“Tell him thanks,” I said, offering James a wink in hopes of lightening the heavy moment.
James chuckled softly. “I will.”
“What about Stephen? Did you find him?” I pressed, as my anxiety flared up again.
James nodded, relief mingling with exhaustion in his eyes. “Yes, I did. I got to him right in time. I had him portal back with the United Chiefs for safety.”
“Thank the gods. And you? How did you…”
“I stayed behind with Crown’s Offensives,” he said quickly. “We managed to push the Radicals back outside their borders and into human territory. It was touch and go, but we succeeded.”
“That’s a relief,” I said, while I tried to process it all. “But what about now? How’s the situation?”
James’s expression grew grim. “The latest intel isn’t great. The Radicals have set up camps, so it’s likely they’ll regroup for another strike.”
“What’s the plan?”
“I’m staying here for now. We’re gathering at Caerleon Manor,” James explained as he rotated his arm. “The Offensives are consolidating there, and we’re strategizing our next moves.”
I swallowed over the sudden dryness in my throat. “How long do you think you’ll be needed?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Don’t think I don’t miss you terribly already.”
A wave of longing reached me through the Nexus, engulfing me like a lifeline. I held onto it, desperate for the connection between us.
The lump in my throat made it almost impossible to speak. “I miss you too. So much,” I whispered. Then an idea struck me. “I could come over there and help?”
James’s eyes flared with anger. “What?”
“I could help. There’s an Amplifier, yes, but I survived one before! I could do it again. Please, James, let me help.”
He let out a humorless laugh. “You think I’m going to let you into hostile territory where there’s a full-on war raging? With the enemy holding a nuclear weapon? Yeah, I don’t think so.”
I set my jaw, and I could sense my frustration building. “Please don’t dismiss me so easily. You’re there and I’m probably the only one who can survive it.”
“You barely survived it before. Just because you managed once doesn’t mean you’ll make it through again.”
“I’m pretty sure I will.”
“No, you won’t. And I’m not betting your life on it.”
“Why are you so certain I won’t survive?”
He sighed deeply, his whole demeanor heavy with concern. “Emma, whatever happened last time, it clearly loosened up your translation. Something changed, and I’m not willing to test it by putting you in front of an Amplifier. If it’s used on you now, with your translation turned to normal, you will die.”
I searched his face for any hint of hesitation. “Are you sure you don’t know why my translation is loosened? Because you voice a lot of opinions for someone who’s supposedly as clueless as I am.”
His eyes narrowed into slits. “It’s simple logic, Emma. Your emotions didn’t translate last time, so the Amplifier didn’t affect you in the same way. Since your translation now works like everyone else’s, the Amplifier will have the same effect on you.”
He sounded too sure of himself, and doubt crept in like an unwelcome guest. “I thought you said mine was so different from everyone else’s I couldn’t translate outside the Universitas? So which one is it?”
James stilled for a beat, before whispering, “Emma, please. I’m only saying I love you too much to risk your safety. That’s all.”
I sighed, then said more softly, “I love you too James, you know that. But I need to know, and please be honest: do you have any idea how my magic was triggered?
“No, I don’t,” he said, his voice firm again, sounding very convinced of his own statement. But then his focus shifted, darting away from mine.
Damn it. I didn’t believe him.
