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Owen shifted his gaze in the direction of the garden.
“Oh, don’t look so dismayed, Owen. I approve. And if you recall, I even encouraged you to explore your hidden desires and needs.”
Stannett remained silent, not a bad move.
“Well, you shouldn’t be so distressed. And who could blame you? After all, women in cells, a few men, too. Such temptation.” He narrowed his gaze. “Everything seems so clear to me now. A few moments ago, you were nothing but a puzzle. Now, an open book.” He clapped his hands together and rose to his feet. “This is all just as I had hoped. So here is what you’re going to do for me. I want you to go to the Convent and have a little session with Marguerite. Put her through her paces, only this time, when she goes into the future streams, have her pick up her own ribbon of light and find out what she sees.”
Stannett nodded. “As you wish.”
He always was an obliging bastard, when it suited him.
“But there’s one thing you should try to remember. At some point, the Commander will want her disposed of. So even if she ends up here, please don’t think you’ll get to keep her forever.
“Are we in agreement?”
Stannett’s nod was slow, the wheels of his mind turning. “Yes.”
“Good. Now please go directly to the Creator’s Convent and see if you can find out if Marguerite is the second of our troublemakers. I want confirmation because I want to know exactly what I’m dealing with.”
“And what will you be doing while I’m at the Convent?”
Caz didn’t have to tell him, but he did anyway. “Setting a small trap for Fiona. I just want to determine a few things about her powers before I go much farther down this road.”
“Keeping your own hide safe?”
“Always.” And that was exactly the truth.
Practice might make perfect,
But more importantly,
Practice makes possibilities.
—Collected Proverbs, Beatrice of Fourth
Chapter 9
Fiona rested deep inside her mind. She pressed her mind close to Alison’s.
I can feel you, Alison sent.
Yes, Fiona sent. As though I’m right next to your mind. No, not just your mind. I don’t understand this. I can feel that I’m next to your arm, your hip, your shoulders. How is that possible? Except this is how I felt when I first met Marguerite telepathically.
“I have no idea how you’re doing this,” Alison said.
Fiona drew back and opened her eyes. Alison sat across from her, maybe five feet away in the middle of the room. Fiona sat against the wall. “That’s really weird.”
Alison opened her eyes as well. “I’m not sure I’m understanding either what you’re doing or what this is. I can feel your mind, but not just your mind … almost your being, for lack of a better word.”
Fiona nodded. “It’s sort of like a form of advanced telepathy, but it’s not really deep-mind engagement, is it?”
Alison shook her head.
“Fiona,” Jean-Pierre called from his sentinel position by the door. “I do not mean to disturb, but I have seen Gideon go by and I wish to speak with him. Will you excuse me?”
“Of course.” The truth was, she’d been so engaged with Alison that she’d forgotten he was there.
“I shall return in but a few moments.”
“Fine. That’s fine.” She watched him leave but felt her heart lurch, as though her heart left with him. Her gaze stayed fixed on the door for a long time. She looked back at Alison, who smiled at her with a knowing warm light in her eye. “What?” Fiona asked.
Alison shook her head. “No, I shouldn’t say anything.”
“Okay, now you really have to tell me.”
“Kerrick and I have been together for a little over a year now but I remember the early days. It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?”
“Completely. I never know whether to hug him, or send him to Siberia … permanently. I’ve never been so torn in my life about something as I am about dating Jean-Pierre, about being with him, and now—” She almost blurted out that they’d just had sex, but she really didn’t want that known around Militia HQ or anywhere else.
Alison said, “I have to say it would go a lot easier on all us girls if those men were just a little less built.”
“Oh, amen to that, sister.”
Alison giggled. “But it’s kind of great, too, like winning the lottery.”
Fiona nodded. She looked away from Alison and tried to breathe because for just a moment all she could think about was being on her back on Jean-Pierre’s worktable, and his tongue working her over.
When a shiver traveled straight through her body, she swallowed hard and ordered her mind. She blinked several times then forced her attention back to Alison and all the critical matters at hand. “So, obsidian flame.”
Alison’s gaze narrowed. “Fiona, what if it’s not telepathy at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Better that we try something together, rather than attempting to explain it. Do you trust me?”
“Absolutely.”
Alison nodded. “Good. Okay, this time, when you feel yourself right next to me, try pushing all the way inside me. And don’t worry, I trust you as well, so give it a shot, okay?”
Fiona nodded. “Got it.” She closed her eyes and worked her telepathy until once more she felt herself right next to Alison.
She pushed, as though trying to push her being inside Alison’s being, but nothing happened. Are you shielding? Fiona sent.
No. My shields are flat on the floor.
Fiona tried again, but nothing happened.
She pulled back mentally and once more opened her eyes. “I don’t think that’s it. In fact, I think it would be a very dangerous thing if somehow I was able to inhabit your being—again, for lack of a better term.”
“You’re probably right. So what else could this be? I mean, if telepathy is your strongest power, then I’m not sure I can begin to comprehend what this is.”
“Let’s try it again. This time, I want to explore. Okay?”
“Go for it,” Alison said.
Once more, Fiona used her telepathy to draw near, but this time instead of pushing inside, she closed her eyes and with tentative mental fingers began to poke and prod at the nearness, trying to determine what it really meant.
As she pushed against Alison’s arm, a vibration began that got stronger the farther down her arm she traveled. By the time she reached Alison’s hand, Fiona felt an answering vibration in her own hand.
