Part 16 (1/2)

I frowned. What do you mean?

You are a powerful psi. When angry, you pulse.

Pulse?

Release energy in short bursts. If a ping is a tap, your bursts are like a punch. No one can withstand it for too long. We get headaches. Minions, on the other hand, have no defense against it. Their psi energy could be damaged and they could lose their ability to teleport or telepath.

Could that explain why Master Kenta kept rubbing his temple and the minions had left the yard? How do you know these things? And you said, ”We get headaches and minions have no defense...” If you're not a minion, why are you pretending to be one? And where did you get the book on the Kris Dagger?

Do you want to talk about Kenta or what?

I want to talk about the book and your weird behavior. Tell me who you are and how you know so much about me.

I can't.

Then we're done talking.

Lil. He said my name and sighed.

Goodbye. I was surprised when he didn't push, but the gentle brush against my energy happened again. I liked the feeling accompanying it. It made me feel warm and happy but, at the same time, tingly.

After showering, I changed and went to the family room for lunch. Lady Nemea had already had minions lay out my lunch. I ate under her watchful eyes. I bet she was making sure I used the right fork and spoon.

”You are unusually quiet today,” she said when we started our lessons.

I shrugged. ”I'm being a model student.”

And I was. I listened and cooperated so well that I must have scared her, because she kept frowning. Like Master Kenta, she ended our lessons early.

”Do I release energy when angry?” I asked before she left.

She gave me a strange look. ”Yes, but it's nothing most of us can't handle.”

”What about minions?”

She shrugged. ”There's nothing we can do about that. We told them to head to the city and stay there. The distance and the s.h.i.+eld dampen the effect.”

”There's a s.h.i.+eld around the city?”

”And the island.”

As soon as she left, I headed to the library, where Master Rahm waited with the history pre-test. I hated history with a pa.s.sion, but I didn't complain. I was all about controlling my emotions.

”You are unhappy,” Master Rahm said, his irises narrowed.

”You're an empath now?” I asked rudely.

”No.” He studied me. ”What's wrong?”

I made a face. ”I did something I shouldn't have done.”

”What did you do?”

I shook my head. ”Last night, I... It doesn't matter. It was a mistake.”

”You helped find the traitors.”

I cringed. ”Everybody knows?”

He nodded. ”Our people are very proud of you.”

”Then why am I not proud of me? Why do I feel so awful?”

”Because you don't like hurting people.” He studied me with knowing eyes. ”You know, I knew this woman once, a human, who through no fault of her own picked up a man from a lineup and swore he was the one she'd seen robbing a convenience store. After the man was convicted, she started having doubts about his guilt and tried to do something about it. At first, she tried to visit him, but he was too angry and didn't want to see her.”

Fascinated, I nodded. ”Then?”

”She found a way to have the case reopened and eventually set him free.”

I frowned. ”Are you saying I should find a way to set the spies free?”

Master Rahm shook his head. ”I'm not saying anything, Princess. Whatever you decide is up to you.”

I wasn't interested in freeing the spies. Ever. I'd deal with the guilt some other way.

-9-.

Days rolled into weeks. I still couldn't find the stupid crystal Lord Gavyn had given me. In fact, I'd given up on ever finding it. I hope whoever had stolen it wouldn't use it against him.

Between my morning and evening practices, Lady Nemea's debutante lessons, and studying with Master Rahm, I had little time for anything else except nursing the guilt over the couple in the dungeons. They were never far from my mind.

I hated feeling guilty. Hated feeling like I should do something to set them free. Since I couldn't think up a way to do it, I focused on studying my b.u.t.t off and memorizing the names of every minion in the castle. I shamelessly interrupted their ch.o.r.es in my room, the kitchen, and the storage areas. I visited the kitchen so often that Bilal, the head cook, always had treats waiting for me. If I could, I would have eaten lunch with her and the others in the kitchen. They finally stopped pressing their hands to their chests. Instead, I got a nod and a smile, or a slight bow.

My dislike of the Guardians only grew as Master Kenta continued to regale me with Guardian stories between sword practices and sparring-Guardians chasing Coronis and her followers from Xenith's cities and marooning them in the frostiest part of the land. I already knew about that, but not about the number of Hermonites who'd lost their children because of the harsh conditions. Then there were Guardians destroying businesses without provocation, putting hundreds out of jobs, slaughtering our people, and leaving children without parents, wives without husbands, and vice versa. That they would kill their own for humans made no sense.

I didn't lose it again like the first two days. I came close a few times, but the gentle brush on my psi energy often calmed me down even though I had no idea who was doing it. I knew I wasn't the one doing it, and my father wasn't either.

”How can I stop shooting off psi energy?” I asked him one evening.

”By controlling your emotions,” he'd said.

My father could be so doting one minute, and curt the next. I realized his moods had nothing to do with me and didn't take it personally. Instead, I teased him or shared silly anecdotes until he smiled or laughed. He tested my knowledge of history whenever he could, which drove me crazy. The worst part was that I always had this weird feeling we'd done this before-the endless Q&A, the disapproval when I complained.

Master Rahm, on the other hand, was easygoing, patient, and an amazing teacher. When I complained, he always listened.

”Stop,” I said several weeks later, imitating the commanding tone my father often used when he wanted to get everyone's attention.