Page 51 of Powerful

The ghost of a smile lifts my lips. ‘Loot needs all the fashion help it can get. I had a whole little business. My best friend – she’s actually in the Trials, you know. Well –’ I frown – ‘I guess you wouldn’t know if you’ve been down here. Anyway, she would get me the fabric, and I would sew the clothes. Of course, I always made sure she had first call on anything I made. Oh, but I designed this vest for her with all these pockets, because, well, let’s just say she did have experience with thievery—’

‘No, kid.’ He sounds annoyed. ‘Damn, you sure do talk a lot, don’t ya? I meant, whatcha do to end up down here?’

‘Oh. Um. Your guess is as good as mine,’ I say, struggling to swallow the tough bread between myteeth. ‘Well, I did try to steal something once. It didn’t end well. Pae is still shocked at how terrible a thief I am for being a Phaser.’ I attempt another bite at the loaf. ‘She always says that if she could walk through walls, she’d be unstoppable. And very rich.’

‘What, they just throw you in here for no reason?’ He snorts. ‘It’s not like you’re an Ordinary or somethin’.’

The thought of this being Paedyn’s fate has my stomach turning.

‘No. No, I’m definitely an Elite. Not that it will help me any in here.’ I glance at the stones surrounding the cells, feeling the Mute suppressing my powers so I can’t simply phase through these bars.

Something about him feels suddenly serious. ‘I wonder what they’re gonna do to ya.’

‘Well –’ I lift my hands for him to see – ‘there’s not much worse they could do.’

‘Yeah,’ he says gruffly. ‘I heard that happen.’

‘Sorry for keeping you up, then,’ I say halfheartedly. He chuckles at that, making me smile. ‘Soooo,’ I drag out the word, ‘what did you do to end up down here, hmm?’

I can feel him watching me. ‘Somethin’ that earned me a spot in this dungeon. Unlike you.’

‘People can change,’ I say quietly.

‘Not me.’

‘I don’t know about that,’ I say cheerily. ‘Helping a stranger out is probably the first step towards self-improvement.’

I don’t know why, but it feels like he’s smiling. ‘What’s your name, kid?’

‘I’m Adena. But my friends – well, friend – call me A.’ He grunts in response. ‘What’s your name?’

His tone is almost accusatory. ‘Why you wanna know?’

I shrug. ‘Maybe I’m trying to make another friend.’ I’m not sure why he laughs at that. ‘You don’t wanna be friends with me, kid. They all end up dyin’.’

‘Well, it sounds like you’re in need of some more, then.’

Another rough chuckle. ‘You make a good point, kid. Fine. I’m Al.’

‘Al?’ I repeat. ‘Is that short for something?’

‘Wouldn’t know if it was.’ He coughs, nearly choking. ‘Never spoke to my parents. Just been on my own for as long as I can remember.’

‘Hmm.’ I’m quiet for a long moment, thinking briefly of how I never knew my father. My silence seems to unsettle him into speaking.

‘Yeah, and I got no friends to give me a nickname.’

‘Well –’ I grin in his direction – ‘you do now, A.’

‘A?’ he questions. ‘Isn’t that your nickname, kid?’

‘From Pae, yes. From you, it sounds like you’ve settled on “kid”.’

He laughs, the sound now making me smile. ‘You’re somethin’ special, you know that, kid?’

I toss the rest of the loaf in his direction, watching his hand hesitantly pick it up. ‘Thank you, A. I—’

Heavy footsteps echo off the dungeon walls, drowning out my words.

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