Page 229 of Silver Elite

She stares at me. I can see her vacillating between wanting to trusther best friend Wren and wanting to recoil in terror from the girl with the bloodmark on her thigh.

“What’s your ability?” she asks in a weak voice.

“Telepathy, but I don’t have anyone to use it with. I’m not a double agent, so I don’t really need to interact with others like me. I can read minds, too, but I don’t because I respect everyone’s privacy. And I can heal.”

Her eyes go wider than saucers. “You’re a healer?”

“Yes. That’s why they wanted me in Elite, because I can heal members of the unit on the field.”

Careful.

I’m starting to provide too many details. The best lies are simple. Ordinary. I pull back, relying only on what I’ve already said.

“They know exactly what I am,” I reiterate. “They’ve always known.”

“Why are your burns gone?”

“The General decided it would encourage unity in Elite. It’s supposed to be a show of trust, so that my fellows know they can rely on me to always tell them the truth. Look. Lyds. There is so much more I want to tell you,” I say, imploring her with my gaze, “and I promise you can ask me a thousand more questions, but right now I need you to promise me you’ll keep my cover intact. You can’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Did Kaine know?”

“No. He died before the General instructed me to reveal myself to the captain. Cross hasn’t told the unit yet.”

“Told them what?”

I jerk in surprise at the sound of Ivy’s voice.

She’s standing at my door. The door that Lyddie failed to fully shut.

Holy hellfuck, could this night get any worse?

Jayde Valence’s dead body is lying in a supply room. Cross and Xavier are trying to handle it. Lyddie is gawking at me like she’s never seen me in her life. And now Ivy is here. Cross’s ex-girlfriend who never liked me. We might be friendly now, but we’re still not friends.

Before I can answer, Lyddie does the one thing I just asked her not to do.

“Wren is an Aberrant operative.”

Ivy is so stunned, she has to brace her hand against the doorway for a second. “What?”

I want to slap Lyddie in the face, but I can’t do that when I need her on my side.

“Is that true?” Ivy demands.

I dip my head in a nod. “Only the General and his inner circle know. Cross is briefing the rest of Elite tomorrow. The General decided it would promote cohesion if they knew my real identity.” I bite my lip. “I’m a loyalist. I always have been. I promise you, both of you, I’m not a threat. Tonight I’m going to put on a dress, shake the General’s hand, and thank him profusely for everything he’s done for us, for trusting us to be on the right side of history. Lieutenant Colonel Valence. Ellis. Me. We’re not like the others.”

Lyddie is softening. I can tell.

“We all know the destruction their powers can cause,” I continue. “But I don’t destroy. I heal.”

And make women kill themselves.

But that’s neither here nor there.

I take a step toward Lyddie. Instantly, she shies away in fear.

“Lyds. Come on. If I wanted to hurt you, I had ample opportunities to do it. I don’t want anything to happen to you. All I’m asking is, can you please keep this to yourself? Tomorrow Cross will call a briefing and everything will be out in the open. I’ll tell him I want you there.” I glance at Ivy. “Both of you. You can go through my file page by page if you want.”

“Let’s see it now,” Ivy says coldly.

---