We return to the Dagger, but it’s such a nice day and I’m not ready to be indoors yet, so I head out to the Ledge with my tablet. I recently discovered that the digital library has fiction books I’ve never even heard of, including a fantastical series about mystical creatures and evil monarchies. I never thought I cared about fairy tales, but I’m absolutely enthralled with this story and want to see what happens.
I don’t get a chance to read a word, however, because Evlynne is on the Ledge when I walk outside.
She’s crying.
The moment she sees me, she hastily wipes her face with her sleeve, trying to hide the tears. Too late. I already saw them.
“Everything keen?” I ask her.
“Fine,” she mutters.
“You sure? Because you don’t look fine.” I take a tentative step toward her. “Is this about your son?”
Instantly, her expression turns thunderous.
“Sorry,” I say, holding up my hands in surrender. “I know you told me not to bring him up, but…” I give an awkward shrug. “I didn’t say anything about this before because I didn’t want to intrude, but something happened with Fisher the day we saw you in the valley.”
Concern instantly creases her features. “What happened? What did he do?”
What did he do.
The question itself speaks volumes.
“He read my mind, and I assure you,nobodyreads my mind unless I let them. I trained with Julian Ash—my shield is pretty much impenetrable.” I pause. “Fisher’s only six?”
Evlynne nods, misery in her eyes.
“And he’s that strong a mind reader?”
It doesn’t seem like she’s going to elaborate, or even speak for that matter, but then she releases a troubled breath, and the words tumble out.
“I didn’t think I needed to worry when he first started manifesting. Didn’t seem like a big deal. I know when young children manifest abilities, it usually means they’re going to be strong, but that’s not always the case.” She peers up at me, as if she’s trying to convince me.
She’s not wrong. Cross had an aptitude for telepathy when he was eight, and that was as far as it went for him.
On the other hand, I had four abilities by the age of five, so…
“I guess I was hoping it wouldn’t happen,” she says, “but I was giving him his bath last night and it was there. On the sole of his foot.”
I wrinkle my forehead in confusion. “What was there?”
“His bloodmark.”
Chapter 46
I remember when my bloodmark appeared. How afraid Uncle Jim had been. How quickly he sprang to action, realizing the only way to protect me was to get rid of it by any means necessary. Because he knew, right away, that it meant danger. Danger for me, danger for others.
Evlynne knows it, too.
I glimpse the sheer despair swimming in her eyes, and my heart goes out to her.
I sit beside her, dangling my feet over the edge. “When I was being interrogated by the Command, Jayde Valence was only able to penetrate my shield because I gave her an opening. But Fisher did it without me even realizing it. Your son is incredibly powerful.”
“I know.”
“Does he have other abilities?”
“Telepathy and projection. Hopefully it’s just those three, and we’re not dealing with a manipulation power.” She blinks faster, as if trying not to cry again. “I just want to protect him, you know?” Tears cling to her eyelashes, and when she blinks again, a few of them spill over. “I don’t want to disclose.”
