Seer

by Ashley Maker

  “I know.”

  She unfolds her long legs and stands, no longer looking at me. “I really should head back to my room. I have a history paper to write.”

  “Okay.” I glance at the clock. It’s only ten. Last night, she stayed until almost midnight. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

  Piper nods, but she doesn’t grin at the doorway and say “See ya, Seer,” like she’s been doing ever since everyone found out about my phasing. She just leaves, and the next morning, she doesn’t show up for breakfast at all. She’s slept in past breakfast before, but this time feels different—intentional—reminding me how very fragile my new friendships are. After all, they’ve grown up together, and I’m the outsider. Maybe I’ll always be the outsider.

  If things go wrong with Tarry, I’m the one who will be kicked out of the group. I’m the one who will have to sit alone like I am now, surrounded by a roomful of people who want nothing to do with me.

  27

  Three things are immediately different about this Sunday with Kade. First, the weather is mild and warm, making me question my decision to wear a windbreaker jacket. Second, no one is waiting for me to come back by a certain time since Laila kicked me out of the room for the day, Tarry is grounded, and Piper doesn’t seem want to be around me. Third, and definitely most important, Kade isn’t dressed like he’s about to take a run through the mountains.

  No, he looks like he’s about to go into battle.

  He’s wearing black fatigues, with pockets everywhere, tucked into a dark pair of combat boots. There’s a gun in a snug holster on his hip, and that’s not the only visible weapon. A rather large knife in a leather sheath is strapped to one leg just above his ankle, and I have a feeling he’s packing a lot more than that in places I can’t see. He looks dangerously at ease, like it’s no big deal he’s carrying around multiple deadly weapons. Warmth grips my stomach.

  Dangerous Kade is hot.

  He gives me one of those slow once overs, his gaze roaming from my windbreaker to my shoes and back up again. Our eyes meet, and a surge of confidence and satisfaction mixes with my pounding heart; it’s all I can do not to give in to the smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

  When he looks at me like that, I feel…I don’t even know. There’s not really a right way to describe it other than I don’t want him to stop looking at me that way. And I really want him to kiss me, because his lips are full, and they look soft, and—

  And why didn’t I brush my teeth after breakfast?

  An awful sensation rises like a nauseating lump in my throat. I tug at the cuffs of the windbreaker and run my tongue over my teeth self-consciously, shifting from one foot to the other. “I’m ready. Are you ready?” He tilts his head with a curious expression, but I can’t shut up. “I mean to hit the trails. Jogging. Can we go now?”

  I finally shut up and look anywhere but at him. My cheeks and ears are so hot I have to resist the urge to fan myself. Unable to stand still any longer, I brush past him in the direction of the trails, but he reaches out and grabs my hand, pulling me closer. Something electric fizzes across my skin at his touch. His hazel eyes lock with mine.

  The smile on his face is amused and all kinds of flustering when he says, “You’re going the wrong way, Bambi.”

  I wince and try not to gulp as air crashes back into my lungs. A strangled embarrassment of a laugh pushes past my lips. Seriously, where is the hole for me to fall into already?

  “But I thought the trails were…?” My eyes cut in the direction I’m almost positive we’ve gone before.

  He lets go of my hand but doesn’t move away. “They are. I’m taking you somewhere else today, remember?”

  “Oh. Right.” The date that isn’t really a date but feels like one. My nerves multiply by infinity, and I struggle to keep it together. The scuffing of our shoes against the path is familiar and comforting, but my heart refuses to pick a rhythm and stick to it. My pulse drums out a fast staccato. “Why do you need a gun? Are we going somewhere dangerous?”

  Kade shrugs. “Not necessarily, but we’re headed to the far perimeter, and it’s always good to be prepared.”

  “Prepared for what?”

  “An ambush,” he says nonchalantly, like it’s no big deal.

  I whip my head toward him in disbelief. “An ambush? Has that happened before?”

