Free The Secret by Taryn A. Taylor Page A

at Reed. “Umm…maybe because Luth is sick and crazy.”
    Reed held my gaze. “Luth couldn’t figure out why our powers were gone. I think he would help us now. I think he would help us if—”
    I put my hand up. “Not gonna happen.”
    Banging his fist, Reed hissed, “You have yours—you don’t know what it’s like to feel this vulnerable.”
    I realized he really had no idea what my life was like. I couldn’t endure another twenty minutes of this conversation. I stood. “I’m out.”
    Reed raised his hands. “Sure—you go draw or something—be totally unproductive.”
    Marsha kicked him. “Would you shut up?”
    I ignored their bickering voices as I walked away.
    Later, when I entered the art room, Senora Sanchez sat perfectly poised at her desk, plunking the computer keys in a gentle rhythm. Looking up at me, she smiled and pulled her red-framed glasses off her face. Her hair was swept up on her head with a brightly colored blue scarf twisted and turning through it.
    She smiled. “Ah, come to draw out the demons?”
    Having grown accustomed to her unusual phrasing, I smiled and headed straight to the back of the room. “Thanks for letting me stay set up all the time.”
    She waved a hand in the air. “Stay as long as you want.”
    “Lanie.”
    Turning, I saw Jake at the door, wearing dark jeans and a black, long-sleeved T-shirt. He seemed out of breath and disheveled. My heart clutched—he always looked so good without even trying.
    “H-hey.” Stopping, he eyed Senora Sanchez and pulled in a long breath. “Oh—I thought…hmm.”
    Senora gave him a smile and stood. “No—I need some lunch. Mi casa es su casa .” She walked out.
    I hesitated, searching Jake’s eyes. They were a deep blue today, but there was a spark inside of them. “Did you find something out, Jake?”
    Pulling his backpack off of his shoulder, he opened it and pulled out a small leather book.
    Dropping the brushes I had just pulled out onto the table, I stepped closer to him. “What’s that?”
    He turned the book around to show me. “I found this in one of my mother’s boxes. It’s her old appointment book.”
    There was a list of names on the page. I searched through the names, not recognizing anything. “What am I looking for?”
    Jake put his finger next to a W. Drake.
    My mind swam with confusion. “What?” I pulled the book closer. “Did she know Mr. Drake?”
    Jake nodded. “Don’t you see, Lanie? That’s why she wanted to move here.”
    I was still confused.
    “She came to me and told me we were moving to Boulder, that we would be safe here. I thought she was crazy, but by that point I didn’t care where we went. My powers were gone and nothing felt right. Mom told me she couldn’t work at The Foundation anymore. She wanted to leave.” He looked away. “Two days later she was killed.”
    I tried to get it all straight in my head. “So your mom worked there?”
    The side of his mouth turned up. “Yeah—she was a counselor. She even taught a psychology class.” He pointed to Drake’s name on the paper. “And he knows why. I know it.”
    My phone started ringing and I pulled away from Jake.
    It was Rob. “Lanie—come now. She’s awake.”

    Opening her eyes, Mom smiled. Her copper red hair looked drab and oily, but I was relieved to see her green eyes bright, the yellow flecks reminding me of the color of hot sand in the desert. “Rob.” She reached her hand up and lightly touched Rob’s cheek.
    My heart tightened and I stepped to her other side, putting my hand on her shoulder.
    She turned to me. “Lanie.”
    I didn’t know how she did it, but when she said my name so possessively, it always made me feel…like I belonged. Like I was normal. I leaned down to her. “Hey.”
    Patting both of our hands, she turned to Jake in question.
    “Mom, this is Jake. He needs our help.” There wasn’t time for lengthy introductions. When the facility called, we never asked questions—we just came,