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I stand abruptly, uncomfortable with the direction of my thoughts. "I'll see you at the clearing."

CHAPTER 13

The eastern clearingturns out to be a natural amphitheater of sorts, a bowl-shaped depression surrounded by towering trees unlike any I've seen in Unity's carefully cultivated parks. These are wild, enormous things with bark in complex patterns my enhanced vision traces automatically, branches swaying in the morning breeze.

They’re almost too beautiful.

Vex waits in the center, stripped down to a sleeveless black shirt that reveals arms corded with lean muscle. Tattoos in dark ink spiral around both forearms, the patterns so intricate they almost seem to move when he does. I find myself staring at them unabashedly and have to check myself, averting my eyes so I don’t look like I’m drooling over him. Which I’mnot.

"Punctual," he notes as I approach. "Some Unity habits worth keeping, I suppose."

"What's the plan? Push-ups? Sprints?" I ask, gesturing around the clearing, eager to show off my prowess.

He snorts. "This isn't Sentinel basic training. We're going to see what you can do now that you're awake."

"Awake?"

"Our term for fully activated modifications." He circles me slowly, assessing me with careful flicks of his eyes. "Most of us are forcibly awakened through trauma or environmental pressure. Yours were designed to activate on a genetic timer, with proximity to other modifieds as a catalyst."

"So what, I just...try stuff and see what happens?"

"Not exactly." He stops directly in front of me, close enough that I catch his scent—something wild and earthy. "We start with awareness. Close your eyes."

I hesitate, knowing it will leave me vulnerable.

Vex reads my hesitation perfectly. "Still thinking like a Sentinel. I'm not going to attack you, Zara."

"Force of habit," I mutter, but do as he says, closing my eyes.

"Now, tell me what you sense. Not what you expect to sense. What you actually perceive."

I focus, letting my enhanced awareness expand outward. "Heartbeats. Yours—steady, stronger than standard human norm. Another at the edge of the clearing." Trent, unmistakable after years of partnership. "Wind moving through the trees—I can hear each leaf as it shifts. Something small moving through undergrowth about thirty meters northeast. Animal, probably?"

"Good. What else?"

I concentrate harder. "Temperature variations. Cool spots where shadows fall. Warm patches in direct sunlight. The residual body heat from where you were standing before."

"Now the scents."

This is harder, less familiar territory. "Pine, some kind of resin from the trees. Soil. Rain coming…I…I can smell the moisture in the air." I pause, catching something unexpected. “And metal. On you. Hidden."

His low chuckle confirms my guess. "Very good. Weapons.Three of them. Can you locate them without opening your eyes?"

I tilt my head, focusing on the subtle metallic scent and the way it moves with him. "Knife at your right hip. Another smaller one in your left boot. Something else...your right forearm. Inside the jacket?"

"Impressive." There's genuine appreciation in his voice. "Open your eyes."

When I do, the world seems even sharper, colors more vibrant. Vex stands closer than before, those amber eyes studying me intensely.

"Your mother built exceptional enhancements into you," he says. "Most of us struggle for years to achieve this level of sensory integration."

"I didn't do anything," I point out. "It just happened."

"That's the genius of it. Your modifications were designed to work with your nervous system, not override it." He steps back, rolling his shoulders. "Now let's see what your body can do. Try to hit me."

I blink. "What?"

"You heard me. Hit me. If you can." His lips curve in a challenging smile.