Omens (The Dark in You #6) - Suzanne Wright Page 0,47
at which point Lane will be left without parents to protect him, and Gavril can do whatever he wants with him.”
Knox tilted his head. “What is it that Lane can do?”
Thea hesitated. “It’s nothing bad. It’s just … substantial.”
“What can he do?” Knox persisted.
She licked her lips. “He … he can steal people’s abilities. But only temporarily,” she hurried to add. “It only lasts a few hours, and it knocks him unconscious every time—he’s too young to control any of the abilities he absorbs.”
Shock struck Keenan hard. It was an extremely rare gift, and people tended to be wary of those who possessed it. They also tended to exploit them in much the same way that Gavril wished to exploit Lane. After all, people would indeed pay a chunk of money to have someone weaken their enemies for them—even if the effect only lasted a short time.
“Can he pass the gifts on to others?” Harper asked.
“No,” replied Thea. “He just touches someone, pulls in their ability, and then collapses.”
Knox pursed his lips. “Does he have adequate control of the gift?”
“No. But he doesn’t go around doing it all the time—it’s very hard for him to do it; he has to really concentrate. If he’s weak, tired, or in some way distracted, he can’t do it.” Thea clasped her hands. “Please help my son. Please. I can’t protect him by myself. I’m literally begging for your help.”
Knox exchanged a brief look with his mate and then cut his gaze back to Thea. “I’d like you to wait outside my office with Lane and Larkin. I’ll call you back in after I’ve spoken with Harper.”
Thea blinked. “O-okay.” She awkwardly rose from her seat and, offering Keenan a weak, trembly smile, crossed to the door.
Once she’d left the room, Levi asked, “Well, do we believe her?”
“I think she’s telling the truth,” said Harper. “Her fear is certainly very real.”
Knox nodded. “You know her better than any of us, Keenan. What are your thoughts?”
“In my opinion, she’s not lying,” Keenan replied. “But that’s not to say that there isn’t something she’s not telling us. I’m not saying she is hiding something; just that she could be.”
Harper scratched her cheek. “This makes me a bitch, I know, but I’m not so comfortable with having a kid around us who could just waltz over and steal our abilities. At the same time, I can’t bring myself to turn them away.”
Knox stared ahead, deep in thought. “Call Ella, Levi,” he said, referring to the reaper’s friend who was also an incantor. “Ask if she’d be able to bind a child’s power with her magick.”
Levi’s brows lifted. “Sure.” He headed to the corner of the room to make the call.
Knox looked at his mate. “If Thea will agree to have Lane’s ability bound for as long as he’s with us, I’ll be willing to agree to give them sanctuary. You?”
“I can live with that,” replied Harper. “It’ll be better for the kid anyway, considering he collapses after using the ability, so Thea should be up for it. I wouldn’t like to see Asher out cold.”
After ending his call, Levi sidled up to the office desk. “Ella said it’s doable, but that the magick could be undone—there’s no way to permanently bind a power with magick.”
“That’s fine. I don’t wish to permanently bind it. Call Thea back inside.”
The reaper inclined his head and did as ordered.
Rubbing at her thighs, Thea shuffled back into the room and retook her seat.
Knox braced his arms on the desk. “If you’ll agree for an incantor to bind Lane’s gift temporarily, we’ll agree to give you sanctuary.”
Her mouth bobbed open and closed. “Bind it?”
“Yes. He’ll be unable to use it until the magick has been unraveled. That’s our deal. Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it. I’ll do anything that will help him.” A faint, wobbly smile curved Thea’s mouth. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Her mind slid against Keenan’s. And thank you, too. I know you must have put in a good word for me.
I didn’t, Keenan replied, just as annoyed as his demon that she’d touch his mind. It wasn’t an intimacy, no, but demons weren’t casual about touch—psychic or physical.
Her brow furrowed, but she didn’t glance his way.
Keenan looked at his Primes. “There are some things I need to see to. Call if you need me.”
*
Frowning, Khloé picked up her mojito from the table. “It’s not ‘nice’ that he wants to protect me from Enoch, it’s annoying.”