He wanted to know everything.
But the fear etched into her face as she stared at her hands, her body still trembling, was enough for him to hold back his questions. For now.
Unfortunately, Symond had the subtlety of a brick to the face.
“What thehellare you?” he demanded, stepping closer, glaring down at her like she was something scraped off his boot. “What happened to you at The Institute? What kind offreakdid they turn you into?”
Elora flinched, her hands curling into shaking fists, her head lowering like she could make herself smaller, disappear entirely.
“Enough, Symond,” Violette snapped, sharp and cold.
She grabbed Symond’s arm in a grip that meantshut up before I make you shut up. “We’re checking the lab.Now.”
Symond scowled but didn’t fight her as she yanked him back. Before disappearing down the hall, Violette shot Rell a pointed look—an unspoken order.
Figure her out.
Before Rell could say anything, Elora pressed her palm against her thigh.
Hard.
“What are you—” he started, but the air crackled before he could finish.
A sharp, electric snap filled the room, the hair on Rell’s arms standing on end.
She’s shocking herself.
“Shit—” Rell flinched, instinctively reaching out before thinking better of it. He wasn’t exactly eager to get fried too. “Are you crazy?!” His voice came out sharper than he intended, edged with something dangerously close to panic. “Stop that!”
She didn’t.
Rell could only watch as, slowly, her claws began to shrink, retracting back into normal nails. Her fangs dulled, her features smoothing out into somethinghumanagain.
Then, just as abruptly as it started, it wasover.
The electricity cut off, her hand falling limply to her side. She slumped against the wall, chest heaving, her entire frame wracked with exhaustion.
Rell exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face.What the hell did I just watch?
Then her eyes lifted to meet his. They were normal. Not slitted. Not sharp. Just light blue, with that faint golden ring at the edges of her pupil.
Just likesunshine.
Rell swallowed. Something in his chesttugged.
“You good?” he asked, his voice quieter now, some of the sharp edges smoothed out.
Elora gave a small, exhausted nod. “I… I didn’t mean for you to see,” she whispered, barely audible.
Rell let out a huff, sitting back on his heels. “Yeah, well… you made it real hard to miss.”
A weak, fleeting flicker of a smile almost ghosted across her lips. But it was gone just as fast.
Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her shoulders curling inward as her gaze flicked toward the door—toward the spot Fane had disappeared through.
“You don’t have to tell me now,” he said. “But you’re going to have to tell me, eventually. If I’m protecting you until we get to Kilfaire, I need to know.”
Elora’s fingers tightened against her arms, her grip white-knuckled. “I know,” She whispered, still looking at her own hands like they betrayed her.
