Darius drew a breath and glanced at her.
“Not long. She’ll pretty much snap out of it as soon as I stop actively keeping her sedated.”
“And then she’ll go home,” Solomon said.
“If not come after me,” Darius replied.
“Any options?”
“I could put her to sleep. Hopefully, she’d stay that way for several hours.”
Solomon nodded. His stomach tightened at the thought of doing that to her, even if it was for her own good. He kept reminding himself of that and trying to ignore his inner voice telling him that he had no right.
“Let’s do that, then. Somewhere safe.”
“I’ll take her somewhere,” Willow said. “She’ll be in good hands.”
“Thanks,” Solomon said.
He watched wordlessly as the two rose to their feet. Darius spoke quietly to Celia and she followed them from the room, leaving Solomon alone with Orlando.
“You even in there?” he asked his friend, trying to keep his voice light.
“Sure.”
“Doesn’t sound like it.”
“I know. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me.”
“Is it Shireen? I have to know Orlando, because—”
“I know. Evening is coming and if any of those hunter things are around, that’s when they’ll show up.”
“Right. Can you handle it?”
Orlando nodded. “Yeah, I can do it.”
“What about the rest of the House?”
“There are still some who haven’t been infected yet. We’ve been rounding up those that show signs and keeping them safe. Locked up, really. There are more every day, but it’s what Shireen started to try to contain it. It doesn’t seem to be working.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Solomon said. “It might be the only reason that we’re not as bad off as Whispering Pines.”
“Maybe.”
“We’ll find her, you know. When this is over.”
“Is that before or after we go fix whatever is wrong in that other place you were in?”
Solomon opened his mouth, then shut it again. He didn’t have a ready answer. Orlando had been his friend since childhood, and Shireen not much later than that. He owed them his efforts at finding her and bringing her home.
And what of those he left behind in Dunfield? Every day he stayed here was a day more that something could happen to them.
“I don’t know,” he finally answered. “Let me do what I need to with this Malachi guy, then we’ll figure the rest out.”
“Sure,” Orlando said, his eyes dropping back to the table. “Whatever you say.”
Chapter 78
She could hear everything. From the moment Darius led her into the room to the second he led her out again, Celia heard every single thing that was said to her, or about her.
Solomon was sorry? He was going to fix this?
What gave him the right to do any of it? She hadn’t asked for his help, or to be brought here. And now she was going to be put to sleep like an errant child?
She fought against the pressure Darius was holding in her mind. It was like a blanket laid over her thoughts. She told her arm to move, but the command went no further than her own mind before being suffocated, her arm never moving an inch.
Yet her legs and arms did move without her telling them to or being able to stop them. She walked, sat, got up and whatever else Darius ordered her to do.
It was infuriating.
Stop fighting, the voice that she first heard at Whispering Pines growled. Let it be. Do what you must. Then, the time will come.
The voice whispered to her all through the meeting, especially when Solomon was in front of her and she itched to punch him right in his smug face. It counseled calm. Patience.
Easy for it to say, whatever it was.
She fought anyway, constantly pressing against the barrier in her mind, searching for any weakness. Blink an eye! Wiggle a finger! Anything!
Nothing moved.
Then, when the others were discussing the plan for them all to go to Subtle Hemlock, the voice clamped down on her, stopping her from even doing that. She got the sense that it was listening intently, and then it settled with a feeling of great satisfaction, letting her go back to her futile efforts.
She kept at it until the meeting was over and Darius and Willow led her away.
Willow took her leave in the hall, saying something in soft tones to Darius that Celia couldn’t catch. Minutes later, they were in a bedroom and Darius made her lie on the bed.
For a brief moment, fear of what he was going to do ran through her, but faded quickly, when he stepped back and waited near the still open door. Time passed, Celia didn’t know how much, and Willow reappeared, along with another man in a healer’s robes. They spoke quietly, then stepped out and shut the door, leaving her alone in the room, unable to move.
To her frustration, the voice in her head was quiet, telling her nothing.
More time passed, the shadows on the ceiling started to lengthen and the light grew dimmer. The door opened and the other three walked in, coming to stand near the bed.
“Celia,” Willow said, her voice soothing. A perfect healer’s voice, intended to keep a patient calm. “We have to go. You’re in good hands here, and you’re safe. When we get back, we’ll help you with Whispering Pines. All of us. Solomon will move heaven and earth to restore your House.”
Solomon will! Solomon will!
Always it was Solomon will! In reality, all he did was clean up problems that he created himself!
Inside, she strained against the force holding her down. Darius muttered something to Willow.
“Stay calm, Celia,” the healer continued. “And sleep.”
The heavy blanket around her thoughts began to close in on her, shutting her down. First her sight went, then her hearing, and finally the rest.
