I groaned, stopping in my tracks and looking out across the water.
“I’m…irritated I didn’t know about the third affinity.” I breathed out slowly. “I’m feeling irrationally inadequate because she didn’t take me with her. I keep giving you support because I know that’s what you need, but you push me away and keep details from me, and I don’t know why.”
“Rafe,” Wyatt said, his voice low, but I shook my head.
“I might act happy, but I’m not, Wy. Following our Key around was the most excitement I’ve had in literal years. Something needs to change, I just don’t know what. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I think I’m excited about this disaster management thing. I think I need something to put my focus into.”
Wyatt’s hand landed on my shoulder, and he squeezed gently.
“I’m scared,” he nearly whispered.
I was very careful not to look at him. My face betrayed nothing. I didn’t smile, didn’t raise my brows in surprise, nothing. I kept my gaze on the ocean, and how the tide was slowly creeping up the beach.
“Of what?” I asked gently.
“Remember when you told me you don’t control the shadows? That they do what they want?”
I nodded. He’d never believed me, but I told him all the time Ididn’t have perfect control over my affinity. Since my accident, it’d gotten worse, almost like it was trying to protect me before I knew I needed to be protected.
“Mine does that too…to an extent.”
I gave him a side-eye. “Which one does that, Wyatt?”
“Which one do you think?” he whispered before looking away.
Fucking hell.
“I knew I wasn’t imagining that rumble,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
Wyatt shook his head. “I can’t control it, Rafe. It just…happens.”
I sighed. “Wyatt, you’re the only person I know who’d be afraid of their own affinity. Even Skye isn’t afraid of hers, and itsquishespeople.”
Wyatt flinched. “Stop saying that.”
“Why? That’s what it does. She squishes people. Like bugs. It’s fucking amazing.”
“It’s insane,” Wyatt snapped. “If that’s what she does without training, imagine how dangerous she could be with a little instruction.”
“Instruction?” I repeated incredulously. “Who the hell is going to instruct her?”
Wyatt stared hard at the ground for a moment, then shrugged.
“No,” I said, advancing on him quickly and shoving him back several steps. “No more lying.”
“I didn’t lie!” He shoved at my shoulders, but I barely moved.
“Tell me what you meant by instruction, Wyatt.”
Wyatt dropped his gaze again, running his hands up and down his thighs nervously. “My father might have some books. He was trying to tell me about some new subjects he’d acquired when I saw him last, but I wasn’t listening.”
“I didn’t see anything about telekinesis in his office,” I said, thinking back. I could see Richard Craig’s office clearly in my mind, the golden oak of his wooden desk, his douchey wingback chair that wasn’t as grand as Wyatt’s, the overly plush carpeting that looked odd in an office space…
“The safe,” Wyatt said slowly. “They’re probably in the safe.”
I rolled my eyes.
“How do we get in there?” I asked.
