Kathy Reichs - Code

My eyes rolled. “I lived in Westborough. All of New England isn’t Boston, like everyone down here thinks.”

“All Yankee towns are the same,” Hi said with a wink. “Nothing but factories and coal mines.”

I didn’t return fire. Hi was just messing around, and I tried to avoid reminiscing in public. Thoughts of my former home inevitably led to thoughts of Mom, and that often led to waterworks. Best friends or not, I hated when the guys saw me cry.

“Fixing up Pinckney has been proposed a dozen times, but the money’s never there.” Shelton hopped into the surf and began helping Ben ease Sewee closer to dry land. “It gets overshadowed by Sumter and the outer forts, even though it’s older.”

Ben dropped anchor a few yards off the seaweed-strewn beach. We slipped off our sneakers and waded ashore, re-shoed, then crossed a short patch of grass to the base of the ruins. Sighting a flock of roosting seagulls, Coop gave chase. The birds scattered, cawing in irritation.

The castle’s curtain wall was roughly twelve feet high and intermittently broken by rectangular openings that had once been windows. A single entry was cut into the center of the monolithic stone façade, which curved away to either side, totaling perhaps seventy feet in diameter.

We studied the ancient fortress. It glowered back.

Shelton spoke first. “I’m not setting foot inside that house of cards.” I pulled the Gamemaster’s clue from my pocket, hoping for inspiration. No such luck. The smile-like image remained indecipherable.

“Think.” A light breeze fluttered the page in my hand. “What are we missing?”

The wall loomed above us, empty windows spaced five yards apart like a row of black teeth. The castle seemed to scowl, like an evil, rotting jack-o’-lantern.

No, not scowling. The windows form a ghastly grin .

It hit me.

“Of course!” I waved the clue, used air quotes. “The ‘teeth’ in this picture match the windows!”

“Wow, you’re right!” Hi said. “Which means the snaggletooth must be—”

“The cache location!” I finished. “Come on!”

Moving clockwise along the wall, I counted openings to the left of the archway. Stopped at number five.

“Here.” I stood before a three-by-five gap. “This one corresponds with the outside rectangle in the sketch.”

Air wafted from within the castle, cool and dry. The window was a yawning, black pit that the pre-dusk sunlight failed to penetrate. Even straining, I could see only a few feet ahead.

“This section seems less run-down,” Hi observed.

“The stonework looks sturdier,” Shelton conceded, “but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to go in. This castle’s so old, the forest’s grown on top of it.”

Ben pushed the wall with both hands. Tugged the stones forming the windowsill. Kicked the fortification’s base. Pushed again. “Seems pretty solid.”

“Great work, Ben,” Hi deadpanned. “That oughta do it.”

“You have a better plan? Or should we run back home?”

“Actually, I do.” Hi dropped his head. A beat, then shivers wracked his body. He snorted. Coughed. Spit.

When he straightened, his eyes burned with golden fire.

I nodded. “Good plan.”

Eyes closed, I reached deep.

SNAP.

CHAPTER 12

PRESSURE. PAIN.

A thousand needles danced on my flesh as fire coursed through my veins. Sweat burst from every pore. Shocks of energy burned through me, spiking the hairs on my limbs. My hands shook like leaves in a storm.

Seconds later, it was over. I flared.

I’d dropped to my knees, panting raggedly, waiting for the world to stop spinning. Suddenly, a large pink sea slug attacked my cheek.

“Blech.” I shoved Coop’s snout away. “Thanks, boy.”

Inhaling deeply, I got to my feet. Wobbled. Tried to harness the adrenaline pooling in my extremities.

That was a bad one .

Beside me, Shelton had removed his glasses and was rubbing his forehead, eyes brimming with golden light. Ben’s back was to me. His fists clenched as he struggled to tap his canine DNA. Hi had stepped to the window and was peering inside.

“Gotcha.” Ben straightened and flexed his powerful shoulders. “Contact.”

When Ben turned, his dark eyes danced with yellow light. Already handsome, flaring took his attractiveness to a whole new level. Ben’s coppery skin practically glowed in the evening light. I turned quickly, surprised by the color rising to my cheeks.

Then I noticed a thrumming in my brain. A subtle shift, like gears slotting into place, connecting my consciousness to a larger system.

I closed my eyes. My perception billowed outward. I could feel the other Virals, could point to each without opening a lid. Even Coop.

Flaming ropes appeared, linking the five us.

My pack .

Concentrating hard, I pushed slightly, in a way I didn’t understand, sweeping my awareness outward. My mind brushed the invisible boundary separating my thoughts from theirs. Hi. Coop. Shelton. Ben.

At first, a low buzzing. Then scattered feelings, too chaotic to follow.

I tried to pull back, mindful of invading the other Virals’ headspace. I hadn’t asked permission to attempt a link.

Abruptly, my perspective zoomed forward, like a comet being sucked into a black hole. I lost control. My mind seemed to untether from my body. Then my thoughts abruptly fired down the closest glowing cord.

Colors flashed. Red. Orange. Yellow. Black. Then a fuzzy image cut through the haze.

Me. Standing on the grass before Castle Pinckney. Eyes closed. Green-faced. Swaying.

“Stop it!” The voice was angry. Nervous. “Get out!”

The harsh words severed my fragile connection.

The universe snapped backward.

SNUP.

My eyes flew open. Ben’s fingers were digging into the flesh of my shoulders. Strongest by far, with his power unleashed he could have broken my bones.

From the look on Ben’s face, he was considering it.

“Stay out of my head,” Ben said through gritted teeth. “You didn’t even ask.”

“Sorry,” I squeaked. “I’m not sure what I did.”

Coop nudged between us, eyes fixed on Ben.

Ben took a breath, seemed to realize how hard he was clutching me. His hands dropped as if burned. He backed away, cheeks flushed, sweat dampening his brow.

I placed a hand on Coop’s head. The wolfdog sat, but his eyes tracked Ben’s every move.

“It was an accident, Ben.” I couldn’t catch his eye. “I didn’t mean to link, but somehow my mind was … pulled into it. I can’t explain it very well.”

Awkward silence.

“Hey, no sweat, Tor.” Hi forced a laugh, anxious to defuse the tension. “Just throw us a warning next time, you know? We might confuse you with an alien abductor, or a CIA operative. Can’t have that, right?”

“Everything’s cool.” Shelton worked his ear. “Whatever you did, we know it was an accident. Don’t we, Ben?”

“Our minds aren’t toys, Tory.” Ben’s voice was conciliatory, but he didn’t meet my gaze. “You can’t barge inside them without warning. Or permission.”

He was right. I told him so.

“I screwed up. I swear I’ll be more careful next time. No more mind games without explicit agreement. Promise.”

“Okay then, that’s done with!” Hi rapped the castle wall with his knuckles. “Daylight’s wasting, so let’s get back to the game.”

“Do we have a play called?” Shelton asked.

“We go inside, genius.” Hi’s glance swept the group. “Everyone still flaring?”

Nods all around. Hi pointed into the gloom. “Then get crackin’, soldiers.”

“Why don’t we look before we leap?” I suggested. “Literally.”