Page 51 of Wicked Dove

“It means you siphon other people’s magic,” he explains, a flat smile on his lips, but I’m more confused by the fact that he’s not moving away from me, treating me like the monster that I am. “Your magic slips into the soul of the person you’re connected with, ripping them apart. The magical essence that is inside of them roars to the surface, detaching from them to bestow you with their gift. Slam your hands against me like you did, and you’ll cause pain and discomfort. Hold on like you did to Tiran, and you can embrace their abilities yourself, but if you happen to maintain the connection for too long, you just might take their very existence.”

“I don’t want to do that,” I whisper, glancing at Ocean, who offers me a sad smile, but it does nothing to calm the disbelief thrumming through my body.

I didn’t mean for any of that to happen. I was just trying to protect my roommate, my friend. Dropping my face, I lift myhands to hide my distress, but I pause, my gaze trapped on the crimson stains that coat my fingertips.

“I don’t think you have a choice,” Thorne says, confirming the truth I’m not ready to hear yet.

So I do the only thing I can do, the only thing I can control.

I run.

FIFTEEN

RION

Elodie darts for Thirteen like her life depends on it. I’m half surprised she didn’t run for The Vale, probably try and hop over to Institute Twelve again. It’s a shame, really. I would have enjoyed the chase.

“Are we going to address how she just siphoned the hell out of Tiran?” Thorne grunts, nostrils flaring as he shakes his hair out of his face in agitation, but it quickly falls across his brows again the moment he stops.

“You should have let her finish the job, if you ask me,” I state, and Ocean turns to gape at me, reminding me that we’re not alone.

“I don’t think her conscience could handle that,” Kael mutters, catching me by surprise, but when I turn my attention to him, he’s staring at the Institute as if he’s expecting Elodie to come running back out any moment.

“She’s in Thirteen, we all know what it means to be here,” Thorne declares, and Ocean aims a finger at him.

“Does she look evil to you?”

“None of uslookevil,” Kael mocks before Thorne can answer, and Ocean scoffs.

“Have you looked in the mirror?”

Kael rolls his eyes, but Thorne grunts, cutting through the rising tension between the two of them.

“Can we stay on topic here? Her magic isn’t latent,” Thorne snaps, his hands coiled into fists at his sides.

“No,” Kael mumbles, wiping a hand down his face.

“You knew this,” I blurt, recalling my first run-in with Elodie yesterday. She slammed her hands against my chest, but nothing happened. He even made her do it again to him.

“I’ve seen her place her hands on someone like that four times now. It has worked two of those times.”

“Who was the other one?” I ask, aware I’ve been present for the two times nothing happened.

His gaze meets mine and I already know the answer.

“Me.”

“Well, she didn’t succeed,” Ocean mumbles, still inserting herself into our conversation. I’m surprised Thorne hasn’t erased her memory and sent her on her way.

Everything is wrong today.

“She didn’t take my abilities either, she just drained me, panicked, and let go,” Kael explains with a sigh as he rubs at the nape of his neck, which makes Ocean beam with victory.

“See?Notevil.”

“Will you shut up?” Kael snaps back, but she waves him off, the smile unwavering on her face.

“What threat level is this?” I ask, making the atmosphere thicken as we all turn to Thorne for an answer.