My breath hitched as I tried to pull it back, to rein it in, but it resisted me, growing stronger with each passing second. The sheer force of it surprised me, and a chill crept up my spine as the haze thickened, expanding like it had its own will. It radiated off me in violent waves, rippling through the room, an energy I had never summoned before. The more I fought to control it, the more it surged, as if it had been waiting to break free—and now it had, it refused to be tamed.
Panic gripped me as I realized I couldn't stop it. It was as if this power didn’t belong to me at all—like it was stronger, wilder, feeding off my fear and anger, amplifying every emotion I was experiencing. I wasn’t sure if I was controlling it—or if it was controlling me.
All I wished for was a sign from him—anything to tell me he was okay.
James, please…contact me.
I homed in, manifesting my Nexus in my hand. So fast, it might have been there all along.
“1.02 seconds,” Nino’s voice cut through my mind-fog, snapping me back to the present.
My eyelids flew open. The room had gone silent, my classmates standing frozen, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. I hadn’t broken the one-second mark, but I had beaten everyone else in the class.
I scanned the room, then caught the hardly concealed concern in Nino’s gaze and the detached, analytical look on Maurice’s face.
Had they noticed my lack of control?
My heart pounded harder, and a sharp pain lanced through my arm, right along the ugly scars. It was as if ice had been injected into my veins, its chill spreading through my muscles, locking them in place.
I tried to swallow the rising wave of fear, but then out of nowhere, the memories of Coastal and Logan Stark hit me like a sledgehammer.
“What we need from you is your secret.”
“Don’t play dumb, Miss Thompson. It doesn’t suit you.”
“We bled you almost entirely dry.”
As if those memories weren’t enough, I was suddenly staring into the cold eyes of Radicals, their hands gripping the Amplifier. The fear was suffocating, the knowledge unbearable; I was about to implode. One more second, and I’d be dead.
My breathing faltered, each inhale coming shorter and more frantic. The raw panic was crushing my chest, making it impossible to stay. I couldn’t remain in the classroom with those haunting images tearing at me. I grabbed my gear and sprinted out of the room, ignoring the confused whispers of my classmates as I fled.
I dashed down the hallway, my thoughts racing faster than my feet. I portaled to my dorm, desperate to escape the chaos in my mind. By the time I stumbled into my room, I was full-on hyperventilating, and my breaths came in ragged gasps. I didn’t even make it to the bed before I collapsed, my knees buckling beneath me.
I simply dropped to the floor, overwhelmed by the onslaught of sobs racking my body.
It was dark outside by the time I started to come back to my senses. I’d been trapped in a panic attack for hours, and no one had come to check on me. Not like I wanted anyone around while I was so vulnerable, but it did trigger a new form of loneliness.
A sudden surge of love cut through my spiraling wave of self-pity. The drops on my Nexus flared to life, and waves of intense relief flooded my system.James.
His piercing green orbs appeared a moment later, but his face was heavily wounded. I gasped, taking in the bruises and bloody cuts marring his beautiful features.
“James,” I breathed, the word carrying a mix of relief and deep worry. “What happened? You look…”
“It’s a mess,” he interrupted, strained yet resolute. “No one expected Crown to be attacked in the first place, and when they did, the Radicals turned on the Amplifier, transforming the whole battle into a scene of brutal chaos. We lost our ability to translate, and everything fell apart.”
“Are you okay?” I asked, while my concern deepened.
He nodded, though his expression was grave. “I almost wasn’t. I got so caught up searching for the damn Amplifier I didn’t see an ambush coming.”
My heart raced at his words. “What happened?”
“Caden Colt,” he said, his face reflecting a mix of gratitude and relief.
“The ‘mean piece of work, ruthless and rotten to the core’ Caden?”
James nodded again. “He saved my life. I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for him. He’s one hell of a First Offensive.”
James was complimenting another person. Damn, this Caden guy had to be something else. A wave of gratitude washed over me, along with a strong urge to hug the First Offensive who had saved the man I loved.