  “Not here, but it’s happened a few times in New York.” He reaches down and adjusts the sheath on his ankle. “There’s nothing to worry about. We’re secluded in the mountains, and we send scouts out twice a day to check the far perimeter. Everything should be clear.”

  “What if it’s not?”

  “That’s what the gun is for,” he says confidently, without an ounce of fear.

  A part of me wants to press the issue—I mean, come on, he’s armed like Rambo—but it’s Sunday, and I don’t want to think about Corasha stuff today. I just want to spend time with Kade. Letting it slide, I say, “If things were different, and you weren’t here, what would you be doing? Would you be in college?”

  Kade smiles, visibly relaxing. “Yes, studying zoology.”

  “Really?” I grin. “You want to work for a zoo?”

  He keeps smiling, but his eyes tighten at the edges, just a little. “If things were different, yeah. My parents took me and my sister to the zoo every summer before they died. It was the last place I went with them. What about you? What do you want to do?”

  I don’t even have to think about the answer. “Private Investigator.”

  He tilts his body closer. “Yeah?”

  I push my shoulders back and hold his curious gaze. “I want to help find people. Bring families back together, you know?”

  The look in his eyes softens but still burns through me. He reaches out and tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I think finding people would be perfect for you.” His fingertips skim across my jawline before dropping back to his side.

  I lick my suddenly dry lips and swallow hard. “You really think so?”

  “Of course.”

  The conversation cuts off as the slope increases and we navigate single file down the narrowing, rock-strewn path. A slow burn kindles in my calves from leaning forward slightly. Sweat beads along my hairline. I force myself to breathe in and out slowly to keep from huffing and puffing behind Kade. If the trail got any steeper, we’d practically be rock climbing. Finally, the path levels out and the trees thin enough that I can walk beside him again.

  Kade angles a serious look in my direction, teeth grazing over his bottom lip for a fraction of a second. “I know coming to the compound wasn’t what you thought it would be, but maybe you were meant to be here.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “You want to find people for a living. What do you think Seers do?”

  The words startle me so much I nearly stop walking. I throw a hand out for balance and search his face for answers to the questions I can’t bring myself to ask. “Nobody’s told me what Seers do after they’re finally allowed to leave the compound.”

  Kade reaches for my hand and tugs gently until we’re walking alongside each other again. “Seers find people. There’s usually one per tracking team, and finding the target is their main job. That’s what you’re training to learn how to do.”

  “You’re messing with me, right?” His words don’t feel right at all. All they’ve taught me is how to be thoroughly sore under the guise of learning karate-like moves.

  “I’m not. By the time you leave here, you’ll be able to find anyone.” His gaze catches mine. “With our resources and your abilities, nobody would be out of your reach.”

  He waits for me to say something back, but I don’t. I’m too trapped within my own head, lost in all the possibilities that could happen if he’s right. All this time, I’ve been so caught up in wanting to leave that I didn’t stop to think about what I could take with me when I go. I could make a difference with my sight, my abilities. I could give others the happy ending,
or at least the closure, that the police and investigation units couldn’t give to me. And even though the case would be cold by the time I was ready, maybe I could even use my abilities to finally find out what happened to Mom.

  My heart suddenly feels lighter than it has in months.

  A smile pulls at my lips until I finally give in. Kade grins and squeezes my hand. I squeeze back. I’m not sure I would leave the compound now even if they told me I could go.

  Our hands are still twined together when Kade leads me to a small clearing with a cliff. The faint sound of running water clings to the air all around, but I don’t spot any streams or surface runoff. The windbreaker sticks to my arms and back. I peel the jacket off and wrap it around my waist. Pulling one arm at a time across my chest, I stretch my shoulders and upper neck. Kade is watching, his eyes scouring me with what looks like amusement.

  A blush creeps up my neck. I fan myself with one hand, as if I’m still heated from the hike, but really, it’s the look in his eyes that’s warming my blood again.

  “Come here, I want to show you something,” he says in a husky tone that sends shivers down my spine.

