Page 32 of Gates of Rapture (The Guardians of Ascension #6)

Using her intuition, she extended her power into the lock, like a blue flame key, and the door flew open.

Grace then drew Alison’s healing ability into her body in long sweeping waves, a complete sharing.

Once the process was complete, she drew out of Alison’s soul and her mind.

Leaving her was a very strange rubbery sensation.

She blinked. Alison smiled, but she shook her head.

“What exactly happened?” Alison asked. “I mean I could feel you, but what were you doing?”

Grace sat staring at Alison. She was filled with a sense of wonder at what she had just done. “I believe I acquired your ability to heal the mind.” She related all that she had experienced to the last detail.

Alison grinned. “What an amazing gift this is. I mean, if I understand it, you could acquire any power. Any power . Just think about that. The implications are astonishing. But we should test it.”

At that, Grace smiled. “But how could I test your ability to heal the mind.” Then it was as though Grace knew, and she put her hand on Alison’s forehead and let the healing waves flow.

The experience was like having something warm at the center of her palm.

Alison closed her eyes and sighed. Her shoulders even dropped a little. “Oh, that’s wonderful. So that’s what everyone else feels.”

“Yes, it is,” Grace said. “I’ve felt it from you many times, like soothing warm waves just easing over the mind. That’s what happened when you came to help me at the Seattle warrior games.”

Alison opened her eyes. “Wow. And thank you. I actually feel more relaxed.”

“So you think this is it, then?” Grace asked. “That I can acquire abilities?”

“I do.”

“So, now what?”

“I think you have to work this out with obsidian flame.”

Grace realized she had taken the first step toward forging the obsidian flame triad.

For just a moment, she wondered if she should go forward.

She felt as though she had come to a crossroads—but she could still retreat if she wanted to.

She could return to a former life and ease back into her more spiritual pursuits.

Yet even as the thought went through her mind, she knew she couldn’t.

In the same way that she was the sort of person who could commit happily to life in a convent for a hundred years, she knew she wouldn’t go back.

She had made her decision while on Fourth Earth to embrace her calling as obsidian flame, and so she would.

She mentally contacted Fiona and Marguerite and arranged to meet them in half an hour at the Militia HQ workout room. With the arrangements made, Grace walked Alison to the landing platform. She was headed to Endelle’s office and would let Endelle know the results of her time with Grace.

After Alison left, Grace hunted Leto down to tell him her news. She found him in a quiet corner of one of the lesser-used rotundas. He had James’s papers on his lap and his phone in hand. “How’s it going?” she asked.

He looked up at her and smiled. “Incredible. It didn’t even occur to me how things would be for my warriors when I left.”

For his warriors. Grace loved the sound of that.

He leaned forward slightly and took her fingers in a light clasp. “How’s it going with Alison?”

“I think we’re done.”

“You’re done? So soon?”

She nodded then told him what had happened. Leto’s brows rose. “You can acquire any ability?”

“That’s what it feels like to me.”

“Huh. Like the ability to fold masses of people?”

This time her brows rose. “You mean like warriors?”

He nodded slowly.

“Oh. Well.” She squeezed his fingers. “Looks like I have some work to do with obsidian flame.” She told him where she was headed. “You can let Thorne know what’s going on as well. I know he has a role in obsidian flame so we might need him. I’m just not sure.” She glanced behind her.

“I will.”

“Walk me to the landing platform?”

He rose so fast from his chair that she took a step back and laughed.

He put his arm around her and squeezed, then put them both in motion.

She felt very young right now, like she was just a girl with her boyfriend and he was walking her to class.

It was a nice feeling and in this moment, not far from the truth.

Her class, however, involved obsidian flame.

Once near the platform, Leto kissed her. She let the kiss linger.

I don’t want to let you go, he sent, his lips hovering just over hers.

I don’t want to leave.

The kiss deepened until she was swaying. Finally, she had to push him away.

He drew back and smiled ruefully. She always forgot how beautiful his eyes were until she was this close.

They were the color of clear blue water.

She gave him another quick kiss, and because she had the feeling if she didn’t just take off, she’d stay for another hour with her hands fondling his biceps, she ran up the landing platform ramp.

He waited where she had left him, smiling and looking better than ever, more relaxed, more at ease.

