Lux (The Nocte Trilogy 3)

I want to find Dare.

He’s sixteen now and I bet he’s grown this year. I can’t wait to see how he’s changed. He’s only written me a couple of letters, and he never included any pictures. But then again, he never does.

“Tell me about the demons,” Sabine murmurs. Her fingers stop moving and the only sound is the steam escaping the kettle as it heats. It screams a bit, an eerie sound that hangs in ears.

I imagine that I’m the steam. I’m screaming and I’m twirling up and around, dancing on the ceiling upside down. My long red hair dangles against the marble countertops.

“They’re gone,” I lie.

“They’re not,” Sabine shakes her head. Because she can see into my head with her old eyes. She can see into my soul, and she can reach amid the lies and pull out the tiny kernels of truth. She knows what is true even when I don’t.

“I want them gone,” I amend. She shakes her head now.

“I know you do, child,” she says sympathetically. “Tell me about them.”

She prepares the cups and I tell her about my monsters. Because she’s right. They’re with me always.

“They have black eyes,” I tell her. “They follow me. At school, at home, when I’m walking, when I’m sleeping. Sometimes, they chase me. There’s one boy in particular. He follows me, he wears a hood.”

“This happens even with your medication?” Sabine asks, her voice very level. “Even with the tea?”

I hesitate to answer. But she’ll know if I lie.

I nod.

She nods too, and she stirs her tea and looks out the window.

“Can you tell them apart?” she asks. “From real people?”

I nod again. “Yes.” Because their eyes are black.

“It’ll be ok, Calla,” she finally says.

Will it?

“Are you sleeping?” she asks, her wrinkled hands twisted into her small lap.

I shrug. “Sometimes.” Sometimes there are too many nightmares.

She stares at me. “You know you’re worse when you don’t get enough rest.”

I know.

I push away from the table after only taking two sips of tea. “I’m gonna go find Dare,” I announce.

Sabine startles.

“No one told you?” she asks in surprise, her tiny body stiff.

I freeze.

“Told me what?”

Her dark eyes hold mine. “There was an incident. Dare is in the hospital.”

I suck in my breath, but she’s quick to reassure me. “He’s fine, child. He’ll be home in a few days.”

“An incident?” my voice is shaky. “Was the ‘incident’ named Richard?”