Page 91 of The Brotherhood

“Okay,” she exhaled, turning her focus toward the Pillars.

She shot out for the first one as if some innerit’s go timesignal went off.

Hesitation gone, she stood before Oblivion. “Just your hand,” she reminded.

He stretched out his left one and the room fell entirely silent as she took it in both of hers, closing her eyes. Seer could hear her uneven breaths as her fingers explored all along every inch and crevice, every line and pore.

Ten seconds later, she released it then moved right over to Volkan.

He gave his hand, and she repeated the same touching.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen.

Release and next.

Seer watched, wondering over her quick pace. Was it because she was seeing a lot and needed to draw it or because she wasn’t liking what she saw? Or both?

At Noctis, she paused during touch, angled her head as if listening, then turned his hand over and resumed, sliding her fingers along his skin as if rubbing something in or off. She raised her head and looked right at him. “Youwillknow.”

Nexus was last and he took the longest. She even requested his other hand after many seconds, her gasps coming more frequent. Then she was done.

Seer stilled when she moved to Sinrik, surprising the entire room.

He eyed her. “I’d prefer not—”

“Please,” she begged quietly. “I need to.”

So, she felt it with him too.

Sinrik slowly held his right hand out to her.

“May I have your left?” she whispered.

He switched hands. “You’re her sister,” he barely murmured, a light recognition.

She paused and nodded then began her task. This one had Seer tense as he watched every detail.

Maggie’s fingers trembled as they ghosted just above his skin as if seeking a point of contact. The moment their skin touched, her breath caught. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something but didn’t know how.

She turned his hand over, tracing the veins beneath, her touch featherlight yet deliberate. Her thumbs pressed the center of his palm like she was feeling for a pulse. A sharp inhale and then she dropped it, wide eyes on his.

She regarded his other hand. “May I have your right?” she whispered.

Sinrik’s jaw flexed. His stare was heavy, unreadable. But after a long pause, he switched hands, watching her closely.

Their skin met a second time and her breathing shallowed. She moved slower, maybe careful, maybe reverent. She pressed her fingertips along the length of his fingers, then over his wrist, like she was searching for something buried. A flicker of confusion crossed her face. Then something like recognition. She yanked back, her whole body shuddering as she stared at him.

Sinrik’s eyes darkened. “What did you see?”

Maggie spun and ran straight for the paper. Grabbing the whole stack, she dropped to the floor with them and began drawing. Fast.

Her pen scraped loudly and her entire body shifted with the movement.

One page.

Another.

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