Gem hesitates at my side. “I’m not letting Orelle train alone.”
Kalden’s eyelids twitch, and I get the feeling he’s trying not to roll his eyes. “She won’t. I’ll train her separately.”
“Why not teach all of us these other methods?”
“Because what you’re learning is more effective for those without physical limitations.”
Gem still doesn’t budge. “What about my head? Doesn’t that count as a physical limitation?”
Kalden sighs, like he’s dealing with a petulant child. “It does, but you seem to be handling yourself well enough with the basic maneuvers. As long as you drink plenty of water during our last few meals andavoid strenuous activity outside of training, your youth should lend itself to an adequate recovery.”
“Fine,” Gem relents, then shoots one last warning glance before partnering up with Twilynn.
Kalden stalks off towards the farthest corner of the room.
Assuming he intends for me to follow, I trail behind, lowering my tone to ask, “Why do we need to be this far from the others?”
Those eerie eyes trail down to my hand. Myrighthand—the one I’d exposed to the sun. In the tunnel, I’d feared he glimpsed the glow of my treacherous veins, but he’d given no indication of it.
Until now.
My breath catches as I plead to the shadows that I’m wrong.
“You felt the sun’s kiss, didn’t you?” Kalden asks. “I saw the light flaring through your fingers.”
Though his voice is low, I glance over my shoulder while wracking my brain for any excuse. “I . . . I spilled some bioluminescent liquid. Last night. Our lantern . . . I was refilling it and got some on my hand.”
It’s not even a good lie. The glow emanating from within me had been a brilliant, near-white gold. Not violet.
A muscle ticks in Kalden’s jaw. “You and I both know that isn’t true.”
“Of course it is.” A hurried tone threads through my whisper. “If I’d been exposed, I wouldn’t be talking to you now, would I?”
The beginnings of a smirk lifts one side of his lips before he leans in to say, “Once again, we both know you’re lying.”
“Then why are you asking if you already know?” I snap as quietly as possible, stepping into his personal space.
His pupils constrict.
Sweat buds in my palms, and I try to step back.
Kalden grabs my wrist, lifting it between us. His touch is warm,almost uncomfortably so, as he studies my fingers like he can still see the evidence of my treason.
“What did you feel?” He taps the center of my palm. “In here?”
I squirm, but his grip remains firm. “I didn’t?—”
“I haven’t told anyone, nor do I plan on it. I’m trying to help you, but I need you to be honest with me.”
Prickled nerves raise hairs up and down my arms as I recall the tingle of energy that I’d been so sure would spread throughout the rest of my body, mutating it into something unrecognizable.
“I felt power. Almost like an itch that could only be scratched by releasing it.”
“Did you?” His voice is rougher than before—heady, almost.
“Did I what?” I breathe, intoxicated by the recollection, like I can still sense it.
Another gleam shines between Kalden’s thick lashes before he blinks, letting go of my wrist. “Did you release the power?”
