Page 9

Colton

I can’t believe the unfinished thought that I catch floating through Mira’s mind.

First, I couldn’t hear her thoughts at all. Then, I placed my hand on her back. The longer I kept it there, the quieter everything grew until there was nothing but my thoughts.

And then hers.

I could hear Mira in my mind like she was whispering to me, sweet and loving. Longing to embrace me.

I want that so badly.

But I also want to live.

At least, I do now that she’s in my life.

I’ve never felt a connection so strong, and it just keeps growing.

So when she thought of Rai and Aubs, and how she feels for them, I thought, Fuck it . I tried to do on purpose what I’d done accidentally that afternoon.

I called to them. In my mind.

And it fucking worked.

Like, how is this even possible?

When I was a kid, I’d cower in corners, covering my ears, squeezing my head, screaming at the voices to go away until my voice gave out.

The first time I’d done it, my parents sent me to a loony bin. Padded room, straight-jacket, the whole nine.

I was twelve.

And when the doctors there figured out my problem was worse than being crazy, and I was, in fact, a Cursed, my parents disowned me on the spot. Left me behind as I cried out for them not to go, my voice weak from screaming and all the drugs they’d pumped into me.

I never saw my parents again.

It was the institution that had the GBE soldiers come get me.

And they hadn’t brought me to the academy. Not at first.

No. The first stop had been Tenebrosa. Where they administered shock and hydroponic therapies, sleep and food deprivation, and pumped me full of more drugs.

A twelve-year-old boy.

It was Major Tomlin, then a Lieutenant, who got me out of there. He’d taken me to the academy himself, wielding verbal assaults the entire way.

That was when I discovered children weren’t supposed to be admitted to Tenebrosa.

The GBE had some sort of standards. Who would have thought?

Eleven years later, things with my curse hadn’t improved; I’d just learned to ignore it as best I could. After so long, hearing voices that aren’t mine every second of the day, I just gave up and accepted this was my eternity.

And then Mira arrived. The voices dulled, my curse subdued. I accidentally projected my thoughts, and now, on purpose.

Who is she?

More importantly, who is she to me?

And even more importantly, if her unfinished thought is true, how will I protect her?

“ It’s forbidden by threat of death. I can’t touch anyone, and I’ve never even—”

She gasps when she remembers that I can hear her. And somehow, the world around me goes even more silent.

What I feel for her is dangerous, but what she’s hiding is even more of a threat to her life.

I rise, and with determined steps, I approach her. Side-stepping Rai, I lean down to her ear, and instead of whispering aloud, I do so in her mind. “ No one will ever take you from me. I swear it.”

Her wide eyes fly up to my face on yet another gasp, and in those silvery pools are unshed tears...and hope .

This is what she wants. It’s what she needs.

Connection. Protection.

Now, I just have to figure out how to keep my promise.