Chapter 197: Quid Pro Quo

August started by explaining to Zoe how the pandemic began for her.

It was only visible on social media at first. News articles and warnings were spread along with opinions mostly dismissing it. People were comparing mortality rates of the novel virus with other viruses and weighing its coming impact. It was going to be another short-term distant threat.

At least, that was August's understanding of it.

Then things like toilet paper and water started disappearing from store shelves. It was kind of funny at first… the ridiculous temporary hoarding.

"It's not uncommon, you know? In my town, when a big winter storm is coming, the bread, eggs, and milk would be gone. I took a picture of it once. Mom and I would joke that at least everyone could make french toast," August chuckled. "But… when we walked into one of the superstores and the shelves were empty, I remember having goosebumps. Suddenly I realized this time was different."

"That is crazy," Zoe nodded, boredom evident in her voice. "Can you fast-forward a little bit to when you got sick?"

"Well I never did," August shrugged. "I mean, I must have, but I never had symptoms. I just got this rash on my shoulder."

She took the ruana off one arm and lifted her sleeve to reveal what almost looked like a constellation on her left shoulder. She tilted it down toward the opening in the door where Zoe was peering up at her.

"Fascinating," Zoe said. "Can I touch it?"

"Uh," August hesitated. It was a strange request, but maybe she was just going to have to get used to the fact that Zoe was strange. "Sure." She laid down against the cold floor again, this time with her shoulder close enough that Zoe could reach through and run her fingers across the skin there.

"You are a wonder," Zoe whispered before drawing her hand back. "Thank you, Luna."

August went on to tell Zoe a little about her family, about her jerk of a stepdad who had been the one to come home one day with information about Eliade and how he was probably aware of the experiment. Zoe didn't seem to be bothered by this at all.

"You should thank him. We all should," she replied to the story.

August scoffed. "Are you serious?"

"Would you have preferred not to be here? Not to be as incredible as you are?" Zoe asked, an eyebrow dipping over her one visible eye. "I'm sure the Alpha is grateful."

August's mouth dropped opened to reply, but it was not something she could answer easily. What Alan did was undeniably shitty. Worse than that. He was… awful. But August couldn't deny that Zoe was right. There was no simple answer to it—right or wrong. Every step had brought her to where she was now.

"Okay, then what? Tell me about Eliade," Zoe prompted, the conditions of her cell seemingly forgotten for the time being. She was gobbling up everything August gave her.

"There's not a whole lot to tell. I was there for a short time. I started classes, made a few friends…"

"Others who were included in the experiment. I wonder if there have been any other successes," Zoe interrupted, her eyes flaring with interest.

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August thought about her friends who were with her in suicide forest who didn't make it out. The last time she saw Elsie…

"They had you doing frequent tests while you were there?" Zoe asked, interrupting her thoughts once again.

August nodded. "Yes."

"Then they gave you the catalyst in suicide forest, you survived and escaped with a gps implant in your arm, and the Alpha found you," Zoe narrated for her.

"That's right," August sighed.

"All the interesting stuff has really happened since you've been here," Zoe said. "What happened with Marius?"

"W-when I bit him?" August stuttered.

"Yes, of course. When else did you have contact with him?" Zoe answered. August couldn't see her whole face at the moment, but the girl's voice sounded amused, as if she suspected there was indeed more to August and Marius than that one encounter.

"Right," August replied quickly. "That was the first time I saw something unusual—before I bit him. There was an unusual aura around Graeme, and I was able to draw it into myself somehow. I felt his strength, and I was able to use it when Marius bit me."

This was the first real revelation in their conversation, and Zoe paused to soak it in. She was salivating. This was… groundbreaking information. It helped explain how August experienced the arrival of her alyko abilities.

"Okay, when this happened you had a fever? Pain?"

August groaned. This felt like being in a doctor's office or a therapist's office, being poked and prodded and examined, having to recount minute details. She imagined Zoe in a white lab coat with one of those eye pieces that flips to increase magnification. Zoe's large eye ball was studying her right now, narrowing in clinical assessment.

August didn't want to relive any of this. And she consciously chose to avoid telling Zoe about the thoughts she saw from others. Greta had said it was a dangerous ability. Really, what August was telling Zoe about taking the auras into herself and using them was a dangerous ability as well. But she had to give the girl something, and maybe she could make it seem as if Graeme was the only one she could do this with.

The council already knew she could do something with the air. Zoe was aware that she had somehow healed Greta. Information about how she had overpowered Marius wasn't really a necessary secret at this point. She was different. She was alyko. Everyone knew it at this point.

"What did it look like? Is this what happened when your eyes went black the other night? Could you see something like that around me?" The questions were coming at her rapid fire now.

"Before I tell you all these details regarding the vision I have and my eye color, I think it's time you give me some information in exchange," August replied, shifting on the floor to try to find a more comfortable position. "Quid pro quo. I want to know some things about the elders."

*****

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