New Sight (17 page)

Lys felt the ground rumble and then loosen, but it didn’t turn to sand like it had for Brady. Rocks and dirt funneled around her legs, scratching and biting. “Ouch,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Sorry,” Mark grunted. “My precision isn’t great. It would be easier for me to make the whole field loose than just this bit.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “Just get me out. The van will be here any second.”

The ground became loose, but not fluid. Lys pulled on Mark’s shoulder. She felt a deep gouge forming as she wiggled one leg free. Ignoring the pain (knowing they were about to be caught), Lys clawed her way forward, finally getting the other leg out. She rolled over on her back, gasping, flinching as she breathed.

“Looks like the touch users aren’t being very nice to you ladies,” Mark said, glancing at her leg.

“Let’s go,” Lys said. She didn’t even want to look. Lys could feel blood flowing freely from her leg to the ground. The warm, sticky fluid changed directions as Mark helped her to her feet.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.

The adrenaline pumping through her veins began to wane. She heard Inez stifle a scream and she heard Brady saying he was sorry over and over. Mark half carried her through the maze of tangled cars to the others. He still didn’t seem very steady on his feet, and Lys tried to support her own weight as much as she could.

They weren’t there yet when the dark van came around the nearest row of cars. It came straight for them.

“Oh, great,” Mark said. “Kamau!”

Lys tried to move faster. Kamau started back toward them.

“Better get out of the way,” Mark said to Lys, gently pushing her to the side.

She didn’t argue, especially when she glanced down and saw the deep cut that ran from the front of her ankle up and around to the back of her knee. Lys didn’t usually have a problem with blood, but that was deep, and she felt herself getting lightheaded.

Oh, no,
Lys thought,
I’m not passing out.
She grit her teeth and limped away from Mark.

Kamau ran to help her, and he reached her just as the van flipped around so the passenger door stopped right in front of Mark.

“More New?” Kamau asked.

“I don’t know. But you’d better go help Mark. Use your Jedi mind tricks, or whatever.”

Kamau hesitated.

“Just go,” Lys said, pushing him away. She heard the click of a door opening. She tensed, looking back over her shoulder, ready to dodge a flying net or whatever else might be shot at her.

Chapter 20

Lys almost
cried with relief as Ayden and a woman Lys didn’t recognize appeared when the window rolled down.

“You guys need some help?”

“It’s about time you got here,” Mark said.

“What happened?” the woman asked, glaring at Mark. “What did you do?”

Mark looked like he wanted to say something smart, but he held up a hand. “We have to get out of here. There are three of the New over there, and Brady just lost it.”

“Jump in,” Ayden said.

“Wait!” the woman said, eying Lys. “Let me grab the first-aid kit. She’s going to bleed to death.”

Those were not the words Lys wanted to hear.

“She’s not going to bleed to death,” Mark said. Then he took a good look at Lys’s leg. “But it probably wouldn’t hurt to wrap it.” He accepted the kit from the woman. “Let’s go.”

Kamau got Lys’s arm around his shoulders and helped her limp to the van. They put her in the back seat with Inez and Brady.

“You know how to wrap that up?” Mark asked Brady.

Brady looked a little sick. “Uh . . .”

Inez, sweat pouring down her face, rolled her eyes. “Just do it,” she said, looking at Lys’s leg, actual concern in her eyes. Well, concern mixed with pain. With the way she held her left arm, Lys wondered how she wasn’t screaming. “Who are these guys?”

Mark turned as they pulled out after Ayden. “A couple of Mason’s people. Friends of mine,” he added, seeing the dark look on Inez’s face. “They’re here to help.”

“Sure they are,” Inez muttered, closing her eyes.

“Hold on, try not to pass out,” Mark said to Lys.

The words began to blur together as Brady pulled a long roll of gauze out of the first-aid kit. He started at her ankle and wrapped up Lys’s entire leg. The dizziness increased as she had to move her leg, and soon all she could see were little patches of reality through the black blotches that spotted her vision.

“Lys?” Mark said. “Do
not
close your eyes.”

It didn’t much matter if her eyes were closed. Black engulfed her. Sound continued to distort, and Lys soon slipped into oblivion.

It didn’t take long for
the magic to call to her. Lys could feel it trying to get through the barrier. It whispered softly, caressing her emotions and enticing her to use it. Just for a minute. It would feel so good.

Someone tried to talk to her, but Lys ignored them. Instead she pictured her board. The white surface appeared—bowing out like a giant ball rolled behind it. She wanted to put a hole as big as her head in the board. The magic would fill her. The brilliant light would sing to her.

The idea both seduced and repulsed her. Could she get back out of it if she allowed the magic to overflow? Would it block out the Need if she did? Which was more dangerous?

Darkness took her, and Lys let it. Her mind filled with overlaying images, and she watched as they played on a dark screen. They started slow, increasing in speed like a rock rolling down a hill. Lys tried to concentrate—the pure quantity overwhelmed her. She willed the magic through her in an attempt to balance it. The images slowed and dwindled until she saw only one—someone looking at her picture. Fingers stroked the frayed edge of the photo, and the perspective got blurry. The view went dark for a moment—blink. Lys understood. Someone was looking at her picture, and crying.

