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“Fine.” Zander rolled his eyes playfully. “But when all of this is over, I fully intend to sweep Lola off her feet.”
“Only if she lets you,” I countered with a smirk, glancing at the still-blushing psychiatrist. She offered a timid smile in return.
“Challenge accepted,” Zander stated.
It was nice to see that even amidst all the darkness and danger, there was still room for fun.
I laughed, then turned to Lola. “How’s the research going? Any progress?” I kept my words deliberately vague so Zander wouldn’t catch on.
Lola’s face lit up. “Yes, actually. I’m pursuing a few leads. It’s all so fascinating.”
Even though we were discussing something potentially dangerous, I was intrigued. “Anything you can share?” I asked, glancing briefly at Zander before focusing back on Lola.
“Well…” She hesitated for a moment, glancing between Zander and me. “There are a lot of tie-ins with psychology in what I have been reading, which I find particularly interesting. It makes even more sense why I chose the profession I did. It was quite a great find.”
That only piqued my curiosity more. “Go on.”
Lola leaned closer to me, lowering her voice to a whisper so Zander wouldn’t catch on. “If I possess magic,” she said, her eyes wide with wonder, “I might have a foot in the door already, thanks to my background in psychology.”
I took a second to process this new information. “That’s incredible. You’re serious?”
“As much as I can be.” She looked at me solemnly. “I can’t help feeling excited by the possibilities. Imagine what we’d achieve if we learned to harness this power for good.”
The enthusiasm emanating from Lola was infectious, and I grinned despite the gravity of the situation. “You’ll figure it out. I’m sure of it,” I assured her, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.
“Okay, is the girl talk over now?” Zander pouted. “I hate being left out of the conversation.” He gave Lola the biggest puppy eyes, and I snorted.
“Yeah, girl talk is over,” I said.
It was strange seeing Zander so playful when all I’d known of him before his incident was brusque and occasionally nasty. I wondered if it was possible to push his brain into remembering who he’d been if we weren’t dancing around everything. If we forced him to focus a bit.
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?” I asked him.
Zander shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
With everything Zander was going through, and without knowing how long this lasted, I was eager to jump in and get the ball rolling as much as possible.
“Let’s start with something easy,” I suggested. “Do you remember your favorite food as a kid?”
Zander furrowed his brow. “Um, pizza, I think? Why?”
“Interesting.” I tried to keep things light and casual. “And what about your first pet? Did you have a dog or a cat growing up?”
“Uh, a dog, I guess,” Zander said hesitantly. “Where’s this going?”
“Just go with it, Zander,” I said, feeling more confident. “Now, do you remember anything about the night you weretaken away from Blackwood Creek? Do you remember where you were taken? Or anyone who was with you?”
Lola shot me a concerned glance. “Tread carefully there, Tori.”
Zander looked at Lola and smiled. I wanted to heed her warning, but there was too much at stake. I needed to test if Zander recalled any crucial details about that night, anything to help us piece together the puzzle of his memories.
As I watched him closely, a subtle shift in his demeanor had me moving closer to him. His eyes seemed to glass over, as though his mind had vacated his body.
“Zander?” I prompted gently, trying to bring him back to the present. “Do you remember the cells, or anyone else who was with you? Can you tell me anything about that night? Anything at all?”
His eyes seemed to come in and out of focus as his gaze darted between Lola and me. “Uh, I, I’m not sure,” he stammered in a whisper. “I remember…I remember pain. So much pain.”
The whole situation frustrated me to no end, and I couldn’t imagine what Zander was going through.
