Free Everlasting (Night Watchmen, #1) by Candace Knoebel Page B

“I…what…” I stop, try to formulate the storm of thoughts in my mind into one understandable sentence, and say, “I don’t understand. How? Why? What does this mean?”
    “I don’t know,” Mack replies with three words that weigh heavily on my soul. “But I do know that we need to keep this hidden for now. The kinds of people that will be attracted to what you’re capable of are not the kinds of people you want after you. There are layers I need to go through, people I trust that I need to speak with first.”
    “Hidden how?” I don’t like the sound of it. I picture four small walls closing me in, swallowing me…just as if I was a Defect. My pulse triples in pace at the thought, and I suddenly wish I had worn something a little cooler. I suddenly wish for a tall glass of water.
    “Maybe at my place. I don’t know. Somewhere where you won’t be found.” His eyes are everywhere, all over the floor, searching for reason, searching for answers.
    Jaxen scrapes a hand through his hair. “Don’t you think it’d be best to hide her in plain sight? She was seen. Everyone in that auditorium saw what happened. They’re going to question it, and if they find out she was removed or hidden, word will spread. It will draw more attention to her.”
    I can almost see the wheels in Mack’s head spin as he rubs his brow. “Your logic does have a point. Maybe…” he stops, touches his chin, looks around the room, “maybe we can place her in the dormant program.”
    “The program for affinity partners who have the age gap? You still use that?” Jaxen asks, thrown off.
    “We haven’t in a very long while, but yes, it’s still open. You never know when a novice will miss the birthday cut-off.” His tone lightens, lifts, changes into something that resembles hope. His eyes find Jaxen’s and a small smile begins to form. “This year’s Culling was an odd number. I can pass it off as that. It’s a perfect idea.” I think my insides have turned to stone. Mack nods a little, like the idea is sinking in, finding a home in his mind. “Yeah. That’s what she’ll do. For now.”
    “Sweep floors and tend to the kitchens?” I want to grab the words as they come out of my mouth and put them back. I want to wipe the disbelief and slight disgust clean from my tone, but the slight quiver in Mack’s brow tells me it’s too late. He’s heard it, swallowed it, understood it.
    “Do you have any bett er ideas, Miss. Middleton? I’m trying to keep you safe.”
    Jaxen shifts, straightening the leg of his jeans, and then clears his throat. “Putting a loaded gun in the middle of an angry mob isn’t what I’d call safe.”
    He’s taken the spotlight burning my cheeks and moved it onto him. I feel my mouth part in shock.
    Mack’s eyes flash over to Jaxen’s. His lips are drawn tight. The air around him thickens with anger, flickers with electricity. He lifts his finger and drops his voice to a dangerously low level. “Do not forget just who you are speak ing with, Jaxen Reade Gramm. I’m your Elder first and foremost, and you are not Gavin.”
    It’s as if Jaxen is struck with a whip. His body tenses all over. His hands form into fists near the many handles of his daggers. His tone drops too, matching Mack’s. “My brother has nothing to do with this. You know what I say is true. You can’t keep her on campus grounds without some form of training, some way of keeping her magic in check. You’re asking for neon signs to flash around her.”
    I hold my breath.
    Mack glares for a second more, and then relents. A flicker of amusement passes through his eyes, a moment of revenge. “You’re absolutely right,” he says.
    I let a small sigh of relief escape past my lips.
    “That’s why I’m going to assign my best men to her side. They’re going to train her to become a Night Watchman.” He looks at me. “You will train separate from the other novices. They will think you’re in the dormant program until I