Page 76

How many times had she just used the word “safe?”

“My sister…” He struggled to find the words. “Tonia didn’t trust anyone to get close to her afterwards.”

“That’s exactly like me.” Randa nodded. “I especially don’t like people behind me. When I was taken from my home and brought to Parald, I was grabbed from behind. And then he…” She shuddered again. “I just don’t like it.”

“I’ll be careful to always approach you from the front.”

“It doesn’t bother me so much, when you’re behind me.” She admitted. “Just everyone else.”

Fuck, if that didn’t simultaneously fill him with pride and make him want to cry.

“And I’m getting stronger. I can feel lust, now. Dr. Ashley thinks that’s a big step.”

He took another deep breath, somehow keeping his voice calm. “Well, nothing can break you. You’re indestructible.”

“I am.” She sounded pleased with herself. She should be. “Did your sister eventually heal?”

“She did. Tonia always preferred women, but I think she was born preferring them. Surviving her assault just made her more open about it. Just before the Fall, she became smitten with a very smart, very argumentative girl from the Metal House. They hated each other, until they didn’t. I like to think they would’ve discovered they were a Match, if they had more time.”

“I’m glad she was happy. Someone else’s crimes do not define who we are. Only we have that power.”

“That’s right.” Kahn agreed. It took a hell of a lot of work to rebuild after a hit like Randa had taken and she’d done it. She was strong as granite.

He wasn’t.

Randa seemed calm and in control, now that she’d told him her story. Kahn was barely hanging on, though. His emotions were beginning to break free. He’d never been good at hiding them. Kahn squeezed his eyes shut, helpless fury threatening to erupt, now that she’d gotten through her story.

Goddamn Parald. Chason had hacked that bastard apart, and his death had still been too easy.

The lights flickered, as his energy pulsed out, wanting a target. Wanting to explode. He was so fucking mad that the Wildness was pulling him towards…

“Do you suppose that Tonia and I would have been friends?” Randa asked in a grave tone. “I think we would’ve gotten along famously. I wouldn’t have held her questionable choice in brothers against her.”

Kahn’s eyes snapped open, flying to her face.

Randa raised her brows innocently, but there was a spark in her dark gaze. She was teasing him! She’d seen how enraged he was, and she was trying to guide him away from the darkness, back towards the light. Back towards her.

Kahn’s chest clenched with tenderness and respect and longing and a thousand other emotions he couldn’t begin to name. His powers settled, no longer roiling with crazed anger. Now they just wanted to swirl around Randa.

“All my sisters would’ve loved you.” Forgetting to wait for her to approach him, he reached out to touch her face with the back of his hand. For the first time, his skin brushed against hers.

…And the Phazing energy went wild.

For a fraction of a second, Kahn couldn’t process it. He instinctively yanked his hand back, half-afraid he’d just zapped her with static electricity.

Randa’s eyes got huge. “Oh, Gaia.” She whispered in terror. While Kahn stood there, struggling to think, she bolted for her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Kahn wasn’t stupid. He understood everything, but it took him a couple of seconds to accept it was real. Once reality dawned, he was running after her, shouting her name.

“Randa, don’t jump!” He stopped in front of the closed door, his hands braced on the frame. “Don’t jump. It’s not safe for you to leave here unprotected.”

Silence.

Kahn kept talking, his voice desperate. “I’m not going to come in there. I swear on my sisters’ souls. You can stay right where you are and be safe.” That was the word she needed to hear, so he kept saying it. “You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you. You’re safe.”

Still nothing.

Then, Randa engaged the lock on her door, bolting it against him.