Page 37 of The Last One
“That’s my name.” I touch his arm, skimming my fingers down to his bandaged hand.
He wraps his finger around mine, and I place my free hand atop—
The sky flashes bright white.
I suck air through clenched teeth.
Before we can drop hands, a powerful force yanks my hair from behind. Before I can free myself, I fall down…down…down… And it feels like…like…
Like I’ve done this before.
10
Open your eyes.
My breath comes quick and shallow. I’m panting like a dog, my head swimming and my pulse thundering in my ears.
Wake up.
Stars smudge the black sky. Then Jadon’s and Olivia’s faces block that star-smudged sky. But Olivia isn’t looking at me. Her gaze lingers on my neck.
The amulet has hypnotized her.
“Olivia,” I whisper. “Stop.”
She blinks, pulled from her dream. “Thank Supreme, she’s alive.” Clear-eyed, she sits back on her haunches.
“You scared us,” Jadon says, scooting away from me.
I sit up. To my left, there’s a stump with a hatchet on it. Lengths of cut wood lie scattered about. My forehead feels tight, my scalp stretched, my stomach sour. “What happened?”
Jadon grimaces. “You fainted.”
Olivia smirks. “Jay has that effect on women—I was hoping you were immune.”
Jadon makes a face at her.
Olivia’s eyes flick back to my pendant.
I cover it with my hand to break the spell before it even starts. The gems vibrate beneath my fingers, and I remember:
Walking to the forest for wood. Spotting that woman, Sybel, holding a golden bucket. Talking to Jadon about his hand. The amulet. My mind filling with white light as we touched.
“Was it the pendant?” I tap the moth. “After you handed it to me?”
“But why would you react to something that’s yours?” Olivia asks.
“Maybe because she’s been without it for too long?” Jadon says pointedly to his sister.
“That’s ridiculous.” Olivia snorts. “It’s not like it’s medicine.”
“Says who?” I snap. “You don’t knowwhatit is and what it does. To me.Forme.” Hell, I don’t even know that myself.
Olivia shrinks back.
I press my fingers harder against the stones, trying to make sense of it. The moment Jadon handed the amulet over, I felt so protected, closer tobeingmy name and not just remembering it. Why would this pendant hurt me?
A woman’s scream pierces the air.
