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“So, you think Ryn somehow gave you her powers?”
“I don’t think she did, I know she did.” Ness sighed in resignation. “She drained Sister Brie’s life force to save me. She took it all and gave it to me.”
Ness raised her forearm again, the purple shield popping into existence once more. She was already starting to learn to control it, an impressive feat for one to master so quickly.
“And you think she did the same thing with Acton?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm,” I hummed to myself, thinking through the explanation.
“I wonder why she doesn’t remember any of it,” Felix interjected, his quick mind running through all the scenarios. While he hadn’t entered the memory with us, he was able to pick up snippets of it from the conversation before and after.
“She remembered Sister Brie,” Ness replied. “Afterward, she remembered killing her. She was just so sad, it destroyed her. She stopped eating, stopped drinking. She didn’t even absorb any essences, just remained in this stoic lifeless state. I couldn’t let her stay that way.”
“So, you manipulated her mind?” Felix deduced.
Ness nodded. “Normally I wouldn’t be able to. I’ve tried small things over the years, little jokes, little tricks, but nothing ever stuck. At that time - I don’t know if it was because she was so sad or if it was because I was so much more powerful than I ever was before or again, but I was able to convince her mind to forget that she killed our mentor.”
“And did you plant the images that we saw?”
“No. Her mind must have done that on its own. I didn’t do anything to dissuade the scene.”
“Maybe her mind conjured the surroundings to match the missing memories?” Felix mused.
“Probably,” I concurred. “The question now is how to remove the bull shit and force her to see what actually happened.”
“Can you try to manipulate her mind again - undo what you did?” Felix asked. If looks alone could force his bidding, Ness would already be trying.
Instead she shrugged. “I can try, but like I said, nothing has worked over the years. I couldn’t even convince her to give me a quarter for a shopping cart. Her mind might as well be an iron trap.”
“Probably because you fucked with it in the first place,” I replied, my eyes narrowing in her direction.
“Give me a break - I was twelve!” She threw her hands up in the air. “My friend was hurting, and I didn’t want her to suffer.”
“You shouldn’t have fucked with her mind.”
“This isn’t helping.” Felix said, his voice calming.
“You're right,” I conceded. “Both of you out.” I said, sitting down beside my Thief on the floor.
“I’m not leaving her.” Ness said, reaching out a hand to stroke her friend’s face with the tips of her fingers.
Frustration bloomed in my chest. I growled, but the woman wouldn’t budge.
“Get. Out.” I said again, punctuating each word as my jaw clenched. I needed space to think. I needed space without her. As irrational as it may be, my demon blamed this woman for what my Thief was going through.
“Who the hell are you to order me around?” she asked, cocking her hip to one side, and folding her arms across her chest. “You don’t know her. You don’t love her. You don’t…”
“ENOUGH!” My demon broke his bonds, rising to the surface as he burst through the confines. For the first time in decades, I was pushed back, a mere observer in my own mind. Flames licked up my arms, my skin turning a mottled black shade that cracked and burned with the pure wrath beneath it.
The woman stepped back, fear permeating every inch of her model worthy face that would even make Livia curse the powers below.
Across the room Felix winced, the rise of my ardor too much to keep the copper of his ring from burning.
My demon turned, looking down at the Thief beside us. Like Felix, her face was pained, pulled into a tight expression as gentle whimpers left her mouth. For only a moment her eyes stilled, the busy patterns giving way to a gentle stillness.
She could feel him.