  My palms feel sweaty as I walk over to him. I wipe them on the front of my pants and am super relieved I did when he takes my hand. He starts leading me toward the edge of the cliff.

  “Wait, what are you doing?” I ask, digging heels into the dirt to slow him down.

  He laughs. “Don’t worry. This is what I want to show you.”

  “Um, this is a cliff. I can see the view from here.”

  Kade glances over a shoulder with a wicked grin. “Not the view down.” I squeal and dig my heels in harder, but that only makes him laugh again. “Calm down. Trust me.”

  “No way am I going to let you drag me to the side of a cliff!”

  Kade stops, and relief floods through me. We’re only a few yards away from the edge. Definitely way too close. I edge backward, but he doesn’t release the tight grip on my hand. Instead, he spins around so fast I don’t even think to move. Before I know what’s happening, I’m hoisted over his shoulder, and he’s walking toward the edge again.

  I screech and spastically kick my legs. “Kade! Kade, put me down!”

  He adjusts me over his shoulder before walking the remaining distance. Only then does he set me down beside him, keeping one arm around me so I can’t back away.

  I punch him on the shoulder as hard as I can. “Are you out of your mind?”

  Kade doesn’t even flinch. “Sorry, but you have to see this. It’s the whole reason I brought you here.”

  If I wasn’t so angry at him, I’d probably be peeing my pants. As it is, I refuse to look down, even though he’s pointing at something with his other hand. I stubbornly stare into the distance at the view of the mountain valley far beyond where we stand.

  Kade notices I’m not paying attention and nudges me with his shoulder. “The faster you let me show you, the faster we can go back.”

  Glaring daggers, I give him the dirtiest look I can muster. He just raises an eyebrow, one corner of his mouth lifting in amusement.

  “You so owe me for this,” I growl, giving in with an exaggerated, disgusted sigh.

  A rock. He’s pointing at a strangely shaped rock on a ledge directly to our right that someone spray-painted. Some weird graffiti symbol marks the rock, but I can’t make out what it’s supposed to be.

  My voice sounds dry when I say, “You made me come out here to look at some graffiti art on the side of a cliff?”

  “I want you to remember where that is.”

  Oh, what I’m going to remember is that he has gone crazy.

  “Now look to your left.” He points at a dead pine tree a few yards away. “See how we’re standing roughly in the middle of the two?”

  A glance confirms he’s right, but I’m still not sure what he’s getting at.

  “Now, look down.”

  I shake my head back and forth, causing the end of my long ponytail to swish around my face.

  His voice sounds exasperated. “Clare.”

  “No,” I say. “I’m afraid of heights.”

  He arches one eyebrow.

  I stare into the distance again. “You can’t make me look down.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He’s smiling. I can hear it in his voice. My head whips toward him so fast I feel dizzy, and his smile widens. “‘Cause, you know, I could hold you over the edge until you look.”

  A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. The dizzy feeling intensifies. He wouldn’t really do it, would he?

  “Just look down over the edge.”

  One lightning-fast glance, that’s all I can manage, but it’s still enough to make me gasp and scramble back, straight into Kade’s arms.

  He steadies me and laughs. “Did you see the waterfall?”

  I squeeze my eyes shut and cling to Kade. “Yes.” It’s not like I could miss something so monstrous.

  “And the lake at the bottom?”

  What lake? I jerk my head back and forth.

  “Look again.”

  My voice takes on an edge of panic. “Please don’t make me.”

  “You have to look again. I want you to see something else. He steps back behind me and wraps both arms tight around my waist, leaning his chin on my shoulder. “I’ve got you. I won’t let go.”

  Despite the safety of his arms, I’m shaking so bad I can hardly stand. If he wasn’t holding me so tight, I probably would have collapsed. What doesn’t make sense is why I’m not phasing. Every other time I’ve been this freaked out, a phase took over, and yet this time…nothing.

  The switch doesn’t flip.

