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“I’ll double it,” Darien said. Tanya’s mouth parted in surprise. “A hundred and ten thousand cash the moment we’re done sessions.”

She lifted her chin. “And if it doesn’t work?”

“You’ll still get the money.”

Tanya studied Darien. There was compassion in her stare as she glanced between him and the unconscious girl in his arms. She might’ve been swayed by the money, but Darien could tell from her aura that it wasn’t for greed. Everyone had shit they had to pay for, and this woman was probably barely scraping by.

She grabbed a coil of keys off the desk and got to her feet. “Come with me.”

Ten minutes later, Loren was dressed in a white one-piece bathing suit with Caliginous on Silverway embroidered on the left breast.

Darien followed Tanya through a heavy door that led to a single narrow corridor. Above the door was a silver plaque with the number five etched into it. Loren was back in his arms, the others following behind him. The hallway was shiny and white, the walls curved like a tunnel. At the end was a door with a small round window in the center. There was another door halfway down that had a window too, but the glass on that one was frosted—Change Room, the plaque beside the door read.

“This is a private change room,” Tanya said, tapping the wood of the door as they passed it. “You are welcome to use it when you are ready to leave today.” There were more change rooms in the main area; they’d used one before coming into this corridor. But a private room was better; Darien would make sure to use it, so none of the other guests who might be in the building would see more than they needed to.

Tanya stopped at the end of the hallway and flattened her hand on a scanner. She hit a few buttons, and the chamber beyond the door lit up with bright light.

The chamber was white too, but the walls were made of material with points of shifting color, like an opal. The only piece of furniture inside was a floating tabletop in the very center—made of glasslike material that glowed like a holographic projection.

“What color magic?” Tanya asked, her eyes drifting to Loren.

Darien thought about it. “Try white.”

She hit a few more buttons on the panel until the screen displayed a color wheel. Every color was on it—all except black or gray. With a few swift taps, she disabled all but white.

Tanya opened the door. “No one is allowed inside the chamber once it’s on. You need to take off her jewelry.”

Ivy stepped forward and removed Loren’s solar conduit and the Avertera talisman. The spells on the building were so thick, Darien knew it would be a challenge for anyone to find her here, if they were looking.

Tanya said, “Does she have any conduit tattoos?”

“Just a medical one for her blood sugar.”

“Good.” She held the door open for Darien, and he walked in, footsteps echoing. It was warm in here, but not uncomfortably so, and it smelled faintly of citrus and rain. “Lay her down on her back on the table,” Tanya said.

Darien did as she asked, and leaned down to press a kiss to Loren’s forehead, her skin cold and chalky white.

He fucking hated this—how empty and emotionless she looked. Lifeless. Loren had always been bright and happy. Colorful. Sunshine in the flesh.

He wanted his girl back.

“I’m still here, baby,” he said quietly, smoothing her hair back from her face. “I’ll be right on the other side of that door.” As he stepped back, he slid his hand down her arm, his fingers lightly squeezing hers.

He left the chamber, looking back over his shoulder twice as he went. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Loren in here, but he’d do what he had to.

Tanya shut the door and hit a few more buttons.

The chamber shuddered to life with a whir that vibrated the floor beneath Darien’s boots. Tiny balls of soft light winked awake all around Loren, and rain began to drip from spouts in the ceiling and floor, the levitating droplets shivering in the air, slowly moving up and down in vague lines. Soon, the floor was covered in two inches of water, but it didn’t get any deeper than that.

Darien held his breath. He watched through the window, the others crowding behind him. Loren’s hair floated above her as though she were underwater, her face peaceful and undisturbed. Minutes passed, and Darien barely breathed the whole time. Sweat beaded on his palms, that beast in his soul beginning to pace again.

“Come on, baby.” The words he uttered were so quiet they were barely audible. “Come on.”

But Loren didn’t open her eyes.

25

Angelthene Academy