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For the first time it occurred to me to wonder what sort of mesmerizations the Constantines used on their only non-healer son. Was he one of them, privy to all their secrets, or did his affinity make him another subject to be manipulated and controlled?
“I’m still curious about those missing healers,” Nik said in a level voice that hinted at something more serious.
Costas turned to give him another interested look, while I glared at Nik from over his shoulder. Nik had done well at staying quiet so far. He should have kept it up. The last thing he needed was to catch the attention of a Constantine.
“The healers aren’t missing exactly,” Costas murmured, immediately understanding what Nik had meant. “Some of them have the very great honor of marrying into the Constantine family and helping to produce future healers of power.”
His tone of voice suggested he considered it the opposite of an honor, and I wondered again about his absent mother.
“And the others?” Nik asked implacably.
Costas withdrew another couple of sweets from his pockets and gave them to the children, indicating they should perch themselves on a nearby planter box to eat them.
Once they were slightly removed, he lowered his voice. “It’s a sad thing, but even a strong healing seed will do nothing to help you before activation. And there are so many potential accidents that can befall an adventurous child on an island like this—accidents that end in tragedy before a healer can be fetched.” He paused thoughtfully. “Unadventurous children as well, apparently.”
My mouth dropped open, and I was temporarily robbed of speech. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?
“That is…unfortunate,” Nik said in a savage tone that gave the word a new meaning.
“Yes.” Costas met his gaze steadily. “Mostunfortunate.”
I made no attempt to suppress the sick feeling swirling in my stomach. No wonder the Constantines kept to themselves. If their people had enough exposure to their rulers’ true natures they would soon shake off their mesmerizations—as had happened with Serena and the rest of Grey’s recruits in Caltor.
A sudden thought sent my eyes flashing to Costas. The Constantines were his family, and he lived with them on a daily basis. They might have mesmerized him a hundred times, but how long would those falsehoods ever stick? The evidence of their true nature would soon reverse the effect of their lies. No wonder he seemed different from both them and the regular islanders.
He looked back at me, his own face as full of curiosity as mine must have been.
“It must be difficult for the people to be without strong healers,” I said, unable to keep the challenge from my voice, although I knew the situation wasn’t of Costas’s making. “Many must die needlessly.”
“Not at all,” he said. “Anyone needing healing—no matter how mild the ailment—will find an open door at the manor.”
“Your family heals them all freely?” I asked skeptically, remembering Grey’s lack of care for his followers. I looked at Fergus and Lumi, who were edging back toward us, their eyes moving between my leftover buns and Costas’s bountiful pockets.
I handed over two buns, directing my question at Lumi.
“If Fergus had fallen and hurt himself on those stones, would you have taken him up to the manor?”
“Of course not! Ma won’t let us go there. That’s why he should be more careful.” The last sentence was delivered with a glare for her younger brother.
“She won’t let you…” I said slowly, processing that.
“She doesn’t send us for the monthly checkups either,” Lumi volunteered.
“Monthly checkups?” Nik asked, crouching down to her level. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you have those where you come from?” She regarded him with wide eyes. “Everyone else goes up to the manor for monthly health checks.”
Nik rocked back on his heels, looking up at me.
“How…generous,” I said with dismay, easily recognizing the true purpose of thechecks. “When does everyone else start going for them? When they’re children?”
Lumi shrugged, not overly interested in the topic. “When they’re babies, I think.”
“Babies?” I repeated slowly, trying to keep my horror from my voice.
No wonder the population of the island seemed so strange—lacking in curiosity and unable to follow a logical, sequential thought process. From the earliest age, their brains had been shaped and warped by mesmerization. How could you develop a normal level of rational thought when your thoughts and experiences had always been forced to bend unnaturally around unshakable truths—truths that needed no logical explanation or evidence to back them up, truths your mind wasn’t capable of questioning? The central truths of their lives didn’t come from reason, logic, observation, experience, or emotion, and every other strand of their thinking had been forced to twist around those central pillars.
“Is there anyone else who doesn’t go for the checkups?” I asked Lumi. “Other than you and your ma?”
