Page 27 of Hunted by the Fallen
“Which sorcerer placed a mask on herpower?”
The hand beneath minds flexes. “I cannot say. Their mark ishidden.”
Lukas persists. “You say she is cursed. Cursed with power? Or cursed with the restraint on herpower?”
“Both,” she sighs, sounding like my plight painsher.
My head throbs. I rub it with my free hand. Lukas’ interrogation is notfinished.
“Can you release thewards?”
My head snaps to him. “What?” After hearing I have cursed power within me, I’m pretty sure I don’t want the wards removed. What if they are the only thing keeping me from losing control and destroying the world or something? That seems extreme, but it could be true for all Iknow.
Lukas ignores me, keeping his focus on the sorceress. “Well… canyou?”
“Yessss,” the word is drawn out into an eerie hiss. I feel her fingers tighten around mine, and Ipanic.
“Wait!”
To my surprise, she does. Her grip loosens, and she continues staring at me like a freakyzombie.
When I don’t immediately speak, she says, “Yes?”
I swallow back my unease. I’m surprised Lukas is letting me throw a wrench into his plans. I figured he would push his agenda with or without myconsent.
“Is my power dangerous?” I ask the most relevantquestion.
I worry the sorceress will say something to reveal my mixed Fallen heritage in front of Lukas, but that is overshadowed by the fear of allowing whatever power has been locked away to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting world. If Lukas hears my power is truly dangerous, surely he won’t insist the ward beremoved.
Unless he plans to use the noteworthy power for his owngain.
I bite the inside of my cheek as I wait for Odette’sanswer.
The sorceress hums for several seconds. If it weren’t for the thoughtful tilt of her head or the slight squeezing of my hand, I would think she is ignoring myquestions.
“Your power is only dangerous to those you view as anenemy.”
I release a heavy sigh, relieved to know I’m not some uncontrollable ticking timebomb. “Do you know why my powers were contained in the firstplace?”
“The motive was for your own protection. Whomever commissioned one of my brothers to enact the ward did so with the intention of keeping your identity, and location, asecret.”
I can think of two people who might have been motivated to keep my existence asecret.
“One of her parents,” Lukas says quietly, seconding my thoughts. Though, he doesn’t know the truth. My concealment had equal, if not more, to do with keeping my parents’ taboo liaison a secret. They couldn’t have a half-Light, half-Dark kid running around in the open, revealing the truth of their forbidden affair. What would be better than to lock away all of your child’s angelic powers and ship her off to an orphanage before she can evenwalk?
I observe Odette, searching for any sign she knows the truth about my parent’s identity. If she does, she gives nosign.
“Do I have your consent to remove thewards?”
I frown, surprised she even asks. Does she truly need my consent? I glance atLukas.
The Light Angel dips his chin. “The ward can only be removed if youagree.”
I face the white-eyed sorceress. Do I want the ward removed? Odette has confirmed I am not a threat to anyone except those who want to hurt me. That doesn’t sound so bad. Besides, this may be the key to allowing me to finally use my powers atwill.
Decision made, I nod. “You have my consent to remove theward.”
Odette smiles just as a wall of glass shatters in my head. I scream. Sharp shards slice into my consciousness, making the world bleedred.
