Page 68 of The Immortal’s Mark

“What does Darcie think about this?” she repeats into the stunned silence.

“How are we supposed to know?” Lome counters.

My mother’s knowing eyes remain on Des. “He might know.”

Des’ spine grows rigid. “How?”

“Because,” her eyes shine with knowing. “She’s currently in your head.”

Every cloaked figure jolts.

“What?” Master Ben stomps next to my mother’s side. “How do you know?”

She holds Des’s stare.

My stare.

“I can feel her.”

“Well, send her back,” Master Ben orders, his pitch rising. “She should not be traveling consciousness so soon after a healing coma.”

Apparently, my mother agrees.

She lifts her hand and points her palm toward me.

A faint pressure pushes against my mind.

Des doesn’t flinch. “What are you doing?”

“Returning Darcie to her own mind,” she says, thrusting her hand out and locking her elbow.

I am tossed back into a vortex of darkness, tumbling through a void, unable to breathe.

Until my consciousness slams me back into my body with a painful thud.

18

DARCIE

My eyes fly open with a ragged gasp, I press my palm to my chest to hold in my thundering heartbeat, staring with blurry vision up at the ceiling.

Sweat rolls down my temples. At the same time, I shiver, freezing. Pins prick my legs. I cannot move.

I’m dying. I have to be dying.

A panic attack traps me in its vise-like grip. Then⁠—

“You’re back.”

I blink. It takes an extra second for me to turn my neck.

Des sits at my bedside. He’s dragged over the chair that normally sits by the door.

My heartbeat increases.

“Y-you.” I pause to take a shaky breath, steadying my voice. “You knew that I’d…I’d already…done it.”

He nods. “I assume you saw the part where your mother sensed you in my head?”