I leaned back, closed my eyes, and focused on my breathing like I did before my races. Alex would help me make sense of this. He always did. I might end up embarrassed as fuck, but I’d take that over feeling like the lead act in a carnival freak show.
Turning up the volume of my earbuds, I let my music keep out the other noises that threatened to drive me mad. I wondered if Alex could make sense of that too.
Henry
Istared at the document Vicky had sent and bit back the snarky comments. She meant well. Unfortunately, the meditation techniques described in the document wouldn’t help Nick. It was like trying to teach someone to drive, but making them wear a blindfold.
The best these exercises could do was keep him calm. They wouldn't stop the electrical fluctuations, or keep him from hearing conversations across the building.
Closing my screen, I walked to the corner windows. On the street below, people rushed from place to place, their lives burning bright and fast like sparklers on the Fourth of July. They were oblivious that we moved among them, which is how we wanted things. Humans harbored too many prejudices and insecurities. They attacked anything different.
Generalization? Yes, but also accurate way too often.
My phone buzzed with a text.
{Trevor: Nick left work early. B said he heard people talking through the walls!}
“Fuck!” I nearly slammed my phone onto the table. Nick’s powers were developing faster than we'd anticipated.
Closing my eyes, I tried to feel Nick through our bond.HKarlinwere rare, but there was a little written on how bonds worked. According to what I found, we should be able to feel each other anywhere in the universe. Not sure how anyone tested that theory.
Nick’s aura was faint, but it held hints of confusion, anxiety, fear, and isolation. Unfortunately, until he learned the truth about himself, I was powerless to change those feelings.
Trevor’s suggestion that I tell Nick the truth if his powers continued to grow was tempting, but shortsighted. I heard the anguish in Uriel’s voice when he implored me to trust him. This wasn’t a power play by my uncle. He was scared for Nick. As Dad had said, we followed his visions this far, it would be foolish to stop now.
I poured a glass of water and let the cool liquid wash down my throat. My gaze settling on a picture of me and Nick at Zeke’s party. Brenda took it after he and Ares had spoken. Nick’s smile made the room brighter. Yes, it was a cliché, but in this case it was true.
Nick’s energy was invigorating because it was so innocent. He hadn’t let his shitty family dim his spirit. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say the world would be poorer if he died.
Setting my glass down, I reached for my phone. I couldn’t tell Nick the truth, but I could keep him happy and calm.
Before I could hit Nick’s contact, my phone rang. The brief hope it would be Nick died when I saw the name.
Uriel.
Had he heard my conversation with Trevor and called to reinforce his directions? My thumb hesitated over the screen before I answered.
“Uncle Uriel?” I couldn't keep the uncertainty from my voice.
“Listen carefully.” Uriel's lack of greeting reinforced I was in for a lecture. “Nick is heading to Alex’s place right now. You needto get to him before he gets there. His life is in grave danger if you don’t.”
My body tensed, every sense heightened. "What kind of danger?"
“The Drevlin released a D'val into the city,” Uriel said. “Nick is leaking power and the creature is tracking him.”
A cold weight settled in my stomach. A D’val could give most angels a tough fight. Nick might have powers, but he didn’t know how to use them. Something else gnawed at me. “How do you know where Nick is going?”
“Alex lives at 1797 P Street, NW,” he said. “You need to get there immediately.”
Something about this didn’t make sense. “Does Alex know Nick's coming? And how do you have his address?”
“Focus, Henry.” Uriel's voice turned sharp. “Nick overheard you and Trevor talking about his powers. He's confused and scared. He's going to Alex to talk because Nick trusts him.”
There were so many questions that needed answers. The biggest was how did Uriel get this information? The urgency in his voice, however, told me questions could wait. “I'll find him.” I started for the door.
“One more thing,” Uriel’s voice froze me. “You’re going to need to use your powers in front of him. It’s time for Nick to learn the truth.”
My arm went slack, and I nearly dropped the phone. All the warnings made sense. Nick’s powers were a flame that would attract a Drevlin moth. “Understood. Is there more than one D’val?”
