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Before they vanished, the blonde man looked at me. I thought I caught a glint of something resembling respect in those blue eyes. But then, I told myself, it was probably just dust.
“Crescent, my apologies. I should have asked if you wished to go with your sister,” Draven said, clapping a hand to his forehead.
Crescent shook his head. “I can remain above. I assume you’ll need me to get home.”
“Find us here in an hour then,” Draven instructed, listing an address I didn’t recognize.
Crescent turned to go, then hesitated. “I’d rather follow you both, if you don’t mind. I failed Morgan once today already. Let me stay where I can be of some use. Just in case?”
Draven’s face turned sympathetic. “Of course. If that’s what you want.”
“I’ll stay a good distance behind,” Crescent promised. “Give you your privacy.”
Draven smiled. “That sounds good.” He looked at me and held out his hand. “If you’re ready?”
We walked out of the alley. I flinched as we passed the two burned bodies of the assailants who had been trying to run.
“Ulpheas will send someone to take care of... all of this,” Draven said, his voice low. “The city will be notified that you were attacked and defended yourself with the help of your guards. That’s all they need to know.”
I nodded tightly.
His hand squeezed mine. “I truly am sorry. I fucked up. Hugely. I know that.”
“You did,” I agreed. “Hugely.” I glanced at him. His face was wry. “But at least you admitted it. And you did say Javer was the best.”
“He is the best,” Draven agreed. “But there’s someone else who’s also uniquely qualified. I thought it would be arrogance to suggest they could train you at first. But now I think it was a different kind of arrogance not to.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean if you’ll let me, I’ll take Javer’s place. Let me be the one to help you, Morgan. I won’t even say ‘train.’ Just... let me help you find your way. You have power. But it clearly frightens you...” He paused, his expression questioning.
“It does,” I admitted. “Now more than ever. You saw what I did back there.”
He nodded. “Your powers are... intimidating. I won’t deny it. And you’re right–you might have killed Odessa. Or both of them.”
“Thanks,” I said drily.
But in my heart, I knew we were both right. I truly might have. Or worse. What if I had gone beyond the walls of the alley? What if I had managed to take out entire buildings of people? What if I had harmed children?
“If you ever hurt anyone you cared about or an innocent, you would never forgive yourself, Morgan,” Draven said softly. Clearly my face was too easy to read. “So, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. Let’s get you to the point where you feel in control. I imagine it doesn’t feel very good not to feel in control of your own body.”
“It doesn’t. It’s awful. And... last night...” I glanced behind me. Crescent had stayed true to his word and was two blocks behind us. “I stupidly thought that might be enough. That I had purged some of this.”
“So you fucked me to get your powers out?” Draven joked. “I’m sorry it didn’t work.”
“Well,” I teased. “There were scorch marks. But I guess it wasn’t enough.” I sighed. “I don’t mean that in a naughty way either.”
“I know,” he said quietly, squeezing my hand again. “Not that I’m not willing to do my part to help. In any way you need.” He winked. “But I think what you really require right now is guidance. You have to learn to direct your powers, to shield yourself and others from its effects. When you use them, what happens?”
“I erupt. I lose control. I’m barely aware of what’s happening. If I hit a bad guy, it’s luck and instinct, not a matter of having good aim. And I have been lucky so far,” I acknowledged. “With Vesper... I just... burst. Like a dam. All I knew was I had to stop him.”
“But you couldn’t.” Draven’s voice was very gentle. “You didn’t stop him, Morgan.”
“But I did.”
I watched his eyes widen in surprise.
I scowled. “That was what Javer was so cleverly pointing out.”
