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Wednesday, eleven days after prom.
I did it! I can conjure.
Immediately, my mind goes back to the room of requirement in the Harry Potter books. I guess this is sort of like that. My needs must be strong enough for my Light to conjure it. Just another thing I learned I could do. I always thought my Light was a defensive mechanism since it was only ever used in battles.
Protective Shields and Ribbons are the only objects I’ve created thus far. Now, I can add Conjuring to that short list.
I’m on a roll, and it’s like the floodgates have opened. More tank tops, T-shirts, shorts, and pants appear. But it’s more than clothes. Bars of soap, fresh towels, and a hairbrush lay near the sink.
That small couch and table mock me through the invisible wall. I stand and press my palm against it. Purple light shoots from my fingers. Radiance ripples from my hand outward like a drip of water that creates a wave. Humming fills my ears. The barrier shatters, and I step to the furniture.
A satisfied smile spreads across my lips.
Aiden can keep me here, but I think I figured out how I’m going to get out.
I hurry back to where the bed is, so he doesn’t know I broke the wall. Maybe he won’t notice or can’t tell.
Moving the bathroom screen—okay, I use my Light—I make the screen larger to allow more privacy. Quickly, I undress, take a record shower, and jump into my new clothes.
As I step out from behind the screen, a shadow moves and startles me. A loud gasp escapes my lips.
Aiden leans against the far wall, arms crossed in front of his broad chest. Of course, he is dressed in all black, and his wings are hidden.
Clap, clap, clap. “Bravo,” he says. “I was wondering how long it would take you to figure out how to use this room.” He peeks at his cell phone. “It only took you under two weeks. I thought it would be much sooner than that, knowing what your worthless protectors think of you.”
“You,” I scream my best battle cry as my body launches toward him. “Why did you take me?” My hands close around his neck.
“You don’t know yet?” He disappears, but his voice is still audible. “You’ll figure it out, eventually. So, until then, mums the word from me.” He reappears on the other side of the room and scans me from head to toe. “A change of fresh clothes does the body good, wouldn’t you say?”
“Why are you here?” I clench my fists, forcing myself to not show all my cards. “I mean, why didn’t you come sooner. Why exactly now?” I run at him again, but he easily steps aside, making me miss my mark once more.
“I saw you break the wall.” This time he makes his body barely transparent, resembling a ghost. He nods to the couch. “I knew it was time to make my presence known.”
“Great, thanks.” My tone sounds flat. I know he’ll keep dodging my every move. “How long do you plan to keep me?”
He smirks. “I figured by now you’d learned that you can’t escape this room, and we’ll be spending many nights together from now on.” Aiden waves his hand, and a large mirror appears on the far wall, sectioned off by a clear partition. “Now, you can see your friends. It’s like watching live TV. There is no way you can communicate with them and let them know where you are. I’ve been watching them run around the world searching for you, and now you can, too.” He taps his head. “But I’m smarter than that and them. They won’t find you until I want them to. And I know you’ve tried to conjure a power cord. No mortal technology will work here.”
I’m about to wipe that smug smile off his lip, when a new idea springs forth in my mind. Fight fire with fire, or in this case—Light.
Dipping back into the recesses of my mind, my Light hums within my bloodstream, zapping every nerve. It’s ready to be called forth.
Purple light bolts out from my palms with such force, I stumble backwards. But I regain my composure and steady my aim at Aiden’s hated face. He easily sends red Light to meet mine, making me think of dueling wands. But this isn’t a movie; it’s real life and I could die.
The Light dances back and forth like an imaginary tug-of-war rope, each giving and taking. Even though he’s probably been a ... whatever he is for a lot longer than me, I’m holding my own. My hands and arms shake. I won’t be able to hold this up for much longer.
“You don’t have the stamina, Zoe.” He looks like he could keep going forever. Well, I’m not going to let him win this one.
With renewed determination, I dig deeper and latch onto my anger with him: him kidnapping me, his betrayal of my friendship, and whatever else I possibly could be mad at him for. I package all of that into a ball and force it into my Light.
He staggers back but regains his stance. His mouth drops open, and then slams shut. Narrowing his eyes at me, his Light pushes me against the wall.
Sweat beads on my forehead. On shaking legs, I collapse onto the cold floor. My head hangs in defeat.
“Nice try, Zoe.” Aiden straightens his shirt. “Better luck next time.”
“Wait,” I barely mumble, but I know he hears it. He glares at me, waiting. “What. Are. You?”
Aiden inhales and smirks again. “You’ll have to wait to find out.”
He disappears from the room, leaving me alone again. But now I have a special TV to watch. Seeing where my friends are and what they are doing to rescue me. Aiden just found a new kind of torture for me to endure.
The entire room hums with Light bouncing off the walls. The screen flickers on, showing Kieran’s house.