Doc, looking like she’s running on pure will alone, makes her way from bed to bed, checking vitals.
Alyssa rolls her eyes. “You here for Doc, Junie?”
“Yeah, she wanted to talk to me, so I got the full escort,” I say, nodding to Ian who’s talking with Dr. Spencer in Mai’s office, his eyes never leaving me.
“Ah, Juniper. Good to see you. Alyssa, get your butt back in bed and listen to your alpha,” Doc chides. “You’ve done more than enough. There are students here who owe you their lives. So get some rest, would you?”
Alyssa glows at the praise and nods sheepishly.
“My office, please, Juniper. Mr. Haley, you’re welcome to join us if Juniper says you are.”
“He is,” I say quickly. There are few people I truly trust and while Marcus and I approach the world differently, I trust him with my life.
We file into Doc’s office, and she draws the blinds before casting a spell of silence so our conversation won’t be overheard. It’s a tight fit with the five of us and I’m so close to where Ian’s sitting that he can reach out and brush the back of my hand with his fingertips.
A shiver slips through me.
“Saints, you look tired,” Dr. Spencer observes.
“Just what every young woman wants to hear,” I mutter.
“Still got your spark, though. So, Ian tells me you believe you have an affinity.” There’s a hardness to her voice I didn’t expect, a scrutiny that makes me squirm.
“I don’t knowwhatto believe,” I hedge. “I still don’t even know what an affinityis, but I know my magic is wonky, and I overheard my father talking about affinities over the break. He asked my brother if I’d shown any signs of one.”
Dr. Spencer studies me over the rims of her glasses and presses her lips together. “Affinities are powerful magical abilities. Only omegas have ever been found to have them and each affinity is unique to the omega who possesses it. I should warn you, though, historical records of affinities are just as rare as affinities themselves, and what has been written has mostly been destroyed. In the past, alphas have sought to control omegas with affinities, to leverage their rare powers. If you do, in fact, have an affinity, you must never let your father know. I shudder to think what a man like Redwood Rose would do with an affinitied omega.”
“My father is involved in… in something to do with affinities. I’m not sure what yet. But he mentioned that omegas have been showing affinities in Rose laboratories around the world.”
“Inlaboratories?” Mai snaps. “Hawthorn didn’t tell me that. I’m going to absolutely break my oath to do no harm on his ass…”
I startle, staring at the young omega doctor with wide eyes.
“My father said laboratories,” I confirm. “It’s not a comforting thought. I don’t know if they’re doing anything to the omegas to get affinities to emerge… saints, I’ve just now learned what an affinity evenis. All I know is, I was telling Professor Reinhardt about some weird things that were happening with my magic and he mentioned the possibility of me having an affinity.”
Dr. Spencer perches on the edge of Mai’s desk. “Tell me about your strange magic. I know you’re a strong mage, that your magic was locked, but what else?”
I take a deep breath, cowering beneath the weight of their attention. “I see things. And hear things. At first, I was just seeing Baphomet masks transposed over the faces of students around campus. Then I started picking up feelings from those around me.”
“Could be your omega instincts,” Dr. Spencer says.
“This was more than just instincts. And became more than just feelings. I started catching words. It all came to a head when Andrew Radcliffe assaulted me. I could hear all of his thoughts and… and I don’t wish to repeat them. They were vile.”
“That son of a bitch should have been expelled,” Mai mutters.
Dr. Spencer sighs. “He’s untouchable.”
“Not wholly,” I murmur as Ian’s fingers brush against mine, stealing my breath. “I believe I hurt him with my magic somehow. When we were linked, he fell to the ground, clutching his head. It happened again during an argument with my peer advisor last term. I really didn’t understand it then, but I think it’s connected. I heard thoughts from Rad and my brother during our annual New Year’s gala. When Luca was arrested, I caught his thoughts, too.”
“Tell them the rest,” Ian says quietly. “What you told me.”
I let out a heavy, shuddering breath. “I believe I’ve seen the near future three times now. I saw the septagrams burning before the Soldiers attacked last night, and I saw Alyssa in an omega trap before the hex had even been cast.” I purse my lips and squeeze my eyes shut. “And I saw Trinity with a scribe to her throat. It was the first of these visions and I didn’t understand it. I didn’t know she’d be taken.”
Now Ian closes his eyes tightly, rubbing at them with his thumb and forefinger.
“Show her, Mai.”
Mai goes to protest but Ian shakes his head.
