Whisper (Whisper #1)(72)
Overwhelmed and frustrated by everything he hasn’t explained, I demand, “Why do you keep calling me that?”
He rubs the back of his neck and releases a sigh filled with impatience. “Look, there’s lots I haven’t yet told you, including how Liana has kept an eye on you over the years. But I’m not kidding, Lyss — if we stand around and chat just to appeal to your curiosity, then you’re going to miss the ferry.”
I open my mouth to argue, but he places a finger over my lips, keeping me silent.
“I promise you’ll hear from me again soon. And I’ll explain everything then. You have my word.”
For some inexplicable reason, I believe him. That, and I don’t want to get stuck down here and allow copycat me to go back to Lengard to carry on with the ruse. So I nod and follow after he drops his hand from my mouth, flashes me a small but dazzling grin and leads the way back up the tunnel again at a pace so fast I’m nearly sprinting to keep up.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It’s surprisingly easy to get back aboveground.
After retrieving the glove and glasses I’d dropped and hiding them in my coat, and after saying goodbye to Pandora and Liana, who are both staying behind, I hurry with Kael, Jet, Dante and the still-restrained Sneak back to the ancient elevator.
Jet keeps the five of us cloaked once we’re out of the catacombs and walking along the zoo’s paths again, but it’s not as much of a fright this time, since I now understand why I’m transparent. Strange, yes. Terrifying, no.
Invisible, we hurry toward the ferry terminal, having received an update from Pandora that my Lengard friends are getting ready to board the boat back to Circular Quay.
We’re almost to the dock, when Kael pulls us all off the path and into a grove of trees swallowed by darkness. Only the faintest trace of moonlight filters through.
“Jet,” Kael says.
Whether he destroys her cloaking or she cancels it herself, either way, the five of us become visible again. Due to the limited light, I can make out little more than the shadowed outline of their bodies.
“I don’t need a reminder,” I say, assuming that’s why we’ve paused here. “I know I only have three days to use the glove and glasses to see if you’re right about Vanik’s secret lab. I won’t forget.”
“That’s not why we’ve stopped,” Dante says, pushing Sneak in front of him and closer to me.
There’s meaning in the move, but I’m not sure what meaning.
Not until Kael explains, “You have to wipe his memories, Lyss. He can’t go back to Lengard knowing everything he heard and saw tonight.”
I’m taken aback by his words, even if on some rational level I know he’s right. But I can’t get a single word out — whether to agree or disagree — before Sneak starts to struggle.
“No!” he cries out. “Don’t listen to them, Jane! I don’t — You can’t — Please, don’t —”
“Easy, kid,” Dante cuts him off, holding him tighter. “She’s not going to hurt you. You won’t even know anything has changed.”
Sneak’s face looks positively ghostly in the moonlight. “She doesn’t have any control! She could do anything to me!”
He’s correct, but that doesn’t stop me from recoiling at his words.
Kael doesn’t miss my reaction, and his face hardens. Even in the low light I see him narrow angry eyes at Sneak.
I reach out to touch Kael’s arm. “No, he’s right,” I say. “I’ve only wiped memories once before, and that time I had Ward keeping me in check.”
“And this time you have me,” Kael points out. “Not that you need my help.”
“You have too much confidence in me,” I murmur.
“No, I just have more confidence in you than you do,” he replies. “Now, hurry up or you’ll both be camping here for the night.”
Still unsure, I tentatively ask, “How much do I try to modify?”
“Take him back to the chimpanzees and wipe everything from then on,” Dante says. He has a hand on Sneak’s temple again, and a soft light glows around them both. “He was hungry and considering leaving you quickly to go grab some food, so make him think that happened and that he wandered on his own for a while before meeting up with the group for the seal show. Make sure he has no suspicions. Everything was normal, and you were with the others the whole time.”
“No! No, Jane, don’t do this!” Sneak cries.
He is terrified — of me.
I look to Kael, and he gives me a single nod.
“Careful now,” he warns. “Watch your words. Watch your intent. But also trust yourself — you can do this.”
“And if I can’t?”
“Then like I said, I’ve got your back, princess. The kid’ll be fine either way,” he answers. “Now, do it. Quick. The moment you’re done, I’ll stop blocking him so he’ll be back to his invisible self, and Jet’ll cloak us again to keep him from seeing us. You’ll have a few seconds where he’ll be disoriented, and that’s when you need to get out of here, but don’t worry, we’ll push him in the right direction for him to stumble out and meet you on the boat.”