A knife cut through the
scene and yanked Lys awake. She sat up, dizzy and gasping for breath.

“There we go,” Ayden said.

Lys blinked a few times in order to clear the picture of her from her vision. Faces formed around her, and finally Lys recognized Ayden sitting on wooden bench next to her. The woman from the van sat on the other side.

“Where are we?” Lys asked, glancing around and finding herself in a picnic area of some sort.

“Outside Vegas,” Ayden said. “Jodi here is about to heal your leg. You should be awake for it.”

Jodi smiled. “Healing broken bones in a moving vehicle isn’t easy.” She shot a worried look over at another picnic table where Lys could see Inez lying down and Mark sitting with his head in his arms. “So we stopped.”

Lys felt disconnected, like she’d just taken an afternoon nap that she couldn’t wake up from. Raising a hand, she could see her fingers shaking.

“Shock,” Jodi said, her blue eyes swirling. Her short, blond hair lay plastered to her head with sweat. “Don’t worry; I’ll have you fixed up in a second.” She smiled and then looked at Ayden. “You might want to hold her.”

“Why?” Lys asked, her voice shaky.

“It doesn’t really hurt,” Jodi said. “But it’s a little uncomfortable. It’s always wise to keep you from thrashing around, especially since you’ve never been healed before.”

“I’ll hold her,” Kamau said, stepping into view.

Ayden and Jodi exchanged a glance and Jodi shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. She’ll probably be fine.”

“Can I watch?” Brady asked, walking over to the table.

Kamau replaced Ayden, sitting down next to Lys and taking her trembling hand. He smiled.

A small part of Lys finally grounded. She tried to return the smile, but didn’t manage it.

Jodi had Lys put her foot up on the bench and pulled the gauze away from her leg. Lys couldn’t help a gasp of pain. The big gash still oozed blood, and she could see dozens of other scrapes that didn’t look like they were going to get better anytime soon. “Ooh, nasty. Did he do this?” Jodi asked, glancing at Mark.

Lys shrugged. “I was stuck. He got me out.”

Jodi rolled her eyes. “Never trust a chaos user to do what someone more mature should take care of.”

Lys didn’t know what that meant. “What are you going to do?”

“Heal you,” Jodi said, placing her finger at the top of the biggest gash.

A cool, clear feeling started in the cut right where Jodi touched it. The blood in and around the wound got warm, uncomfortably so, until Jodi’s finger moved on. Once her finger was gone, a cool sensation, not unlike peppermint gum, replaced it.

It didn’t hurt, but it was uncomfortable, like having one side of you next to the fire while the other side stood in the snow. Lys could feel herself squeezing Kamau’s hand hard, but she couldn’t let go. As Jodi’s finger moved, the wound closed up, just like a zipper.

“Is that hard?” Lys asked through gritted teeth.

“Not really,” Jodi said. “I’m a natural healer. It just takes some energy. Now hold still. Give it a minute to settle down,” Jodi said, her finger still tracing the gash.

Amazement kept Lys’s eyes riveted to Jodi’s finger and the clean, pink skin that it left behind. Kamau leaned forward so he could get a better look.

“Amazing,” he said. “We couldn’t see it when she healed Inez or Mark.”

“Inez?” Lys’s thoughts were drawn away for a moment: bloody hands, the fight after the sewers, Peter. “Is she okay?”

“She’s okay,” Brady said, his eyes not moving from Jodi’s work.

“Hold still,” Jodi warned. “Just a few more seconds.”

“Sorry,” Lys said, turning her eyes back to her leg.

“There you go,” Jodi said a moment later. The hot-cold feeling traveled down the rest of the wound until there was nothing left of it. Not even a pucker of welted skin.

Lys noticed Jodi’s hand shaking. “Are you okay?” Lys asked.

Jodi smiled. “Just a little tired. I haven’t done this much healing at once in a long time.”

“Thank you,” Lys said.

“I told you,” Mark said, “some of the touch users are very skilled at healing. I’m just not one of them.”

Lys glanced over to see Mark propped up on one elbow. Inez, too.

“I told you to rest,” Jodi said, frowning at Mark.

“Sorry, I just wanted to watch.” Mark’s innocent face didn’t seem like it was doing much for Jodi. He still looked bad, but the color had returned to his cheeks.

“Do you want me to do the rest?” Jodi asked, glancing at Ayden.

“Do the other big ones, if you’re up to it.”

Lys held up her hand. “It’s okay, I’m fine. You’re tired, and the rest aren’t that bad.” She was grateful, but Ayden’s mention of “if you’re up to it” made Lys wonder what price this woman paid for using her magic. Lys didn’t want to be the reason for anyone losing it. Mark told them he could control the consequences, but Lys wasn’t sure.

“It’s not a problem,” Jodi said, reaching her hand to start again. “I already did your bruised ribs, let me finish.”

“No!” Lys said, jerking away. Jodi’s eyebrows knit together, and Lys said, “It’s okay, really. I’ve had worse.” Not entirely a lie.

