Page 15 of Soul

“Look,” I replied with a nod at Maci. Already, her colour was returning, and the lines around her eyes fading. Maci sat up a little straighter, and a smile crossed her face.

“The pain has gone, Mom,” she exclaimed and clapped her hands together.

“There, that’s better,” Slasher murmured, stepping back and sitting heavily. Healing often drained him.

“Maci,” Bryony whispered.

“I feel great. Better than even when Ham blocks it,” Maci cried.

“What happened?” Bryony asked, looking between us.

“We’re telling the truth. We all have abilities, like I told you,” I explained as I offered Bryony a chair.

“You can’t! We’ve heard of people with powers, but they’ve always been fakes,” Bryony said. “My kids are the only ones I’m aware of.”

“Lie. Because now you’re aware of us,” I replied and wondered why I wasn’t experiencing pain at her lie. “Do you have powers?”

“No,” Bryony answered.

“Did their father?” Slasher questioned, and Bryony bristled.

“Yeah, at lying through his teeth,” Bryony snapped.

“Wow, okay then. Maci’s not mistaken. We are alike,” Priest spoke into the awkward silence.

“The kids haven’t had any training, have they?” Slasher asked.

He was looking grey, so I headed into the house to get him a high-energy drink. When I returned, Bryony was stunned but a little more relaxed as Maci fired questions at Slasher and Priest. I handed Slasher the drink and turned to Bryony.

“Would you like something?”

“No, I’m good, thank you. This is so difficult to believe, but I saw him heal Maci,” Bryony replied.

“Priest?” I asked, and he nodded at my unspoken question.

“Don’t anyone move, or you’ll frighten them,” Priest said.

Bryony frowned, but Slasher and I became still. Within a few moments, three rabbits hopped into the yard, followed by two squirrels. Several birds appeared, and a mole popped up, blinking in the bright sunshine. Field mice approached with three cats and two foxes.

“I don’t understand,” Bryony whispered, but Maci was delighted.

“Watch,” I murmured.

“Sit,” Priest said, and the animals sat. “Stand up.” They all stood. Priest ran them through some other commands and then gave each a fuss.

“I wouldn’t believe it, but I saw that with my own eyes,” Bryony muttered.

Maci looked beside herself. “I told Ham that Soul was like us and, even better, he has friends like us!”

“Does nobody in your family have powers?” Slasher asked at Bryony’s stunned expression.

I glimpsed interest in his face and bristled. I saw Bryony first! Catching Slasher’s eye, I moved closer, and Slasher grinned. Fucker.

“No. I didn’t know Hamilton had them until I cut myself badly when he was about two. I grabbed the kids, intending to go to the hospital, when Ham held my hand. The pain disappeared, and before my eyes, the cut healed. The scar remains today, proof it happened. Then Ham cured a child at nursery, and shit kicked off…,” Bryony’s voice trailed off.

“What happened?” I asked gently.

Bryony shuddered, and Maci looked upset.

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