Seeking Crystal (31 page)

‘I really, really hope I can do it,’ I whispered.

‘I’ve faith in you, Crystal. Try to have some in yourself.’

‘The contessa said I’d have to take tough decisions—that I could do more damage than good.’

‘I suppose she’s right, but taking no action is a kind of decision.’

‘Yes, that’s what I think too. She tried to stop people living and that’s worse.’

Xav ruffled my hair. ‘Go and get some sleep. We’ll sort this out in the morning.’

‘Can I say “I love you” now without you biting my head off?’

‘I don’t know—that seems like a good idea.’ He opened his mouth wide and did the mock-Vampire thing on my neck.

I pushed him away. ‘Are you never serious?’

‘Um,’ he pretended to think, ‘no. You?’

I laughed. ‘Not often.’

‘I love you, Crystal.’

‘Back at you, Xav.’ I let the gate clang shut behind me, hugging that thought all the way up to my bedroom.

There was a mood of expectation the next morning when I surfaced from a dreamless sleep. Everyone was gathered in the living room and kitchen of the flat trying to pretend they weren’t waiting for me. I got a bit of a shock as I padded from my bedroom to the bathroom to find Steve and Lily had also showed up.

Memo to self: get rid of Disney PJs before meeting world megastar and trendy costume designer.

‘Hey, guys, give me a moment,’ I croaked. I locked the door and checked the mirror. Yep, it was as bad as I had thought: my hair was standing up on one side and a bird’s nest on the other. I did a quick repair job and scuttled back to my room to put on my most comfortable clothes. I’d snagged a jumper borrowed from Xav so that was almost as good as a morning hug.

‘OK, I can do this.’ I looked out of the window. Life went on as normal out there: Rocco chasing the birds, Barozzi watching him with indolent amusement, one eye cracked open as he lay on his table command post. The sight reminded me how Signora Carriera had been torn in her loyalties after we went public with our side of the story but had come down on ours when she talked to Diamond. She knew my sister too well not to realize that something was seriously wrong. She had given me the rest of the week off until after the wedding to deal with the family crisis. She was turning out to be a good friend; I’d not thought to have a real buddy from another generation. Then again, neither had I expected to be on best mate terms with Steve Hughes.

‘C’mon, Crystal, quit stalling.’ I forced myself to leave my bedroom. So many expectations were piled on my shoulders this morning I felt like a dairymaid carrying a too-heavy yoke. I was bound to spill.

‘Hi, everyone.’

Xav pressed a coffee mug in my hand and kissed my cheek. ‘Hi yourself.’

‘Will, you’re here!’ I rushed to the middle brother’s side where he lay spread out on the settee.

‘Miraculous recovery apparently.’ Will touched the bandage over his chest. ‘I couldn’t occupy a hospital bed when all I really need now is rest and my brother’s TLC.’

Xav bowed. ‘My specialty.’

‘I’m so glad to see you’re going to be fine.’ I patted his uninjured arm.

‘Hey, with you on my case, I know I’m going to be more than fine. Supremely happy was what I had in mind.’

Uriel appeared at the back of the settee. ‘He’s just worried you’re going to do me first and push him to the end of the line.’

‘No, you’re too nice.’ Will grinned. ‘It was Vick I was really concerned about, that he’d intimidate you into doing his soulfinder first. You know, one of his “I’m too scary for my shirt” looks.’

‘He does have those down to a fine art,’ I agreed.

Uriel bent closer. ‘That’s because they are real. I hope his partner is one unflappable lady.’

‘I’m guessing destiny will make her a complete marshmallow and he’ll have to get in touch with his softer side and save his steely looks for anyone who dares offend her.’ Xav rubbed his hands. ‘I’m gonna love it.’

I crossed the room to greet Steve and Lily.

‘Taking a break from filming?’ I asked Steve.

‘I did my shots yesterday. The stunt guys are doing the rest. Lily persuaded me we should be here in case you needed any more support.’

