Page 26 of A Flame of the Phoenix

“No, but something is blocking it. You won’t want to hear this, but it’s you. A little more complicated than that, for sure. Getting it back won’t be as easy as wishing for it, as I’m sure you’ve already tried.”

“Wishing is for children,” she mumbled.

“Wishing is for souls with dreams,” he responded. “And dreams are powerful to keep us moving.”

Zaiana deciphered his words. They were naïve. Weak.

They werebeautiful.

She shook her head, expelling her contrasting thoughts.

“How do I get it back? My ability.”

“You still have your power, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Or at least you wouldn’t be. Your lightning has been your armor. I understand hiding behind the identity of your ability.”

“I don’t hide.”

Light streaked across his jaw to reveal the hint of a jesting smile. She wanted to claw it off.

“You don’t know anything about me,” she repeated.

Then she was awash with the fear that might not be true. That he could have infiltrated her mind at a time she was oblivious?—

“No. I don’t. But there are things about a person that can been seen only if one cares to reallylook.”

“Why would you care?” She couldn’t stop the bitterness of her tone. Her claws that formed to scare away any shred of attention.

“I…don’t know,” he said.

The uncertainty seemed to confuse them both, and maybehewas now bracing to retreat with the enlightenment that he shouldn’t be here. She was nothing to him.

“Do we have a deal?” he said.

This wasn’t a selfless venture for him. It couldn’t be. She would be an absolute fool to agree to let him back into her mind…but it dawned he may be her only chance to recover her lightning.

“I don’t even know who you are,” she pointed out.

“I don’t know exactly who you are either.”

“But you’ve heard of me?” she recalled.

“Sort of. I have no preconceived opinion of you, Zaiana. That, I would like to find out for myself.”

His use of her name shouldn’t have come with the uneasy tension it did. He was in her mind after all.

“It’s only fair I have your name,” she tried.

He shook his head. “For this, you’ll have to be willing to give something you really have a hard time with. Trust.”

She could have cast him out with the force of her irritation alone. Her face folded into her crossed arms. This was pathetic. She would wake up and scold herself for the dream she’d let go on for far too long.

“I don’t suppose I could stop you if you returned,” she said.

“Probably not.”

“Then do what you want. I can’t promise a welcome reception.”

“I wasn’t counting on it.”

---