Jodi and Ayden exchanged a questioning glance. She didn’t care what they thought. “Okay.” Jodi stood. “Whatever you want. You’re going to need to wash the rest out and wrap it up again though.”

Lys nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do that. Thank you.” She smiled. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.”

“I bet.”

Ayden looked at Mark. “We should get out of here.”

Mark nodded. “Sure, I’m ready. Lys needs to clean up.”

Lys’s leg still oozed blood, and her thin pants hung in shreds. She glanced around and spotted the rest stop building. “I’ll go wash this off. Are there any more bandages?”

Kamau got up. “I’ll get them.”

Standing hurt, but Lys could do it. She put a little weight on her leg and found that it held without too much shaking.

“Do you want some help?” Jodi asked.

“Let me do it,” Inez said.

Lys blinked. Inez’s face still had scrapes from where Lys had tried to claw her eyes out, although it looked like some of the bigger ones were gone.

Go to the bathroom alone with Inez? Inez who spit on her? Inez who she tried to . . . this couldn’t end well.

Inez climbed off the table and stood on shaking legs. “I have to pee anyway.”

Jodi shrugged and Ayden nodded. Mark watched Inez as she walked toward Lys.

“Come on,” Inez said to Lys when she didn’t immediately follow. “We haven’t got all night.”

Fear didn’t stop her, it was more like complete embarrassment. What did you say to someone after you’d tried to rip their eyes out? “Oh, hey, sorry about your face. My bad.” Lys didn’t know. However, she did want to clean up, and she didn’t want to look like a baby in front of everyone, so she took the first-aid kit from Kamau and limped off after Inez, hoping someone would have the sense to check the bathroom for her dead body if Inez exited alone.

The sun shone over the building, blinding Lys until she entered the shadows. Against her better judgment, she followed Inez inside.

To Lys’s relief, Inez went straight into a stall. Lys set the first-aid kit down on the semi-clean counter and turned the water on in the sink. She pulled five or six paper towels out from the dispenser, got them wet, and started to wipe.

The smaller scrapes stung, but Lys knew that the big one Jodi had healed would have required stitches. She ran her finger over the new skin; it didn’t show any sign of abrasion.

The first-aid kit held some antibacterial wipes, and Lys used them to finish cleaning her leg. Gritting her teeth together, Lys made sure to wash every bit of dirt out that she could see—she wondered what happened to the dirt inside the big wound that Jodi healed.

“You okay?” Inez asked.

Lys practically fell off the counter. She’d been so engrossed in cleaning and trying not to whimper that she hadn’t even noticed Inez coming out of the stall.

“Uh,” Lys said, wiping a strand of hair out of her face with the back of her hand. “Yeah, good.” Yeah, right. Blood still flowed down her leg, creating a puddle on the counter top, she wanted to cry, everything hurt, and she didn’t know how to tell Inez she was sorry.

The two young women regarded one another. Lys could see pain in Inez’s eyes—deep and wide, it spread from the corners of her eyes and onto her whole face, tightening the muscles of her jaw and pulling her lips into a thin line. The hate that Lys expected to see was absent.

“Here,” Inez said, pulling a few more paper towels out. “Dry off. I’ll help you bandage it.”

Lys took the paper towels and patted her leg, trying to soak up as much blood as possible. “How’s your arm?” she asked, still not knowing what to say.

“Hurts,” Inez said, rummaging in the first-aid kit. “But it works.”

Silence descended as Inez found a roll of gauze and some tape. The last moments before Peter fell into that trap replayed through Lys’s mind. She held the end of the gauze as Inez taped it down and started to wrap.

“I’m really sorry about Peter,” Lys said in a whisper. This felt like sacred ground—she didn’t know if she had the right to be there. But she had to say it, and she needed Inez to believe it.

Inez stopped wrapping. Her jaw muscles rippled before she took a breath. “I know. Me, too.”

The raw acceptance that Inez displayed brought tears to Lys’s eyes. She took a breath and tried to steady her voice. May as well get it all over with at once. “And I’m sorry about your face.”

To her utter surprise, Inez looked up. A tiny grin tugged at one corner of her lips. “I didn’t know that a spoiled little princess like you had that much fight in her.”

Lys blinked. She had no comeback for that.

The other corner of Inez’s lips twitched. “I’m sorry I blamed you.” She paused, going back to wrapping. “And I’m sorry I went after you with my magic.”

More silence as Lys held the gauze and Inez wrapped.

“What do you know about this Mason guy?” Inez asked after she ripped the gauze apart and taped the last bit.

“Not a lot,” Lys said. She climbed down and turned to wipe the counter and wash her hands. “He came to me when I was in the hospital after I—” She still couldn’t talk about it. “After I attacked someone like I did you. He said he could help me, that I was addicted to a deadly drug.”

Inez washed her hands and they both pulled out more paper towels. “So he lied to you.”

“Yeah,” Lys said, staring at her golden eyes in the mirror. “I guess he did.”

“And you want to go back to him?”

Lys thought about it. “I want to know how he can help me. I can’t live like this. I don’t want to hurt anyone else.” She turned and looked at Inez, only meeting her eyes for a second.

Inez opened her mouth to say something when a pounding came on the door. Bam, bam, bam!