imagined if you put a mirror up to me I'd look confused and tired and see that my mascara was clumping and my hair was frizzing.

I wanted to go with my friends and help them get the stables cleaned up. I wanted to find Stark and have him hold my hand and tease me about over-worrying and Internet health symptom googling. Mostly I wanted to forget about the stupid Seer Stone around my neck and focus on something that made more sense-like hateful red fledglings and homework. But I knew Thanatos had been right. We would need all of our gifts to have a chance at even just keeping Darkness at bay. So instead of following my friends, I walked a different path. I cleared my mind as much as I could, and let my instincts guide me. When it was obvious where my feet were leading me, I whispered, "Spirit, please come to me. Help me not to be too afraid." The element I felt most comfortable with soothed my fear, so that by the time I was standing before the shattered oak tree, it was like my emotions were wrapped in a soft, warm blanket.

I needed the comfort blanket. This place scared me. Professor Nolan had been killed here. Stevie Rae had almost been killed here. Kalona had ripped from the earth here. Jack-poor sweet Jack-had died here.