She waved as she dematerialized and was still waving when she arrived at Militia Warrior HQ.

The Militia Warriors on duty looked at her with serious expressions then nodded as she started down the ramp.

She hadn’t been to HQ in a long time and had to get directions to the workout room.

In the past couple of years, the complex had been expanded; it actually took her several minutes to walk the distance to the room.

No folding whatsoever was allowed within the complex.

In previous years, before the addition of the current state-of-the-art security system, death vamps had been known to fold inside the facility and take the lives of dozens of Militia Warriors, often before anyone even knew what was happening.

Now the whole complex was locked down tight.

Once at the workout center, Marguerite waved to her from across the room.

Grace had missed her. Though they were opposites, a hundred years sharing a convent cell had created a warm bond. She would always consider Marguerite one of her closest friends.

Marguerite wore stretchy black pants and a crisp white maternity blouse. She was barefoot, leading with her belly, all full of Grace’s niece and nephew. Fiona was there as well in flats, jeans, and a tank. Her long chestnut hair was drawn into a ponytail. She looked beautiful.

“How pretty you look,” Marguerite said, holding her hands out to Grace.

She took them. “Thank you and so do you. Glowing, actually, although I have to say it’s still strange to see you with short blond hair.” For the ten decades Grace had been with Marguerite in the Convent, her hair had been very long and dark brown.

“So what happened with Alison earlier?” Fiona asked. “I know she helped me tremendously. What did you find out?”

Grace shared her experience.

Marguerite’s large brown eyes went very wide. “Any power?”

Grace shrugged. “That’s what I’m sensing. Any soul, any power.”

“Wow,” Fiona murmured.

Marguerite whistled then looked around. “Well, I guess this place is big enough for us to do some practicing.”

The room was huge, and Colonel Seriffe had cleared the space for them, moving all the machines and workout equipment to one side.

Grace laughed. “Well, l hope it’s big enough. I mean, what if we have enough combined power to blow the roof off?”

As if on cue, all three women looked straight up at an interlacing of steel girders, then back at one another. When Marguerite and Fiona laughed, Grace joined them, and something tight within her chest started to unwind.

“This seems so strange,” Fiona said. “Six months ago I was a blood slave. Now I’m here, with powers I’d never dreamed of.

” Fiona could channel powers and enhance them at the same time.

She could even be possessed by another person, which really enhanced the power level.

She reached one hand toward Grace and one toward Marguerite.

Even without touching their obsidian power flared.

Fiona jumped back and laughed. “There it is again, just like at the Seattle Colony.”

Grace rubbed her arms. “It’s always so strange. I wonder if we’ll ever get used to it.”

“Hey,” Marguerite said, her voice lowered almost conspiratorially. “Let’s try creating a circle like we did by accident before the warrior games. Remember?”

Grace nodded at the same time as Fiona. Grace put her hand on Fiona’s shoulder. Fiona did the same to Marguerite, and even without the circle being completed the vibrations were strong.

Marguerite’s dark brown eyes glittered with delight, which made Grace smile. Marguerite’s hand would close the circle but she aimed her fingers at Grace’s shoulder, holding back, then inch by inch crept toward her.

What a tease, but it helped to lighten the mood.

The moment contact was made, however, Grace flew backward, as did each of the women. Not far, but it was unsettling to sit up and watch Fiona do so as well. Marguerite had a little more trouble. She rolled to the side and pushed her heavy body up.

Once upright, Grace moved back toward the other women.

When they were together again and the same level of power surged even before they touched, Marguerite said, “I think we’re going to need Thorne here to anchor us. If it’s all right with you, I’m going to ask him to come over. Maybe he can get us started or something.”

“I totally agree,” Fiona said.

Grace nodded her acquiescence as well.

Marguerite strolled away, one hand touching her cheek as she moved. Grace could sense that she was communicating telepathically with Thorne. She even knew when the conversation ended.

When she turned back around, she called out, “He’ll be here shortly.”

Grace recalled seeing Thorne bent over the grid when she walked Alison to the landing platform. She wondered how he would feel about leaving his command center.

When Thorne arrived, Marguerite explained what had happened.

He glanced down at her belly. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m tougher than I look.”