The voice in my head wasn’t my own—it was Yun’s.It drifted past that temper in a way even Carter hadn’t managed, dragging me back from that edge.She couldn’t connect with me, so had I found her mind?Had I reached for her without meaning to?Sought her in my moment of madness?
The reason didn’t change the facts, and her mind was enough to ease me, to allow me to take a deep breath, to wrestle my control back.
I crushed the minds of the three monsters, their bodies hitting the floor in motionless heaps.I also released the two espers along with the civilians, offering one last mental push to the one who had spoken through the cameras.
Carter put his hands on his hips and smiled as though nothing strange had just happened.“Well, looks like we won.”
I shook my head, rewarded with the knowledge that the man behind the camera, the one in charge of this entire little stunt, was wiping blood from his nose.
Serves him right.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Yun
Exhaustion hung on me, causing my feet to drag as I entered the trailer, glad to finally have finished.
After my great time, I’d found myself in a number of meetings with a few of the medical staff.They wanted to understand how I’d done it, but I didn’t have an answer for that.Honestly, dealing with them was far worse than the actual tests.The questions had come, one after another, as though they would figure out how I’d done it using some questionnaire.
The answer they wanted wasn’t one I could give them anyway—and even if I could, I doubted they’d want to know it.
Or worse…if they knew, if they understood how it had happened, would they try to replicate it?
My mind seized that thought, the horror of it.Would they do that?Put others through what I went through just because it might strengthen their powers?
The fear filled me so completely that I didn’t pick my feet up enough as I went up the final step into the trailer, my toes catching on the ledge and pitching me forward.It happened so fast I couldn’t even brace for it, would have ended up flat on my face if not for a strong arm catching me.
It knocked the breath from me, since it wrapped around my stomach to stop my fall, but at least I didn’t smash my face against the floor.
“That excited to see us?”Carter’s playful voice was the only reason I didn’t react badly at his touch—well, that and the fact that he helped me regain my balance, then backed off.“You’re like a little kid, rushing so fast you trip over your feet.”
“I tripped over the step.”I gestured toward the stairs as though proving it, my cheeks warm.I might have argued more if it wasn’t for a delectable scent filling the trailer.It drew me to a stop.
It was thick, heady, rich.I could identify onions and the sear of chicken?I turned my head toward the small kitchen space along one wall of the trailer.It only had one induction burner, but steam escaped the top of a rice cooker plugged in beside it.Kenyon stood before the large pan on the burner, a wooden spoon in his hand that he used to stir whatever was there.
My stomach grumbled loud enough that even humans would hear it, which meant there was no way a trailer full of espers wouldn’t.
Which made me recognize I hadn’t eaten since this morning, not since before the guiding test.The corruption had stolen my appetite, and the business of the day had made it so I hadn’t even realized I was hungry.
Kenyon turned, glancing over his shoulder toward me with a smile.“Good timing—we’re going to eat outside.Why don’t you go take a seat?”
The exhaustion that had pulled at me eased at the idea of a nice home-cooked meal.Sure, this wasn’t our home—I didn’t really have one—but it was comfortable and as safe as I could hope for.I turned and went back down the stairs, realizing for the first time that a picnic table sat out there, a string of lights hanging above it from the awning of the trailer.It looked downright cozy.
Ingram already sat on one side with Shear next him, neither speaking.I hadn’t noticed them because the table sat near the back of the trailer, and I’d come in from the other side.I took a seat across from them both.
They lifted their gaze but didn’t question me, with Shear staring silently and Ingram returning to his phone as though he had better things to deal with.
Fine by me.I didn’t know how to deal with him after what had happened, so I’d prefer he act as though I didn’t exist.It made my life easier.
A few moments later, Carter appeared with plates balanced on his arms, Kenyon just behind him with glasses of water.They put them out before each of us and took their spots—one on each side of me.
The plates were paper, piled high with rice and a yellow curry mixed with large chunks of chicken, carrots, onions and potatoes.
One deep inhalation drew that delicious scent into my lungs, allowing me to savor it before I picked up a fork and took the first bite.It had spice to it, leaving a lingering burn on my tongue, but the flavor was deep and wonderfully balanced.The rice eased the burn, mixing perfectly.
I lifted my gaze to find all four of them staring at me.
My cheeks burned worse than the curry when I realized I’d actually moaned as I’d eaten.It was good, but that was just absurd.
