Page 5 of Unleashed

Quinn had gently encouraged Nina to get out more. They’d gone a few times to Corfoha, the stone valos city in the mountain, when Nina was a child. While Quinn had visited with her friend Zoya, Nina had played with Zoya’s three daughters — one of whom was the same age — until one day the trio had teased her. In retrospect, their teasing had been harmless, but Nina had been so angry that she’d unintentionally emitted a mental blast to get them to stop. She would never forget their cries of pain, would never forget the fear and accusation in their eyes.

Most of all, she’d never forget the disappointment in her mother’s expression. But Quinn never once punished Nina for what she’d done. As upset as she’d been, Quinn had always understood how hard Nina worked to control her power and loved her no less for her mistakes.

Nina’s guilt over that day had never faded.

There’d also been the trip to Utopia. Nina had gone only once, and the anxiety and panic she experienced had been crippling. She’d been young, only eight or nine years old, and her mental shields hadn’t been quite as developed as they were now. Being surrounded by so many people who’d lived violent, tortured lives had been overwhelming and terrifying.

It’d been easier to hide at home with the two people who meant everything to her, who understood her, who loved her unconditionally. Quinn and Orishok weren’t her birth parents, but they were her mom and dad.

“Nina!”

Nina sat up when she heard her mother calling. “I’m here!”

Quinn and Orishok entered Nina’s view when they came around the corner of a nearby housing unit. Quinn’s face brightened as she met Nina’s gaze, and she hurried over.

“We’re going to visit Zoya, Rock, and Vlunn,” Quinn said and held up a hand as Nina opened her mouth to speak. “Iknowyou don’t usually want to go, but would you please consider it? I have something I’d like to talk to you about, and I think the trip would be a good time to discuss it.”

Orishok slowed to a stop next to Quinn. His glowing green eyes settled on Nina; their unnaturalness had frightened her the first time she’d seen him. That fear had been dispelled the moment she’d glanced into his mind.

Despite all he’d done — all he’d been forced to do — Orishok had a kind soul.

“I…” Nina dropped her gaze to the ground. “Not this time.”

“Nina, you know they don’t—”

“Ican’t, Mom. Not yet.” The wariness and fear Zoya’s daughters had experienced that day remained fresh in Nina’s mind. What if she lost control again? Those people were like family to Quinn. How could Nina forgive herself if she hurt them again?

Orishok placed a finger beneath Nina’s chin and tipped her face back up. “You cannot allow it to make you afraid, Nina.”

“I know,” she said, taking his hand in hers. His was a touch that could kill with a thought, but he’d shown her nothing but gentleness. She squeezed his hand; he was her father, her lifeline. “I’m just not ready.”

“Oh, Nina… That was years ago, and it was anaccident. Everyone was fine, and you’ve grown so much since then.”

“I just… I can’t. I can’t…”

…can’t face them.

Orishok frowned. “I do not enjoy leaving you here alone.”

“I’m safe here. I’ve always been safe here. And you’ve taught me how to protect myself in case anyone trespasses.”

His frown deepened. He didn’t have to voice his thoughts — and Nina didn’t need to read his mind — for her to know what he was thinking. A significant portion of his hundreds of years in Bahmet had been spent alone and unfeeling until Quinn had come. Orishok’s touch had meant death, so he’d isolated himself from the world. His power — power he’d never wanted, had never asked for — had controlled him for so long.

He worried that Nina, in her own way, was following the same path.

Nina couldn’t argue that; she harbored the same fear.

“We just want you to be happy,” Quinn said, placing a hand on Nina’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Nina’s eyes teared up. “Iamhappy. You’ve given me a life I would never have had otherwise.”

Orishok wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “And still you deserve more,” he said softly.

“When we get back, we need to talk, all right?” Quinn said, searching Nina’s eyes. “It’s something I’ve wanted to bring up for a while, and… I just want us to figure it out before it becomes an issue.”

“We can talk now, Mom.”

Quinn smiled and shook her head. “It can wait a little longer. Don’t worry about it. When we get back will be soon enough.”

---