I stared at him.
“Hypnotism?”
“Yes,” Blake said. “That, essentially, is what he is doing, and he is good at it. Although, apparently, not very good at it with you.”
I shifted uncomfortably. This place was weird, and there was no doubt something bizarre was going on, but hypnotism?
“Are you poisoning us? Did it accidentally kill Cody and Skylar?” I asked.
Blake watched me with one eyebrow raised.
“And what was that thing when I sat down? Was that hypnotism? Were you trying to make me forget something, too?” I quipped.
Blake’s expression grew wearier the more I talked. I just wanted answers—real answers.
“I assure you, I have not, nor will I ever, try to hypnotize you,” he drawled.
I sent a look that said, what a relief.
Blake scoffed briefly at my reaction before bristling at the distraction.
“We are not sure what happened to them yet, but there is suspicion they succumbed to natural causes,” he said. “One of them most likely drowned after the final task.”
“Cody?” I asked. “Everson and the other guards were right there. There’s no way he would drown after all that.”
No fucking way, right?
Blake’s expression softened.
“It is not that simple,” Blake pressed. “No one is forced to undertake the journey here. By the end, limits have been reached. Getting here is a crucible for everyone who comes, and it is so for a reason.”
The bleak, cold forest of the first task made my fingers numb just from the memory. Why was he the only one to die from the fall? Was I in denial? I shoved the idea away. If he did die from the fall, it was Everson’s fault. I caught Blake watching me, analyzing every flicker of my eyes. Annoyed, I focused on him.
“And what reason is that?” I snapped.
Blake stared at me but said nothing.
“I want to know why my friends are missing!” I demanded, my words quaking as I fought to hold in my emotions. “First, Annabelle, now Cody and Skylar. It doesn’t make any sense.”
He held my attention like he was trying to read my mind.
“Annabelle?” he asked, genuine curiosity in his tone.
I nodded. “She was my mom’s friend here when they were at Nightfall together. She never made it home.”
Blake’s expression darkened with intrigue and concern.
“Not everyone is suited to be here,” he said. “Unfortunately, we cannot always determine that before someone arrives.”
“You think she died?” I asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “But you aren’t sure, which means you have no bodies.”
Blake nodded once, his voice softening, “They are looking for them. If I hear anything, I will let you know.”
I shook my head. “Why can’t we know they’re gone? We already knew coming here would be dangerous. We knew others were lost. Why make everyone forget about them?”
Blake sat by the window.
It seemed like he was wondering the same thing.
