Destiny's Fire - By Trisha Wolfe Page 0,76

chilled night air crept over me. Where was he?

Come on.

I sat down on the stone bench and swung my legs underneath. Finally, someone coming from the opposite entrance caught my eye. Reese. He hurried over to me.

“Hey,” I said. “So? Did you talk to someone, find anything out?” I studied his face. Worry lines creased between his eyebrows.

He cupped my shoulders. “I didn’t get to talk to a Council member, but I did talk to my commander.”

I widened my eyes. “Your commander?” I shook my head. “Oh right, I keep forgetting you’re part of the guard now.”

“Yes, and he says that the Councils are going to be calling in students one by one over the next week.”

“What—why?” I asked.

“They’re looking for something.” Reese sat on the bench and faced me. “I know they’re serious about the union between the races. They’re definitely looking for a way to free us as guardians. It’s their main goal.” His features hardened into a serious expression. “But it sounds to me like they’re still looking for something else, too.”

“What?” I searched his glowing eyes. “What else could they be searching for?”

He gave me a solemn look. “You.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“ME?” I SWALLOWED HARD. “But my mom…I mean, she disappeared. How do they…”

“Dez, your mom ran, yes. But I’m assuming they knew there was a chance her child survived.” He furrowed his brow. “I think before they move forward with the union, they want to wrap up loose ends.”

“Wrap up. Kill me, you mean.” I stood up and turned my head toward the dark courtyard.

Reese stood, walked up behind me, and enfolded me into his arms. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” He held me tighter. “There’s no way for them to prove who you are. After you pass all the tests, they’ll assume the missing child didn’t survive.” His warm breath fanned the top of my head. “You can go on living as Shythe.”

“Tests?” I turned in his arms and stared into his red eyes. “What tests?”

“That’s what the meetings are for,” he said. “They want students to perform a test using their power.” He shook his head. “It’s so obvious to me what they’re looking for. But everyone will just think it’s a part of their matching system for those who don’t choose a mate.”

I bowed my head and shuddered before meeting his eyes again. “You really think they’re looking for me?”

Reese frowned. “Honestly, I can’t say. But I think it’s better to assume they are and be prepared.”

When everything he’d said hit me, I realized he wasn’t safe, either. “What about you?”

“They have no idea I was part of the experiment.”

“But still, they’ll be testing you, regardless. What if—”

He pressed his finger against my lips. “Don’t endanger yourself by worrying about me. I’ve passed their tests a couple of times before. Or else I wouldn’t be here now.” His eyes scanned my face.

Relief rushed through me. “And that means you can help me pass it, too.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Should be pretty easy, actually. Just have to keep you from getting nervous. As long as you’re confident and actually seem a little disinterested, like it doesn’t bother you, you should pass it no problem.”

“What are the tests?” I asked.

“Mainly strength tests.” He guided me to the bench with him. “To measure your power. We’ll have to train again, but this time, you’ll have to be in your Kythan form. And you need to seem as if you’re using your full power while only administering low volts of energy.”

I shivered. That didn’t sound easy to me at all. The hardest thing for me was my control. “I just hope they don’t call on me first.”

“They’ll most likely go alphabetically. Keep it looking like they’re not looking, you know. That gives us some time.”

I leaned into his chest, linking my arms around him. “That’s why they put the barrier spell up—to block us from leaving. If someone from the experiment had survived, and was here, they knew they’d probably run once the test was announced.”

“Would you have?” He laid his chin on the top of my head. “Tonight? If there was a way out of Haven, would you want to leave?”

I thought for a moment, then said, “No. I couldn’t leave my mom and friends and you behind.” I took in a shuddering breath. “Don’t get me wrong, it crossed my mind. But I can’t.”

Reese drew back and stared into my eyes, undaunted. “I’d have gone with you.” He caressed my cheek. “I still