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"I don't have any special powers," Fenella said.

She sounded part defensive and part apologetic, and Syssi felt for her. It wasn't fun to be placed in a position where she had no idea how to perform what was expected of her.

It wasn't fair of Annani to put such pressure on the woman, especially so soon after her rescue from a nightmare, but the Clan Mother was growing desperate for some reason.

Perhaps she could feel that Khiann's time was running out, in the same way Jasmine had felt that she needed to find her prince. She'd saved the twins days before they would have died.

"Most abilities aren't as dramatic as they appear in fiction," Amanda said. "Some manifest as heightened instincts, gut feelings, or inexplicable knowing. Once identified, they can be practiced and focused until they become a useful tool and not just a curiosity."

"Like my pendant," Kyra said, touching the amber stone. "It has taken me a while to feel the subtle clues it provides me with, and sometimes I still get them wrong."

"Exactly." Amanda turned to Morelle. "I know you are wondering why I invited you along."

Morelle nodded. "I thought that my talent needed to remain a secret."

Amanda waved a hand. "It does, but security be damned when my mother demands results, right? Not even Kian would dare say anything." She leaned forward, lacing her fingers over her knee. "Since you can siphon energy from paranormally talented people, I figured you can sense who has power you can tap into and who doesn't. Perhaps you could check Fenella and figure out if she has any reserves of power."

Morelle shifted on the simple plastic chair. "I'm not sure I can do that. I've been practicing, but it is still mostly instinctive."

Amanda nodded. "All I ask is that you pay attention when I test Fenella. You might sense surges in power."

"I can try," Morelle said.

"Let me give you a quick tour of the facility." Amanda rose to her feet. "Morelle has seen everything already, so you can skip it if you want."

"I will join you." Morelle stood up. "I was fascinated by all the sophisticated equipment the first time I was here, but I didn't retain much. I'd love another round."

"You're more than welcome," Amanda said.

As she led them through the laboratory, explaining various pieces of equipment, Syssi fell into step beside Morelle.

"Thank you for coming," she said quietly. "Amanda had something different in mind for testing your power, but she realized that it wasn't safe. We might have to try it the same way we are testing Ell-rom's abilities."

Morelle nodded. "Annani believes these ladies hold the key to finding Khiann, and I know how desperately she wants him found. I'll do anything to assist in any way I can."

Syssi didn't know whether she should be relieved that Morelle agreed to test her powers on the scumbags in the dungeon or be troubled by it.

"I keep thinking how terrible it must have been for you to wake and find that thousands of years had passed," she said instead.

Morelle shrugged. "Ell-rom and I expected to wake up in a different world, and we did. It didn't make much difference that this new world was much more advanced than the one we'd expected. And as for the passage of time, we didn't feel it. In deep stasis, there are not even dreams."

They reached the main testing area, where Amanda was showing Fenella one of their newest pieces of equipment.

"This is our pride and joy. It's a custom-built neuroimaging system that combines functional magnetic resonance imaging with electroencephalography. It allows us to observe neural activity in real time, mapping both electrical patterns and blood flow."

Fenella's eyes crossed. "In English, please?"

Amanda laughed. "It lets us see which parts of your brain light up when you're using your abilities. Even the ones you don't know you have."

"How exactly do you plan to trigger these supposed abilities?" Fenella asked.

"That's where it gets interesting," Amanda said with a smile that had those 'mad scientist' vibes Fenella had mentioned. "We've developed a series of tests—some standard cognitive assessments, others specifically designed to elicit paranormal responses."

"Like what?" Fenella asked.

"Card guessing, remote viewing, precognitive timing tests." Amanda lifted a deck of cards. "But also some less conventional methods involving emotional triggers and adrenaline responses."

Fenella raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to electrocute me, are you?"