Of course. Our emotions are all intertwined through the bond I forced on these men.
When I get nervous or outright afraid, the feelings seep into my companions as well. It might even be my fault that Mirage’s illusion faltered, that Hail didn’t believe he could work his icy powers effectively.
I’ve spent my whole existence tasting the difference between the emotions that hit me from the outside and the ones that form within me. My teammates aren’t used to making the separation.
The turmoil inside them must be even more muddled than what I experience.
None of us will get anything done if I let my nerves and doubts get the better of me… and so overwhelm all of my marked men as well.
Recognizing my latest mistake doesn’t erase my doubts. If anything, the realization makes me want to shrink into one of the cracks in the road where I can’t screw up anything else.
No. I need my men to feel better, not worse.
Even if I’m worried thatIcan’t contribute to solving this disaster, I believe thattheycan.
Maybe the only way Icancontribute is by making sure they believe in themselves too.
I raise my chin, summoning every scrap of confidence in me. Let’s just pretend it’s real.
“This is a difficult opponent, but we’ve defeated dangerous villains in the past!” I declare. “She’s a shadowkind like us—she’s probably confused after coming through the rift. She might think the mortals are the enemy. We need to restrain her so we can talk things through and make sure no one else gets hurt.”
A slight smile returns to Mirage’s lips. “Reason with her until she’s reasonable.”
Raze lets out a grunt, but there’s a hint of amusement to the sound now. “After we shut her away from all these things she wants to demolish.”
My spirits lift for the time it takes us to hustle around the corner. At the sight of the battle waging on the street before us, I stall in my tracks.
Riva and Zian are racing to and fro at incredible speeds, their shoes squeaking on the asphalt. At times, they pick up such speed their limbs blur.
But no matter how they close in on the shadowkind woman with her scaly tail, she manages to dodge. As I watch, she dives into the shadows, emerges beyond their reach with a ragged laugh and a smash of an innocent postal box, then slips away again as they lunge at her.
The shadowbloods can’t follow her into the patches of darkness.
Riva’s face has tightened with frustration. Zian’s lips draw back from his wolfish fangs in a silent snarl.
Hail narrows his eyes. “She’s toying with them. Mocking them.”
The being reappears to slash claws she’s shot from her fingertips through a van’s tire. A lance of burnt-caramel defiance pierces my chest.
I shiver. “She doesn’t want to let anyone tell her what she can do or where she should go.”
Raze’s expression turns hesitant. “I could try to ambush her in the shadows where they can’t…”
Crap. My wobbly emotions are setting him off-balance again.
But what if he rushes in there and she hurts him much worse than the first time?
I’m about as much use here as a fork in a bowl of broth. I could retreat like I wanted to before, let Rollick see that I can’t fix this problem after all, have him send us back to the academy where the men would probably rather be.
The longing to give up sweeps through me—and Raze takes a step back as if I’ve compelled him.
My heart squeezes with a spurt of my own defiance. A being that fierce shouldn’t be forced to crumple.
We’ve kicked butt together before, and we can again.
I don’t think any of us really wants to disappoint Rollick or see what destruction this warped woman will cause if we don’t step in.
I need to bring more happiness to the world, and right now I have the chance to stop a whole lot of unhappiness. It’s basically the same thing.
