Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 132491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
The sound of her name is like a knife twisting in my chest. “Can you make a stabilizer?”
“I’m going to do my best. Testing it will be a challenge, but we’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.”
I loathe him, but part of me is relieved he’s here. I’m not carrying all the weight of finding a way out of the disaster we created. Not that I was ever qualified to figure out the things he can.
Deep down, I thought he was dead. Hoped so, even. I didn’t want to think he was a big enough asshole to leave our camp and never look back. I figured his guilt became too overwhelming and he threw himself off a cliff or something.
It would’ve been a cowardly way out. The worst punishment, which we both have to endure for the rest of our lives, is seeing the destruction we caused.
Not that it’s even over. Aromium is far from contained. The compound was created on this island, and since it only takes a very small part of the flower that’s key to its makeup, we made a lot of it with the flowers we had and sent it to the mainland so Whitman’s people could inject test subjects. We don’t know if it was used on people in other places.
“I’m pretty sure I made the volcano start to erupt,” I say flatly.
He crosses his arms and sits back in his chair, studying me silently for a couple of seconds. “We saw it happen. I thought we were on the verge of a full eruption. But then it stopped.”
I nod. “The ground shook before it started erupting. Niran saw me and figured out that I was the one making it all happen. It wasn’t on purpose. Virginia’s ravens were taking Briar away and ...” I run a hand over the stubble on my jaw. “I’ve never felt so ... I mean, there was fury, but also helplessness. Agony. I was sure she was about to die and there was no way for me to help her.”
There’s warmth in his gaze. “It’s nice to know you finally care about someone enough—”
I cut him off with a sharp glare. “Don’t. I’m only talking to you because you’re the only one who might know. We’re not having a tender moment—just tell me how the aromium made me do it.”
He pinches his brows together, considering. “Are you familiar with endoliths?”
“Not really.”
“They’re organisms like bacteria, fungi, and lichens that live in rocks and soil. They can absorb dissolved nutrients like iron and potassium from rocks.”
“It’s ringing a bell. I probably studied them in a bio class. But what’s your point? They’re alive, so ... did you put aromium in them?”
He shakes his head. “Not directly. But there are plants all over this island with aromium. They could have spread it into the soil through their roots and rain runoff.”
“I don’t remember the team having any conversations about that possibility.”
His shoulders fall slightly. “That’s because we never had any. I’m shocked that this is even a possibility.”
“I made the ground shake again at Rising Tide. It’s just like the wolves—the ground is responding to my emotions.”
McClain’s face shutters in a grave expression. “You can never use aromium again, Marcus. You’re too powerful. And after what happened, I’m afraid the next time will kill you.”
Ellison opens the door, brightening when she sees I’m awake. She glances between me and McClain, brings me a tray of food, and departs immediately.
The tray has a plate with buttered toast, a bowl of bean and vegetable stew, and a bowl of fruit. My mouth waters from the savory scent of the stew.
“I never wanted to use it again,” I say. “But Flavius even follows me when my aromium is off, and Briar’s vines sometimes do the same to her. So what if I connect to the endoliths even without it?”
McClain’s expression clouds with worry, though he says, “Don’t borrow trouble. You were able to turn it off both times it happened and no damage was done.”
His reassurance falls flat. I could be one horrible mood away from destroying this entire island and everyone on it.
Including Briar. She’s not mine anymore, but I’d still do anything to protect her. It’s what I’ve been trying to do this whole time, but now reality is setting in, and it’s a gut punch: the biggest danger to her on this island is me.