Page 69 of His Wicked Charm

“Yes, I know, as supernatural talents go, it’s not impressive. But you can’t believe I would make up something so lacking in drama.”

“No, probably not.”

“I’ve never thought of it as anything unusual. I assumed I was just better at directions and maps or making deductions.”

“Because you think you’re smarter than others.”

“Well, yes...” He looked at her sheepishly.

“You are smarter than a great many people,” Lilah said simply.

Con looked extravagantly shocked. “Did you just pay me a compliment?”

“I think I did.” She smiled.

“The thing is—other people in my family are smart, too, but they can’t find things as well as I can. I’ve realized that it’s more than figuring out which way a person went. I can sense it. Last night, for instance, when I went from the Great Hall into that next corridor, there was no sign of you, but I was certain you had gone up the stairs. And it’s odd, isn’t it, that I know which way is true north? I can find my way around a place even though it’s not familiar. You said yourself that it was unusual for someone to find his way to the center of the maze on the first try. Besides, I noticed something in the maze.”

“What?” In spite of herself, Lilah’s curiosity was aroused. That was the thing about Con: he always managed to catch her interest.

“It’s better if I show you. Besides, I want to test it.” They had been standing near the entrance to the maze, but he went more deeply into it now.

“Test what?”

“As we were walking through here, I had that surety that I was going the right way, but it was stronger than usual. When I took your arm, I felt this—this sort of tingling, but not on my skin. Inside me. Suddenly I was more...aware. It was like turning up a lamp, and everything’s suddenly brighter. More visible.”

“A tingling?”

“When I touched you, it was immediately clear which way I should go. It was so strong that I noticed it. That was what set me thinking. I remembered how easily we followed those kidnappers.”

“Because your sisters threw us clues.”

“But we were already on the right path by the time we saw the first one. And remember when I realized we were going the wrong way? You were close beside me.”

“So you’re telling me that you have this special ability to...to follow people.” She crossed her arms pugnaciously. “And I am, what, your battery?”

Con grinned. “I would say more of a conduit, but...yes, I think that you...amplify this ability. Make it stronger.”

“There are often people who understand maps better, who have a good sense of direction.”

“That doesn’t disprove it. On the contrary, if you can believe that someone can innately have a good sense of direction, why couldn’t it follow that others might have an innate ability that’s even stronger?”

“But people have different areas in which they excel—mathematics, say, or painting or playing the piano. That doesn’t make it mystical. It doesn’t mean that there’s some sort of otherworldly force beneath in the ground. And it certainly doesn’t mean that I can increase your talent for directions.” The knot in her chest, which had relaxed, was now back in full force.

“Why are you so set against the possibility of there being powers we don’t know about? Just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The same is true for air.”

“But, Con, really—magic? Séances? Unseen forces controlling us? What’s next? Witches?” Lilah took a step back. Why was he being so stubborn about this? So serious? The knot twisted tighter.

“I said nothing about magic or witches. My point is that there are things we don’t know, don’t understand, but they’re still there. If you had shown an electric light to someone in the 1600s, they would have labeled it witchery. It’s easy to dismiss something as magic just because you don’t understand it.”

“Electricity can be explained. Understood. It can be proved. But the idea that some unknown, unseen force is sending you nightmares about the Clock Room or calling me there in the middle of the night is ludicrous.” Why must he keep on with this?

“That doesn’t mean it’s not true. As for proof, you’ve seen inexplicable powers at work. What about the link between Alex and me? How do he and I know when the other one is in trouble? He and Sabrina have the same sort of connection. Alex could picture Sabrina’s house from holding her father’s pocket watch. You saw Anna’s vision about the kidnapping. You heard her describe the place. And when we got there, you saw that it looked exactly the way she had described it.”

Lilah crossed her arms, feeling trapped. “I don’t know! I don’t know what to think about any of those things. But I cannot believe in this whimsical...nonsense.”

“You mean you won’t believe it.” Con shoved one hand back into his hair. “You are so bloody stubborn.”

“So if I don’t believe what you want me to, I’m stubborn?”