Page 34 of Tempests of Truth

As my power tried to roll through him, something sprang up inside him, barring my way. A wordless exclamation fell from my lips as my power was abruptly expelled from his body.

I dropped back a step, as if I had been physically shoved, although the boy was still slumped limply in Nik’s grip. Nik immediately let go of the youth, stepping to my side and examining my eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in a low voice. “What happened?”

“I…I’m not sure. I think…I think…Quick!” I shrieked as the boy attempted an escape. “Stop him.”

Nik moved instantly, not losing any time to questions. He had the boy back in a firm grip before he’d made it more than half a dozen steps.

“Let me go!” the boy cried, some of the fire back in his voice.

“I’m sorry,” I said breathlessly. “I just need to talk to you for a moment. I need to—” I held out my hand, hovering just over his skin. “May I?”

The boy opened his mouth, presumably to reject my request, only to pause, the words unspoken. A look of confusion came over his face, as if his own thoughts didn’t make sense to him.

A heady, implausible possibility overtook me. Was it possible? Surely it couldn’t be…

“Why did you attack me?” I asked, my tone coming out too eager. He gave me a wary look, and I tried to calm my manner. “What made you target me?” I asked.

Nik’s hold loosened, but the boy didn’t move, his earlier fury having completely disappeared. Reaching up, he scratched the back of his head.

“I’m not sure,” he said at last. “Some people were saying you might have killed the Constantines yourself, and I was so…” He frowned as if the end of the sentence didn’t even make sense to him.

“You were so angry?” I finished for him. “Because I might have killed them?”

“Yeah,” he said weakly. “I suppose so.”

“You were close to them, then?” I asked, ignoring the odd looks Nik was giving me.

“Well, not close to them exactly,” the boy said hesitantly. “I didn’t know them personally or anything.”

“But you were enraged about their deaths because they were such good people,” I suggested.

“Well.” He rubbed the back of his head again. “I don’t know about that. They did heal us, I guess.”

“And now you’re left without healers,” I said.

He frowned, giving me a sideways look. “Not exactly. All of you people seem to be healers—aren’t you?”

“We are!” I said with such excitement that he and Nik exchanged a confused look, united suddenly by bemusement over my odd behavior.

“But the important thing is that the Constantines were wonderful people and excellent leaders worthy of loyalty to the end,” I said earnestly.

“I…suppose?” It was a question not a statement.

“Yes! Yes, yes yes!!” I jumped into the air, unable to contain my excitement.

My unexpected movement brought Phoenix winging back in my direction, one of his shiny eyes focused on me. I settled enough to allow him to land on my shoulder, stroking his soft feathers with one gentle finger.

“Thanks for warning me earlier, fine sir.”

“Ah…Delphine?” Nik asked tentatively, placing a gentle hand on my arm. “Are you all right?”

“Absolutely wonderful!” I turned bright eyes on him. “We have to get back to the manor! No, wait! I have to check—”

Once again I held my hand out toward the boy, silently asking for permission to make contact. This time he willingly put his wrist into my fingers, although his expression was still bemused.

I cautiously pushed my power into him, but it encountered no barrier. I might have raised his wall, but it hadn’t stayed in place once I lost contact with him. I activated it again, but this time when my power was shoved out of him, I maintained my contact with his wrist.

---