Page 23 of Hidden

He was silent, tapping his pen over his paper before he spoke again. This time there was a thread of hesitance in his question. “Your patient… In what manner of imprisonment was she…” his voice trailed off at the look on Dr. Kohler’s face.

“What?” her voice was like ice.

“We know there’s trafficking involved, but we don’t know the magnitude of the matter.” He waved his hand in the air, frantic for the first time. “We’ve never been able to pinpoint what exactly he was up to. If I can report with how dangerous this man is, then maybe we’d have more resources allocated to—”

“She was prey,” Dr. Kohler cut in, her tone just as cold as before. “She was sexually abused, but she suffered other injuries as well. It’s obvious she had been hunted for sport. You’re looking for a shifter.”

Chapter Five

Bianca

Limits

“You look upset.” Dr. Reed’s voice cut through my thoughts and I glanced at her. “Did something happen?”

She and Julian had been conversing on the other side of the room for the past five minutes. I was taking advantage of quiet, still shivering from a feeling I couldn’t quite place.

When I woke up, everything seemed normal. I was dry, in my bed, and the morning nurses seemed the same as always. Had I imagined the night before?

It was possible. I had also had that very weird dream right before. I might even be going crazy.

I couldn’t tell Dr. Reed though, it would make everything worse. I had to get better, or she would get suspicious. I hadn’t even realized they were paying attention to me.

We were in an office, as Dr. Reed had decided to move my therapy sessions somewhere other than my room.

Julian had arrived a few minutes late today, but his presence seemed to curtail Dr. Reed’s questions about disembodied voices—a topic she didn’t want to let up on. However, she seemed to avoid discussing the topic further in front of Julian, for which I was thankful.

Did I hear voices? Did it feel like I was losing control of my abilities?

There was no way to admit to something like that. Besides, how was I supposed to judge anything about my abilities?

“I’m fine,” I said, referencing her constant questions about my abilities. “I can’t feel them as easily”—I glanced toward the door, outside of which a spirit lingered. The asylum was filled with them—“but they’re still here.”

“Bianca.” Her voice urged for my attention. “Finn mentioned something that concerns me.”

Of course he did, the traitor.

“He claims you told him your medication never worked.” She sounded odd, and, if I wasn’t wrong, appeared to be fearful. It didn’t escape my attention that Julian was now watching her in interest as well. “Is this true? Why did you never say anything?”

It was no use lying now, since we all had abilities here.

That knowledge was strange, to say the least.

I pushed back on the settee, wrapping my arms around my knees as I watched the two of them. Right now, Julian was my doctor, not my friend. This distinction was glaringly obvious in where we sat. It also hadn’t escaped my notice that when Dr. Reed touched his arm as he moved to come to me, he had stopped.

The look in his eyes made my soul ache.

With difficulty, my focus tore from his and returned to hers. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

Dr. Reed sighed. “If you don’t discuss this, no one will know the correct dosage to give to you. We could over-medicate you. Even if you don’t want to talk about anything else, please don’t lie about your medication. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

I watched my feet. This wasn’t fair. Nothing she was saying explained why I needed medication to begin with. No one could answer that, apparently.

“Bianca—”

“I didn’t want them to send me back.” I hated this, but if I didn’t respond, she was only going to keep asking. “If I was normal, they wouldn’t have to.”

“Send you back where?” she asked. “Mr. Richards?”