Lily tweaked his ear. ‘Liar. You ordered me to pack as soon as the camera stopped rolling.’ She smiled at me. ‘He is very loyal to his friends.’

I was so happy for her. ‘I can see that.’

Was cool-man Steve actually blushing at our praise? He cleared his throat. ‘I’m … er … sorry to report I’ve brought the press pack with me. They are presently paddling outside your gate. Do you know you’re under water out there?’

‘It happens.’ I shared a grin with Xav and then I hugged Lily, drawing her aside. ‘Everything, you know,
all right
?’

She smiled. ‘Funnily enough, yes. I understand it’s thanks to you that he plucked up the courage to ask me out.’

‘You’ve been circling it for years, admit it; I just brought the plane down to land.’

Steve rolled his eyes. ‘Thank you, Crystal. She really needed to know what a coward I’ve been.’

‘Enough socializing.’ Xav took me by the shoulders and sat me down in front of a plate of fresh pastries. ‘Eat.’

‘What’s this? Have you gone all masterful on me?’ I teased.

‘No, just fattening you up for the kill.’ He stole a bite of my croissant, the sure-fire way of getting me to snatch it from him and stuff it in my own mouth.

I lowered my voice. ‘It does feel a bit like that.’

‘You will be fine. You’re our soulseeker. Look what you did for Steve and Lily.’

‘Strange to think that my first success was with people outside the Savant world.’

‘I’m coming to realize we make way too much fuss about the difference.’

‘You told Lily that everyone has a gift.’

‘That’s right. Being an awesome craftswoman must be up there with Savant gifts—or starring in a box office hit. Maybe we should think about lowering some of our barriers?’

‘So I’ve hooked up with a true democrat, have I?’

‘I guess. But I do know that we are all special—and that’s not just hot air. Look at Lily: she’s Steve’s happiness, isn’t she?’

They were so sweet together; Steve had none of his brittle star aura when she was in his orbit. ‘Yes, she is.’

‘Just like you are mine.’

‘Aw, shucks.’ I made it into a joke but we knew it was true for both of us.

We were both aware of the sideways looks we were getting. I’d drunk my coffee, eaten my breakfast, debated philosophy, flirted, now I really had no more excuses.

‘OK, let’s do this.’ I brushed off the crumbs. ‘If you wouldn’t mind sitting in a circle. I’m going to start if that’s OK with everyone.’

‘What are you going to do, Crystal?’ Victor asked.

‘Last night I let the contessa attack me so that I could find out how her gift works.’ From Saul’s and Will’s grim expressions I could tell neither were fans of my go-it-alone daring. ‘Her power is the same as mine, except she reverses it, cutting off the links rather than following them. She then “tidies them away”—her words—which explains the unnatural neatness in her victims’ minds. It’s like she gets them muffled up from the real world.’

‘Go on.’ Victor chose a seat opposite me. The soulfinders were sitting together on the floor or sharing armchairs.

‘I’m guessing here but I think I have to unravel the ends. It will be the job of the soulfinder to reconnect with his partner so you’ll all have to be there with me. Trace, I’m going to attempt this with Diamond first. You have to be ready.’

My brother-in-law-to-be nodded.

‘And Xav, I’ll need you too because it might be a bit chaotic. I’m not sure, but I might do more damage.’ Bearing in mind the contessa’s warnings about the adverse outcomes my gift could bring, I was worried I wasn’t able to get fully informed consent with the girls this way. ‘Di, do you understand? Do you still want me to go ahead?’

My sister met my eyes. ‘Yes, I do. I’m not going to stay this way. I can’t bear it.’

That would have to do.

‘Zed, can you bring us together like you did before?’

‘Sure.’ It was going to be an immense strain, supporting his entire family, but I was hoping for a domino effect, once one started to unravel, that I could quickly follow with the others.

‘Xav, you’re going to have to let me fly solo once we’re in. I can’t be protected.’

