Page 25 of Out of Sight

Ted watched, and the red skin of Nyla’s hand went pale. “Oh, okay. You have a hard draw on you. I will have the trackers look for a link to one of the mages. If we can sneak up on him, restoring you will go faster.”

No. If he dies before the link is broken, he will take me with him. I have been pulling on him to stay alive for three years. I need to be free, and then he can die.

Nyla paused. “Okay. If that is the way it is, that is the way we will do things. Are you stable overnight?”

Watching cartoons and trying to do Ted’s nails tonight. Will be good to go tomorrow.

Nyla smiled. “We will be ready. How is seven in the morning? We will break the curse, and then some of us have to get to day jobs.”

There was a stream of laughing faces on the screen. A thumbs-up appeared.

Ted saw I look forward to actual work again. Hopefully. I have been out of the loop for a while.

Ted swallowed and fought tears. “We will get you back on your feet, Lucia. We have family, and if they are rising for me, they will pull the moon down for you.”

They love you. The younger they are, the more they love you, Ted. I was one in a hundred. You are special. I was just stuck on dumpling duty every gathering.

“I would have loved to be in there with you and the aunties. I was never invited.”

Lucia’s typing paused. Your mom didn’t want you doing menial tasks. I heard her tell Nanna she didn’t want you to work at family events.

“When did you hear that?”

Seven years ago. I had already been in this situation for three years, so I just hung around family and tried to feel something. Tried to hear them say they missed me, but no one ever did. I yelled, I screamed, but no one could hear me. Nanna was always looking for you, though. She was looking for the special granddaughter who brought the sun and warmed her soul. I heard it at every event. She got so excited when you showed up. I watched it all.

Ted paused. “Oh, Lucia.”

Nyla paused. “Damn. The invisible man is making a lot more sense. Where are we going to do this?”

Ted cleared her throat. “The new palace? It has the barriers in place.”

I can’t get through the barriers.

Nyla paused. “I will talk to Arwell and Mik.”

Bring one hundred forty pounds of stone. I need a new body.

Nyla’s eyes widened. “You have looked into this.”

I found a USB drive, and it told me what was possible, but I need power to make it happen. Lekko takes all of my extra energy. I think he shares it.

Ted sniffled. “Can you hold back on this until I can hug you?”

The smiling and crying emoji appeared.

Nyla looked at Ted. “I will be there at dawn, awake and waiting. Possibly giving Mik a wedgie. Who knows?”

Ted extended her hand. “I will see you there.”

Nyla grinned and disappeared.

Ted sat one seat over from her computer and held out her hand. A light prickle of electricity made her shiver. “Wow, Lucia. I can feel you.”

Perv.

Ted chuckled. “Any questions for me?”

Can I touch your hair?