where Selene might be, Hugh and Dexter had suggested they stay together constantly for two reasons: the first was to protect themselves from possible kidnap, as Selene had been taken from them without anyone having an inkling of it happening. The second reason was if somehow Selene managed to contact them, they’d need to act fast.
But it had been five days now. Five excruciatingly long days.
“Griffin, you’re giving me whiplash,” Nate complained, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Then don’t watch me,” Griffin snapped.
Nate settled back in the couch and propped his legs up on the coffee table. “Hey, man, I know you’re worried, but don’t take it out on me.”
Griffin paused, raking a hand through his hair. “Sorry, Nate. I just hate feeling like we’re being kept in a prison. Reminds me too much of when Ellie and I were on the run.”
“Is that what you’re most worried about?” Ellie thought to him. She was out on patrol in her falcon form. She and Griffin had been trading on and off since Selene had disappeared.
“Now’s not the time,” he thought back with a scowl.
“Now’s the best time,” his stubborn sister insisted. “Why can’t you admit that it’s Selene whom you’re most concerned about?”
“I’m not really in the mood to analyze and catalog all my concerns right now,” he retorted, more harshly than he’d intended.
“Ellie,” Alex’s voice cut into both their thoughts. “Sorry darlin’. I don’t know what you’re saying to him, but Griffin looks like he’s ready to choke someone. And since you’re not here to give him a handy target, I highly suggest you give him a break.”
Griffin heard Ellie sigh. “Fine,” she muttered. “But don’t think that I’m done with this topic.”
Griffin shot Alex a grateful look and was just about to thank him when Oren’s form shimmered into the room.
“Ellie—!”
“On my way,” she called.
Oren got right to the point. “Sheila caught a flash.”
“Of Selene?” Lucy asked as she entered the room. She and Adelaide joined Nate on the couch.
Oren nodded. “Yes. It was very fast. Not enough time for Sheila to get a solid location on her, though she’s narrowed it down to the United States.”
“Is she sure?” Alex pressed.
“That it was Selene? Absolutely. Once Sheila has located someone once, she says they have a unique signature that allows her to easily identify them after that. It was definitely Selene.”
“So what now?” Griffin pressed, anxious to be able to finally do something.
Oren bowed his head. “Unfortunately, now we wait.”
Before Griffin could come completely unglued, Lila reached over and lay her hand over his forearm, gripping tightly. He felt a sense of calm wash through him. It wasn’t peace — he was far too keyed up for her to affect him that much—but he was definitely less agitated.
“This is good news,” Lila reminded him. “It means Selene is alive. It means that whatever she’s doing on her end to try to escape might be working.”
“You’re assuming she’s not the one blocking Sheila,” he reminded her.
Lila nodded, her resolve clear. “Yes, I am.”
Griffin looked into Lila’s green eyes, took one more deep breath, and relaxed just the slightest bit.
“Okay then. We wait.”
Chapter 27
Selene awoke from what had been a fitful sleep. Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she sat up in bed, careful not to disturb the girl now sharing it with her. It had been close to two days since her roommate had joined her, but the girl was still out. Selene concluded that she must be in some sort of coma. People just didn’t sleep like that. She was starting to worry a little bit about the girl’s physical needs. The poor thing hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in two days. That couldn’t be good. In an attempt to help, Selene had even tried to drip some of the water she got from the sink into the girl’s mouth, but it had just dribbled back out again.
Selene strained her ears, listening for the noise that had woken her up, but heard nothing. There weren’t any windows in the small room, just an overhead light that her captors controlled, and that was presently turned off. So it wasn’t as if she could really see anything.
Instinctively, she stretched out with her powers. And that’s when she felt it.
Selene gasped. Just a hint of a spark, but it was definitely there. She couldn’t see the color yet, could barely glimpse the shimmer of light. But someone close by was using their power.
She held onto that spark. It