He took my hand. ‘It’ll hurt you.’

Yeah, that was the part I hadn’t quite admitted to myself. I shrugged. ‘Life hurts. That’s what the contessa doesn’t get.’

‘What do you guys want us to do?’ asked Lily.

‘Stand by just in case. Intercept any disturbances.’ I curved my lips in what I hoped looked like a smile. We’d already unplugged the phone and disconnected the door bell thanks to media city outside. ‘Make tea.’

‘I’m great at tea,’ volunteered Steve. ‘Lily, let’s go to the kitchen and leave the floor clear for our friends.’

‘Over to you, Zed.’

I sat back in Xav’s arms, my favourite place in the whole world. He dropped a kiss on the top of my head.

‘It’s going to be OK,’ he whispered, more an order to me to make it so than a conviction.

‘Piece of cake,’ I muttered, borrowing his words from two days ago.

Going into the family bond was easier this time as I knew what to expect. Xav’s protection allowed me to see and hear what was going on without being knocked about by their telepathic communication. It struck me that, potentially, with Xav’s help, I would be able to take part in normal Savant telepathy if he was there to shield me. But that wasn’t something to experiment with now.

OK, I’m going to step outside when I’m close enough to Diamond.

Xav rubbed my upper arm to show he’d understood.

Here goes.

The familiar sickening sensation of being assailed by mind-junk struck me as soon as I let go of Xav’s shelter. I tried to jump on the carousel whirling in her mind but was pushed back, sent spinning away. Dizzy—sick—this wasn’t working. Xav had to catch me and put me back within his walls.

OK. That went well.

Uriel touched my mind.
Remember, your mind is as powerful, more powerful, than what you are imagining. You have created an illusion of a carousel to understand what’s happening but it doesn’t really exist.

Trace was at my side.
You have to believe you are big enough to stop that merry-go-round.

That went to the heart of it, didn’t it? I had always struggled to think of myself as having any worth. The last few days that had set my world up in its end couldn’t change that so quickly. The idea that I could undo damage done by a much older, much more experienced Savant was laughable. Yet I couldn’t cling on to the second-hand belief others had in me for this; I had to have faith in myself.

Xav sensed my determination.
Ready?

I nodded and let go. The carousel was my image and I was free to change it. OK, so I’d shift it to something familiar. Space junk—that was how I had thought of it for years—and this time I was like a rocket sent up to intercept. I entered Diamond’s slipstream, feeling the barrage of her concerns striking against me.

It hurt. Like flying through razor-edged debris. The pain didn’t stay outside; it zinged through my body, nerves on fire.

You’ll have to stop.
That was Xav.

No, I can do this.

I felt as if I was burning up on re-entry to her atmosphere. He put his hand on my neck, trying to cool me down with his powers. It helped a little, just enough for me to clear a space in my mind to get on with my task.

Crystal, are you sure you know what you’re doing?
asked Saul. He had been trying to keep out of the way but I sensed he was having as hard a time as Xav in letting me put myself in danger.

I have a hunch
. Time to act on it. The contessa had been all about tidying raw ends away; I was going to be the one to mess it up again. I took hold of Diamond’s streams of consciousness and pulled, heading in the direction of Trace. It was like trying to hold on to a meteor shower.

That’s it!
urged Trace.

Your temperature’s way too high!
warned Xav.

I kicked the connection as hard as I could out of the fake, tight orbit woven by the contessa, trusting Trace to catch it, and headed straight for Karla. No hesitation this time; I dived right in, grabbed a handful of the stuff that was her and hurled it to Saul.

Your nose is bleeding.
Xav’s tone was urgent.
You’ve got to stop.

Not now.

Phoenix next. She was trying to help me. I could sense her seeking memories of Yves for me to latch on to, the recent moments when he had calmed and comforted her after the trauma. She used her power to time-freeze them so they bobbed out of the whirl of stuff in her mind.