  Knowing I’m still in control infuses my body with strength. Inhaling a shaky breath, I open my eyes and look again.

  So, so far down.

  Not the miles and miles it looked like the first time, but it’s still a long way. The misting waterfall crashes into the still water of the lake. The view is breathtaking, but I have to physically stop myself from climbing into Kade’s arms like a scared cat.

  “Do you see the rock jutting out about two feet down from where we’re standing now?”

  I adjust where I’m looking. “Yes.”

  “Now look at your feet, where you’re standing.”

  “This is insane.”

  “What do you see?”

  “A stupid cliff.”

  “Come on, Bambi.” Another smile in his voice. “What do you see?”

  Steeling myself, I look again, eyes narrowing at the ground around my feet. Carved into the rock, barely visible the lines are so shallow, is the same symbol spray-painted on the rock. Now that I can see it up close, I can tell it’s actually an intricately decorated letter C. “Okay, I see it. The symbol.”

  Kade backs away from the cliff with both arms still around me. The side of his face nuzzles against my neck. “See, was that so hard?”

  I try very hard to ignore the tingling sensation where our skin is touching. “You’re a jerk.”

  He chuckles lightly. “Sorry, but I had to do that.”

  We’re far enough from the ledge I can breathe regularly again. Well, sort of. His touch makes me breathless in a different way.

  “I wanted to show you before the waterfall dries up.”

  My chest warms. “Why did you show me the rest of it? What’s the graffiti for?”

  “It marks the best spot.”

  I stiffen. “The best spot for what?”

  He chuckles and nuzzles my neck again. When he does that, I can hardly think straight. One by one, each muscle relaxes as I lean into his touch.

  “To jump.”

  “Whoa, stop.” As much as I want to stay wrapped in his arms, I push away and turn to face him. “To jump? What idiot would jump off the side of a cliff?”

  Kade grins. “This idiot. A whole compound full of idiots. Some of them, at least.”

  Slow and stilted, I ask, “Are you crazy? You could have been killed.”

  He continu
es to smile, takes a step closer. “Most of the students who are here during the summer jump. It’s a rite of passage.”

  “Then every single one of you is insane.” I shake my head. “There’s no way I’d ever do that.”

  His grin becomes seductive. “I bet I could convince you.”

  My heart flutters in response. He’s so close I could reach out and grab him, crush my lips to his, if I wanted to. And oh man, do I want to.

  I step back instead and can almost feel the strange and wonderful tension stretching and pulling between us, increasing to a level that almost scares me. Even with a short-sleeved shirt, the air around me is suddenly too hot. Hair that’s escaped from my ponytail tickles my forehead. I push the sticky tendrils back with both hands and catch Kade staring at my bare arms.

  He gestures at the damaged skin. “All healed now?”

  “Mostly, but I think they’re going to scar.” I glance at them and grimace. “Pretty ugly, huh?”

  Kade moves in when I look up. His hands graze the backs of mine where the scars end close to my knuckles, and he traces the pink lines all the way up my arms. A tingling shiver shadows his touch. “They’re not ugly. You’re beautiful, and so are your scars.”

  I frown even as my heart flutters at the word beautiful. “Scars aren’t beautiful.”

  He lifts my hand to his lips and brushes a kiss over the pink lines. “Then don’t think of them as scars.” He continues to trace them with his eyes and fingertips. “Think of them as a map of where you’ve been and what you’ve been through. The right people will understand you because of them.”

  “The way you understand me?”

  The butterflies in my stomach launch into a full-blown riot when he looks back up. I stop thinking about the scars. My breath hitches when he trails his touch, torturously slow, up my arm, over my shoulder and collarbone, along my neck. His hand finds my jaw, cradling the side of my face, thumb brushing over my cheek. Every nerve ending tingles and sparks as an unspoken something arcs between us.

  His gaze drops to my lips before flickering back to mine, heated and somehow darker than before. My heart pounds so hard I can’t hear anything around us. I lean into his hand, and he’s leaning, too.