The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,133

pushed back even before you knew if you were safe with me or not. That was all Nadia. So is your inherent strength. Most people would’ve cracked under the pressure and everything you’ve been through. You haven’t. Just like you didn’t when you did what you needed to do to get away from your father. The same as you did when you were diagnosed with cancer. You kept going.”

His gaze searched mine. “They may have taken your memories and put you in skin that didn’t fit, but you have always been in there, and I have to think having that strength and that willpower leashed for so long made you feel like there was no control. Maybe it was even your subconscious trying to tell you something wasn’t right.”

I thought about what Eaton had said. “Time to take back the power of my real name—my real identity.”

Luc didn’t respond to that, but I knew that was right. It was far past that time, and realizing that wasn’t a life-altering moment, not in any way that I could feel. It wasn’t like all of a sudden I had no fear and believed that I was capable of everything and anything. Nor did it mean that I would suddenly start answering to Nadia, but it was a long-overdue step in the right direction and then some.

Because I knew in my bones, Nadia would trust that no matter what, she wouldn’t hurt innocent people. She would believe in herself just as much as she believed in Luc. She sure as hell wouldn’t take the path of least resistance. She would explode right through any and all obstacles. And she’d do it dancing.

The corners of my lips turned up.

“You hungry or anything?” Luc broke the silence. “Daemon brought some food over. Or at least that’s what he said when he was here.”

My smile halted. “Daemon was in here while I used you like an inflatable mattress?”

One side of his lips kicked up. “Yep.”

“Oh man,” I groaned.

“I didn’t mind. I found it oddly soothing.” He trailed his finger along my arm. “You were like one of those gravity blankets. We need to sleep like that more often.”

He had been surprisingly comfortable, but our possible sleeping arrangements weren’t the most important thing at the moment. “Was Daemon able to tell you anything about how Sarah ended up with these people?”

“Yeah.” The half grin faded, and my stomach dipped. “The other human girl? Her name is AJ. She was able to fill in some of the blanks once she calmed down. She was with an unregistered Luxen, a friend she’d grown up with. They were concerned about what was going down and wanted a place to lie low. We have contacts in Luxen outreach centers who vet those who are looking to escape. AJ and her friend passed the vetting, and they were given the details on where to meet up with Spencer and Yesi. AJ claims that Sarah was already there with a Luxen, waiting to be moved here. She said that Sarah and this male Luxen kept to themselves, which is ordinary. They’re instructed to not even share their names until they’re here. The same goes for those moving the packages. They don’t tell anyone who lives here or even where they are going. It’s one way to protect the zone in case any of them are captured in the process. The ones retrieving the packages are the zone’s most trusted. They will go down without speaking a word, no matter what.”

Luc lifted his arm and I rolled over, into him. “According to AJ, things went south when they arrived at the area where we had to ditch the car. Yesi had started ahead with Sarah, the mystery Luxen, and another. We think that’s when Sarah attacked them. Why, we don’t know. Sarah would’ve entered at that point no matter what. Maybe Yesi saw or sensed something, but AJ said that they heard muffled sounds of fighting in the dark, and before Spencer could check it out, AJ said something came out of the woods and slammed into her. She was knocked out, and when she came to, everyone but her, Sarah, and Spencer were dead.”

“Oh God.” I shuddered.

“She said that she and Sarah helped get Spencer to the wall. She had no idea that it was Sarah who’d hurt them.” Luc ran the tips of his fingers down my spine. “Dawson and Archer went out to where Sarah said she believed they were attacked.