“It starts with weakness and inability to shift,” I answer. “That’s where I am, right now. It’s annoying and a bit painful, but not deadly. The next stage is illness, and it’s different for everyone. It could be neurological, such as headaches and brain damage, or lung infections. Sometimes kidney failure. Like, seriously, the next stage could be anything at all, so our healers have absolutely no way to prepare.”
“You said the elders were worse?”
“Yeah. I’d have to check in with Sadie for details, but all of them are starting to suffer internal bleeding. Neville is almost blind now. They’re still trapped in the manor, too.”
“Trapped?” she asks softly. “I’ve heard you guys talking about it, but what does it mean, exactly?”
“I don’t know,” I mutter, rubbing my temples. “I don’t understand magic. It’s like they literally cannot walk out the door. I don’t know if it’s an invisible force field or something mental. I seriously have no clue.”
“Hmm,” Hyacinth says. “Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?”
“Them being trapped there. Don’t worry, I’m just thinking out loud.” She shakes her head. “It’s getting late. We should get home.”
“Yes,” I agree, relieved. “I’m dead on my feet.”
We head out to the car, and in the short drive home, even though we don’t talk, the silence isn’t strained. My heart tries to flicker with hope, but I snuff it out just as fast.
I can’t get my hopes up. Just because she responded well to the ill pack members doesn’t mean she’s ready to accept me.
When we get home, Hyacinth goes straight to the kitchen and sits down at the table with some cookies and a carton of milk. I’m not really in the mood for a snack, but I join her, anyway.
“You’re right,” she says after we’ve demolished half the cookies.
“What?” I ask, a little shocked.
I never thought I’d hear her say those words.
Hyacinth sighs. “I have to do anything in my power to help your people. I feel for everyone in your hospital right now, but I just can’t get those kids out of my head. If I can fix this, then I have to try.”
“It’s a relief to hear you say that,” I reply, stress melting away from my heart. “Maybe now you can understand what I’ve done?”
Hyacinth gives a short laugh, shaking her head. “No, Shane. Not ever. Kidnapping is not the answer to anyone’s problems.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling desperate. “But at that moment, it seemed to be the only course of action. I seriously can’t explain it, Hyacinth. I wasn’t in my right mind. I couldn’t even really think about it until it was done.”
Hyacinth stares at me, her violet eyes widening as thoughts flash through her mind. I see some of the anger leave her face as she ponders my words.
“Interesting,” she mutters.
“You keep saying that,” I say impatiently. “But you won’t tell me what’s so interesting?”
“I don’t have anything to tell,” she says, dismissing my words with a wave. “All of this new information is fitting in with the research I did before, that’s all.”
“Do you think you’ll figure out something that can help us?”
“I do,” she says, nodding. “I just don’t know, exactly. Not yet.”
“We have to do something soon,” I say.
“I agree,” she replies. “But until I figure it out, we’ve got nothing.”
The one thing I know we can do looms in my mind, and I struggle with it.
Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it!
“Hyacinth?” My voice comes out soft, almost apologetic.
