“>” Valentina shrieked as she threw herself at him, her blue eyes reddened from crying, chestnut hair a tangled mess around her shoulders. Kyle’s youngest sister slammed into him, her arms twining around his neck as she choked back her tears long enough to say, “>”
“>” Kyle asked, looking over her shoulder at his parents, surprised to see that Sean’s family was there as well. It made for a crowded space, but it seemed fitting to stay together forsolidarity.
“> Maria said, gripping Evgeni’s hands tightly in both of hers. They were seated on the couch, faces pale, both of them trying so hard to be strong for theirchildren.
Kyle patted Valentina on the shoulder before shifting around so he could lay his arm across her shoulders and hold her close. Tatyana was sitting in an armchair with Phaedra on her lap, the young girl tense and scared-looking as she chewed nervously on a fingernail. Her hair was done up in small Senegalese twists that fell to her elbows, dark brown eyes darting around the room to takeeverythingin.
“Do you have any news?” Sean’s mother asked. Dr. Naomi Delaney looked less frazzled than her husband and three other sons, but not by much. All of them looked as stressed out as his ownfamily.
“No, I’m sorry,” Kyle said, wishing he had a different answer. “What you’ve been told is all we knowrightnow.”
“Can I help?” Phaedra asked, her soft voice coming out a littleshaky.
The offer was a surprise. Kyle knew how much Phaedra hated using her power, an inescapable reminder of the pain and loss she had sustained in Montana at Valerie’s hands. If anything, Kyle wished he or someone else on the team had her clairvoyance. To see in real time where Alexei and Sean might be…he’d honestly kill for that power rightaboutnow.
Phaedra wriggled off Tatyana’s lap and darted across the room to Kyle. He lifted an arm and accepted her hug, smoothing a hand over her hair. She tilted her face up at him, big brown eyes dominating her heart-shapedface.
“I can help,” she repeated shakily. “I canfindthem.”
Kyle could feel her trembling in his arms, a sure sign that, as genuine as the offer was, Phaedra was scared of using her power. He hugged her to him a little tighter. “I’m so proud of you for offering to use your power, because I know how much it scares you,solnyshka. But you’re too youngtohelp.”
“Mama and Papa said I could if I wanted. Sean and Alexei are with bad people, so I wanttohelp.”
Kyle glanced over at their parents. Evgeni shook his head. “>”
Phaedra was a minor and under federal protection, but that didn’t mean they could arbitrarily use her power. Laws were in place to protect children turned into metahumans, and this was nodifferent.
Except for how it felt like it was when it came to hisfamily.
Katie?Kyle said, letting his thoughts rest at the edge of his mind, hoping she waslistening.
Yes?she responded immediately, her telepathic voice echoing betweenhisears.
How likely could we get clearance for Phaedra to use herpower?
Katie seemed surprised at that question.She wants to use herpower?
She offered because it’s AlexeiandSean.
I don’t know how successful we’ll be. It’ll require a court order and it’s not a precedent I know the director wants to set. But her power would be damnedhelpful.
If the public found out—which they would, at some point—the cries ofchild soldierswould start up again. Congress treated metahumans like they treated human military recruits and had enshrined that treatment into law a hundred years ago. Metahumans, like everyone else, needed to legally be an adult to use their powers in service to the country. An exemption was rarely, if ever,granted.
I’ll ask,Katie promised before drifting out ofhismind.
Kyle looked down at Phaedra’s upturned face and said, “We’llask.”
Phaedra scrunched up her nose before resting her forehead against his chest, huddling close. She was a tall, skinny little thing, all bony elbows and knees, and thin hands that were always holding ontosomeone.
Be alive, Lyosha,Kyle thought as he held Phaedra close.Please, just bealive.
* * *
Alexei couldn’t rememberthe last time he’d hurtsomuch.
Everything burned, and not in a good,fieryway.
His left eye was swollen shut and crusted with blood. One of Cillian’s punches had broken his cheekbone. The left side of his face was an ever-throbbing pulse of agony he couldn’t ignore. Every time he breathed, pain stabbed through his jaw and mouth. Alexei could feel the swollen heat from the damage on the inside of his mouth, though that could be from the handful of teeth he’d lost when Cillian used him as apunchingbag.
