ARC: The Seers by Julianna Scott Read Free Book Online

away, outside, inside, alone, in groups, standing still, moving around – everywhere. There were so many brushes against my mind that I couldn’t tell where one ended and a new one began. It was like trying to pick out a single voice in a choir.
    “Becca,” I hear Alex say again, this time worried. “What’s the matter?”
    “I…” I paused, blinking again and shaking my head. “Nothing, I just…”
    “Jocelyn,” Alex called quietly, not waiting for me to finish.
    I didn’t hear him answer, but a moment later Jocelyn was standing in front of me. “Becca, what’s wrong?” he asked, putting a hand on my arm and discreetly leading me further away from the drive.
    “Nothing,” I said, finally starting to get my bearings. “No really, I’m OK. It’s just… there are so many…”
    I looked up and saw the sudden realization on both Alex and Jocelyn’s faces as they exchanged a glance. “We should have had Min block you entirely,” Jocelyn said, concerned. “I hadn’t considered that you are not often around so many full Holders. If it is too difficult, you I can call for Anderson to come and get you.”
    “No,” I shook my head, not about to let this get the better of me. “I’ll be OK. It’s getting better already, I just need to get used to it, that’s all.”
    Nobody seemed convinced.
    “Are you sure?” Alex asked. His hand instinctively started to reach for mine, but at the last moment flinched and fell back to his side.
    “I’m sure,” I smiled up at him. “It’s just weird. Like… I don’t know, getting used to new glasses.”
    “Is something wrong?” Cormac asked, joining our impromptu powwow.
    “Becca is just noticing how many Holders they have attending this year,” Jocelyn told him conversationally, with a look in his eyes that didn’t match his tone.
    “Ah,” Cormac nodded, catching the drift. “I see. I had not considered that.”
    “Neither had I, but I should have,” Jocelyn agreed. “Do you know of an Alchemist here we can trust?”
    “No,” I said quickly, “there’s no need for that.” I appreciated that they were all concerned, but I was not about to have them treating me like a baby bird. I knew I could handle this. More importantly, they needed to know I could handle it. “Really,” I said again, “I will be all right. It’s strange, but I’ll be fine.”
    “All right,” Jocelyn said with a hesitant nod, “if you’re sure.”
    He waited only a second or two longer before he and Cormac turned and walked back over to the driveway, leaving Alex and I to follow behind. I could tell Alex was still concerned, so I caught his eye before we made it within earshot of the other arriving guests.
    “I’m good,” I said softly, “really.”
    He looked down at me with that flicker of fear and worry in his eyes that always caused the overprotective dragon that slept in my chest to rear up.
    “Will you tell me?”
    He didn’t offer an explanation, but he didn’t need to. He was asking if I’d tell him if it got too hard for me and I needed help. It was a fair question. If anyone knew how much I hated looking weak or incapable it was Alex, so naturally he would expect me to suffer in silence rather than ask for help. And he was right, normally I would have. Especially when it was a problem that I felt I should have been able to handle, like this one. But Alex was worried, and luckily, my protective instincts always overrode my pride.
    “Yes,” I said, lifting my hand and wrapping my index finger around his pinky, giving it a quick squeeze. “I promise.”
    I saw his shoulders relax slightly as the corner of his lips twitched up in a small grin. He turned his head away casually, but quickly shifted his finger within mine, enclosing his entire hand around my own, holding it tightly for a heartbeat before releasing me and stepping away.
    By the time we got back to the drive, the car had been unloaded and taken away by the valet, so we turned toward the