Gifted are brought in but I don’t recognize any of them.
I keep my eyes downcast and focus on Gabe’s breathing.
The second he wakes up, we’re getting the fuck out of here.
It only takes ten minutes before the Gifted start talking amongst themselves, whispering and freaking out with each other about where we are, what they’re going to do to us, or how we’re going to get out of this mess. When Sage glances over to me, I press a finger to my lips and she nods, both of us glancing over at the babysitters again.
We have to just be patient and pray Gabe wakes up soon, because neither of us can carry him and our gifts won’t help with this either. So we wait. We sit there and wait while the day stretches on. There’s shouting and screaming outside a few times, but no one else comes into the tent. My fingertips begin to tingle with power, like my gift is pissed that I’ve called on it but done nothing yet, and Sage’s eyes widen at me when she feels it.
When Gabe finally groans, I can’t help but let out a pulse, my relief pushing out in a tangible wave that has the entire tent falling silent.
Both of the babysitters glance over at me, their attention finally piqued enough to come over.
“It was the anomaly, Fiona. You should go deal with her so we don’t get our asses kicked for playing with her.”
Fiona unfolds herself from the cot she was slumped on, her dark eyes flicking over me before they start to shine.
Nothing.
I don’t even register her attempting to knock me out and my power crows a little, smug all on its own that we’re finally not at the mercy of everyone anymore.
I’m less smug because I know better than to be excited about being me again.
“Too strong for you? Well, we can’t have that can we,” the man speaks again, standing up and walking over to me.
His eyes flash at me but when nothing happens, he curses under his breath, “She’s a void, I can’t knock her out either.”
It’s as easy as breathing. The same plan I used the first time to get away from the Resistance. I groan and bend at the waist to clutch at my stomach, feigning an injury. They’re not going to attempt to help but, sure enough, they step closer to get a good look at me.
There’s another groan and a grunt and I glance over to see Gabe awake, his eyes open and staring right at me. I falter for a second, my power stuttering in my veins, because I could maybe convince Sage to keep this quiet, but there’s no way that Gabe would ever keep my gift a secret.
But I stare into Gabe's eyes and I decide that enough is enough. I can't lose anyone else, God-fucking-dammit.
It doesn't matter that I haven't touched my power in years, the well is still there, waiting for me. It's like finally taking a deep breath after shallow gasping for all this time, to feel the true power within me come to me as I call on it.
I feel whole again.
Gabe finally notices it, he can smell it on me, and his eyes flare wide. He's smart enough, and coherent enough, to keep his mouth shut, but I can see the shock etched into his features.
I grit my teeth and focus, my hand trembling where it hangs at my side, but I need to get this right. If I don't funnel it right, I could lose my best friend and my Bond, and I've lived through enough pain and despair. I don't need to add their deaths to that list, even if I did want to get the hell away from them all.
Fiona finally notices it, and recognizes the power, her eyes peeling back. “Holy fuck. Holy fuck, what is she doing here?"
The man steps forward as if he’s trying to get a better look at me, only my power lashes out and floods their bodies, grasping at their souls. My gift wants to take everything but I hold it back, triggering the darkness in them instead.
It’s still as horrifying as the first time I’d done it, watching the worst of their nightmares and fears and the ugly parts of themselves wash over them until they’re writhing on the ground, their minds irreparably broken.
Trapped in their own horrors, they’ll never escape it until someone puts them out of their misery.
I thank God that neither of