Page 97 of Hidden
If I didn’t know better, I’d assume that Finn wastryingto annoy me. He knew how important this was to me. He’d gone out of his way to put me on the spot, making me look unprepared and tarnishing my reputation with one of my older brothers.
If this was anyone else, I’d say this was deliberate. He was getting under my skin so I wouldn’t forget about him. Hate was, after all, a powerful emotion.
But that was impossible. Finn lacked any emotional depth, and he cared about no one.
He was just a jerk.
“Okay.” I got to my feet and brushed off my skirt. Although I was barely at the point of being comfortable alone with Brayden, it was certainly better than suffering under the weight of Finn’s suddenly very heavy stare. “What are we doing?”
“Who taught you how to block emotions?” Brayden suddenly asked, breaking the monotonous nature of the lecture that had escaped my attention. He crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward, looking at me expectantly.
I blinked, pulled out of my perusal of the room he’d dragged us to. I should have been paying attention from the beginning, but seriously, I’d been surprised.
We were in a greenhouse that wasalmostintact enough to use. Considering that we were inDamen’shome, this was basically the last thing I’d expected to see.
“Pardon?” I asked.
“You’re no expert, but you’re semi-decent at blocking emotions without trying. If you weren’t, you’d have been driven completely mad already,” Brayden said. “However, I’ve noticed that you struggle the most when your focus is divided. It’ll become even more complicated when you counter in your quintet.”
I tilted my head. “Whatareyou talking about?”
Now it was Brayden’s turn to look confused. He raised his eyebrow. “You can’t tell when you’re fighting the influence of a spirit?”
“Well, no. I just do what feels natural,” I said. “When I feel overwhelmed, I focus on my breathing. But it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between my emotions and spirits. Titus had to help me at Professor Hamway’s house. I didn’t even know, until recently, that mediumship and emphatic abilities weren’t the same. But what does my quintet have to do with anything?”
“You don’t know?” Brayden sounded unsure, and I pursed my lips. After all, if I knew what he was talking about, this conversation would be going very differently.
He correctly interpreted my expression. “Empaths aren’t limited to feeling only the emotions of spirits. When we’ve accepted our roles, we can also pick up on the emotions of our quintets members.”
That was ludicrous. Surely the boys would have said something.
I had my finger in the air, poised to argue. Then recent events came to mind.
I’d kissed Damen in a moment of passion. Knowing this, everything made much more sense.
It wasn’t my fault. Although I’d attacked him, he’d seduced me just byexisting. He had probably been thinking lusty things. No wonder my heart always raced and my skin felt warm when he was nearby. I was being influenced by outside forces beyond my control.
I had been foolish, with my guard lowered. I always believed it was only the emotions of the dead which affected me.
What in the world was happening to me?
“The emotions of your quintet are different than a spirit’s. But if you’ve accepted your role, you are sure to feel both. Also, if your concentration is torn, it’s more difficult to control.” Brayden’s voice sounded so far away. “You can learn how to compartmentalize these emotions though. I originally worried you were untrained, but I’ve been watching. You only lack confidence. Empaths need to be a master of their own emotions before they can resonate well with others. Who taught you before this?”
It was suddenly hard to breathe, and my focus turned toward the double-door entry. “I’m self-taught.”
Brayden sucked in a breath, but before he could speak, the door slammed open. Bryce strolled into the room. He was wearing a suit—although it was Saturday—and as he crossed the space between us, he loosened his tie as he grumbled under his breath.
I’d never been so happy to see him, and a twinge of concern even touched me at his appearance. At this moment, he was far from the annoying man I’d come to know.
“What in the world is wrong with you?” Brayden dropped our previous discussion.
“It’s Abernathy.” He slumped into the seat beside me.
“Damen?” Brayden asked. “I thought he was painting.”
Bryce shook his head. “No, notthatone. I just came from a meeting with the dean.”
“Of the college?” Guilt twisted at me. Why did I have the feeling this was my fault? “Is it because of…” Bryce turned toward me, and I waved my hand in the air between us. “Us?”
