Star Gods, стр. 22
“Code has already been broken, Ashe,” Tyce retorts. “Make him tell us.”
“I can’t.” Ashe points at the band. “That’s a Band of Secrecy. Until the one who placed it on his wrist removes it, he literally can’t tell us what we want to know.”
“Who put it there?” I ask.
Ashe drags his hand down his face. “We won’t know until it’s removed.”
“That’s just great.” I push up from the cushion only for my head to swim.
“Catch him!” Neil shouts, and everything goes black.
6
“I’ve already explained who I am, Ashe, continuing to threaten me isn’t going to change that fact.”
“I actually enjoyed the fillet over an open fire threat,” Tyce comments.
Neil is sitting on the floor inside my barrier, his legs crossed, his shoulders hunched. He no longer resembles a businessman in a fancy, starchy suit, but one who’s given up. What other choice does he have? Our abilities stay intact if anything happens to us, so in the event we’re unconscious, when we wake we’re protected. Unless, of course, we die.
“According to Zeke, the assailant looks identical to you,” Ashe says. “Why?”
Neil sighs. “I don’t have an answer to that.”
“Why am I being hunted?” Sage asks, her voice taut. “I was brought here, from Chicago, by you or this assailant. I’m not yet convinced you’re not one and the same, and you sent Zeke to find me and save me. Why?”
I start to sit up, but Tyce is there stopping me.
“Whoa, take it slow.”
“I’m okay now.”
The warmth of healing spreads and I look annoyingly at my brother.
“Don’t,” Tyce warns. “You passed out for over an hour. I’m checking you over whether you want me to or not.”
“I’m sure you already have and I should probably feel violated. At least let me sit up.”
He pulls on my arm, righting me, and my head swims. “What the hell,” I mutter. Tyce lays me back on the propped pillows and I cover my eyes with my hands.
“He needs to drop his barrier surrounding me,” Neil instructs. “It’s draining him faster than recharging him.”
Ashe sighs. “He’s right. Drop it, Zeke.”
“No freaking way.”
“You’re going to need your ability, Zeke.”
“What do you know, Neil?”
He holds up the band in answer, and I swear.
“You still need to drop your barrier,” he reminds.
“Because it gives you the upper hand.” I flick my hand toward him and my barrier drops, instantly releasing the pressure in my head.
“He needs a jolt of healing or he’ll pass out again,” Neil says.
A hand touches my head and I can tell its Ashe; his ability is stronger than Tyce’s.
“Thanks.” I draw my knees up. “I’m just going to stay right here for now.”
“Of course,” Neil responds.
I uncover my eyes and peer at him. “I wasn’t speaking to you. As far as you’re concerned, you can’t answer anything we need to know, which means you’re absolutely no help to me or Sage, so you can get the hell out.”
Neil’s eyebrows rise in surprise.
“Dammit,” Ashe spouts. “This isn’t right, Neil, we have a right to know.”
Neil stretches his arms and legs. “You say that as if I’m against telling you. I didn’t put this on my wrist.”
“Who did?” Sage and I ask in unison.
“Jinx! You owe me a Hershey bar,” Sage exclaims while Neil holds up his wrist.
I jerk my head in the direction of the kitchen. “There’s one in the freezer. What’s with that string, Neil? A reminder or does it stop you from answering?”
Sage returns, bouncing on her toes and tearing open the candy bar. I hear the crunch from the frozen chocolate as she bites into it. She closes her eyes and makes a humming sound.
“It will not allow me to answer certain questions from the one who placed it on my wrist.” Neil sits on the coffee table and leans forward, showing it to me; it’s not a string at all but a very thin cable.
“How does it work?”
“When you ask me a question I cannot answer, it sends a message to my brain preventing me from answering.”
“You have a brain?” Sage asks, her words coming out as a mumble as she chews on the chocolate. The rest of us gape at her in various expressions.
“How else would I be able to converse with you?” Neil answers, his expression dumbfounded.
“You’re an alien, how would I know what’s in that head of yours.”
“Star Gods have the same body structure and blood as humans, but with abilities,” Ashe explains. “Because we are protectors of Earth, and are here in that capacity, we dress, act, and appear to be human.”
“Well, now I know.” She balls the empty wrapper and tucks it into her pocket. “Is there a way to make you answer our questions?”
Neil shakes his head. “No.”
“Maybe if we put his finger in an outlet.” She looks for one.
“You’re never having chocolate again,” Ashe responds on a chuckle. “You’re like the energizer bunny.”
She swings her arms back and forth. “Yeah, chocolate, caffeine, instantly hypes me up some.”
“Some?” Tyce responds, shaking his head.
“So, the person who removes that thing, what do they do? Say a password, an incantation, do magic, what?”
“Sage, we’re not witches,” Ashe states. “We’re aliens with supernatural abilities.” He points toward the front door. “Go over there. Your energy is starting to drive me crazy.” He taps my shoulder. “If there’s any more chocolate in that freezer you’d better hide it.”
I snicker. “It’s better than her being hysterical.”
He playfully cuffs the back of my head.
“Hey. It was true and you know it.”
“Neil, can you tell us, at least, why Sage needed to be saved?” Ashe asks.
He raises his wrist.
Ashe takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. “I’m done with you. You are free to go.” He raises a hand, I feel a door open in the ward, and Neil vanishes. I share a look of surprise with Tyce; when they both set extra protection on the wards, they both need to remove them. “Looks like we need to figure out why Sage is important by ourselves.” He narrows his eyes at