Whisper (Whisper #1)(49)

“Here, JD, take it,” Enzo cries almost desperately, tossing the bag to me.

I catch it one-handed, careful not to drop the kitten now snoozing in the crook of my other arm. If Enzo’s goal was to redirect the llama’s attention to me, he failed, since the creature appears enamored with him, butting at his chest and rubbing its head along his arm.

When Enzo’s attempts to shove the beast away only cause it to dig in its hooves and press closer to him, I’m unable to suppress my laughter any longer. Cami is now doubled over, with tears streaming down her face.

Enzo lets out a string of profanities. “Would someone —” he grunts “— get this —” he staggers back a step “— beast —” he pushes against it, but it doesn’t move an inch “— off me!”

Now I’m the one with tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Jane.”

Ward’s sharp voice has the same effect as pouring water on a fire, and my laughter breaks off abruptly as I turn to him.

He gestures to the llama and says, “Do something about that.”

It’s my turn to raise an eyebrow at him. “Like what?”

“Get rid of it.” He waves a hand around the room. “Get rid of them all.”

Easy enough for him to say. I’m a Creator — not a Vanisher. I don’t even know if there is such a thing. But then I remember that “Creator” doesn’t just mean someone who creates something; it means someone who can use their imagination to make anything happen. What did Enzo say just yesterday? They can do whatever they want with any words they want.

Time to put that to the test. But … there is just one problem.

“How do I get rid of the animals without getting rid of … everything else in here?” I ask Ward, hoping he understands what I’m not saying. When he just looks at me blankly, I move closer and explain, “You, Enzo, Cami. How do I keep you from vanishing with the rest?”

Understanding lights his eyes. “Just don’t let your mind go there.”

I make a derisive sound, but I regret it when it stings my raw vocal cords. “I’m new to this, Ward. I’ve been at it for an hour, and all I’ve done is call some of Farmer Joe’s friends into existence. Getting rid of them all at once without sending anyone else along for the ride —”

Ward cuts me off. “You can do this,” he says. “And even if you can’t, I won’t let anything bad happen.”

Right. He can protect my words. But I’m still not sure how he does that, exactly.

“Close your eyes, Jane.”

I send him one last wary glance but do as he says.

“Imagine the animals disappearing one after another, vanishing like smoke. The chickens, the pony, the goats, the dogs, the cats, the llama.”

“Sure, leave the llama till last!” Enzo cries out, but Ward shushes him into silence.

“Can you see that? All of them gone from the room?”

I can, but I’m also struggling to hold on to the image.

“Once you have it, Speak it out.”

I take a deep breath and cross my fingers, hoping Ward knows what he’s doing. “Go away.”

Before I even open my eyes, I know it worked, because the shuffling animal noises have stopped. There are no more meows, woofs, chirps or bleats. No restless hooves or clawed feet scratching along the floor. The room is silent. Filled with trepidation, I open one eye and then the other, and finally release the breath I’d been holding. Ward, Cami and Enzo are all right where I left them.

“Did I do that or did you?” I ask Ward, wondering if he had to use his protective ability.

“Other than you trying to send me, specifically, away with the animals, that was all you,” he answers with a hint of pride, not at all annoyed that I may have included him in my vanishing imagination. “But it looks like you missed one.”

I cuddle the still-snoozing kitten closer to my chest and feign contrition. “Oops?”

Ward shakes his head, but somehow I get the feeling he’s amused. As much as he will allow himself to be.

“If I told you to make him disappear,” he says, “you’d just Speak him back later, wouldn’t you?”

“I think I’ll call him Schr?dinger,” I tell him by way of an answer. “‘Dinger,’ for short.”

For the first time since he turned into cold Ward, his dimple comes out, and he releases a burst of laughter. “Schr?dinger? How fitting.”

Given the kitten’s questionable state of existence, I couldn’t agree more.

The humor still lights Ward’s features as he turns to Cami and Enzo, but his smile quickly disappears, and he bites out a quiet curse.

I’m not sure what the problem is, until I notice the way they’re staring at me.

I open my mouth to ask what’s wrong, but then it hits me and I realize I’m what’s wrong. They weren’t supposed to learn what I can do, about the power I wield. They weren’t supposed to know that I’m a Creator. Not yet, at least. But maybe — maybe we can still salvage this. Maybe there’s some other kind of Speaker who can call animals forth and make them disappear again.

I look hopefully at Ward, expecting him to have some kind of cover ready. But all he does is open his mouth and say, “Best not to tell the others about this. Not until she has enough control to not freak them out too much. Agreed?”