Page 151 of Huntress

“Surely you guys have more pressing appointments to get to?” Elsie asked as they finished up.

“Oh, no, Miss Chantraine.” Cornick gave her a saccharine smile. “That’s the beauty of attaining a position that allows me to choose my projects. I have ample time to devote to you, and I have no other obligations more important than investigating your seal at the moment.”

Fletcher returned with alcohol pads and started scrubbing Elsie’s chest without a single word.

“Ask before touching me, what’s the matter with you?”

Fletcher’s cheeks colored, but she snapped her teeth together rather than apologize, and continued what she was doing. Once Elsie’s skin was clean enough, she positioned little electrode pads near each of her shoulders, then two more, low on each side of her rib cage.

“Next, we’ll do your head.” Fletcher took Elsie’s criticism into account. Using a cotton swab, she scrubbed at Elsie’s scalp a bit harder than was necessary. Smaller pads went on her head, and the process seemed to take forever. In total, there were sixty-four little scanners littered through her hair.

“What the hell is all of this for?” she demanded. Those on her chest were attached to one machine, the ones on her head to another.

“These will measure your brainwaves and heart activity during our next tests,” Cornick explained. “We know that right before magic is used, the pineal and three other key areas of the brain light up. We want to know if that process is interrupted by the seal, proving whether or not part of its function is a physical manifestation.”

“Again, we’ll start simple and move on from there,” Fletcher said.

Cornick turned on the machines, and they clacked to life, needles moving across paper in jumps and starts.

“It says in your file you are capable of using your white moon magic. Please give us a demonstration of that now,” he requested.

Elsie closed her eyes and worked to calm her mind. Fighting demons was easier than relaxing in front of Cornick. After a few minutes, she sighed.

“I don’t usually have to use it like this. If I’m not fighting anything or practicing somewhere I’m comfortable, I don’t use it,” she explained.

“Try again,” Cornick barked.

“Are you always this big of a dick to your volunteers?”

Cornick’s face darkened. “You came here of your own volition, asking me for help, you’d be wise to remember that. I understand that you are accustomed to a pampered lifestyle under Mordane. He’s spoiled you. This is not your home compound, and I am not Mordane.”

“Spoiled me? I’ve earned the privileges I have,” Elsie seethed.

“That may be, but you have no rank or privilege in this facility. Dominion is not a hunter compound, Miss Chantraine. I am in charge here, and you have been disrespectful since the moment you walked through my doors.” He took a deep breath, straightening his smock, and gave her a smile far creepier than any she’d seen.

“I will ask you one more time. Are you interested in the help I have offered you, or not? Because I refuse to fight you every step of the process.” He deliberately looked over at Saint. “There are ways we can incentivize your cooperation if necessary.”

Elsie got the message. The fucking bastard would use Saint against her if she didn’t give him what he wanted. Her demon reached out through their connection, toning down his own rage to quell hers.

“I’ll try again,” Elsie gritted out. If Saint was willing to stand in Cornick’s presence without killing him, she could calm down and participate in the damned experiment.

“Good. Now, please.”

She took several deep breaths, closing her eyes once more. Saint’s soothing presence enveloped her mind, and she welcomed him, using his steady mind to center her own thoughts. She’d faced down a necromancer with him at her side. Together they could handle Angus Cornick.

The pens on the monitors slowed, their erratic movements arching in smooth waves.

Holding out her hand, Elsie called a ball of white moon energy, the same way she’d done it before with Saint and Riven. She rolled the magic around in her palm, holding it there, stabilizing and making it stronger.

The heart monitor slowed even further, while those connected to her head jumped all over the place. Cornick studied the magic in her hand, then moved between monitors, taking notes.

“Good. You are capable of using this magic to create light. Do that now,” Cornick ordered.

Elsie did as she was told, condensing the ball of light, then tossed it in the air where it hung over them, banishing shadows from the room with its brilliance. Fletcher squinted at it too long, blinking heavily to clear her vision when she looked away.

Cornick watched the monitor closely for several minutes, grunting when he was satisfied. “It’s time to put the white moon magic away. Now we would like to test your abilities with the dark moon magic.”

Elsie stared at him deadpan. She hadn’t yet reported the full awakening of her newest magic to anyone who would have added it to her file.