point. But what about the stunt you pulled?"
Petra shivered. "I didn't know I could do that. Plant memories, that is. I can read people's memories if I'm touching them, it's better, more clear, if I'm prepared. I can draw off pain or ease symptoms, but I can't truly heal. Until today, I've never attempted anything so big. I think your strength fed my gifts and made it possible."
"So the flip side is you think your empathic gifts helped me know what to do?"
It didn't take an empath to sense the edge in Jaden. Petra shook her head. "Not at all. You've always known what to do. When the time was right, you took action." Jaden frowned but Petra continued. "No it wasn't always the wrong action. You did what no one else had the courage to do."
"You're telepathic too," Jaden accused.
"Not really. Your face gave you away." She smiled. "I feel close to you, linked to you, like I do my brother."
Petra relaxed under Jaden's study. They definitely shared something, but who could blame her for being skeptical.
"How did you do it?" Jaden asked. "Modify the memories?"
Petra looked at the red, raw skin of her arms and closed her eyes. "I'm not sure. Honestly, I can't explain it. It needed done and I guess I worked from the shock of his...transformation. From there I just sort of blended in what people would've expected to see."
"Brian says there's no body."
"Brian?"
"My, um..." Jaden searched for a definition.
"Your partner?" Petra offered.
Jaden nodded. "Close enough. He told me no body was recovered. Did you see what happened to that bastard?"
"He dissolved." She hated to think about that moment, the sulfur smell hanging in the air and the angry shrieking in her head. "He's over. Not available to this world any more."
"Ever?"
"His failure wasn't well received."
"What?" Jaden asked, incredulous.
Petra paused as a willowy, blonde nurse walked in to check on her and chatter about shock, burns, doctor's orders, and visitors. Petra appreciated how the nurse diligently avoided touching her. She didn't think she had enough strength left to block anyone else.
"The doctor will be around in about an hour. You should rest until then," she said with a pointed glance at Jaden.
"We'll talk more soon," Jaden promised on her way out.
Petra nodded, relieved to put further discussions and explanations on hold.
"All right, young lady," the nurse began. "My name's Mira. I'll be poking around the room, getting ready for the doctor. Just relax and try to sleep through it."
Tired as she was, Petra read the nurse's aura. When the genuine clarity matched the words, Petra let her eyes drift close. Mira's quiet movements became a pleasant background and lulled her into a shallow sleep.
She dreamed, at the far reach of awareness, of a warm light bathing her aching body. She heard voices murmur assurances and encouragement and she felt gratitude bloom in her heart.
She dreamed of thick green grass beneath her and a vivid blue sky above. A gentle breeze brushed tenderly over her skin, wisping away the pain. The soft scent of flowers surrounded her with hope and energy.
The voices grew and then faded, and at last a restful silence enveloped her.
Petra opened her eyes and inhaled deeply. She felt restored and refreshed. Better than she'd felt in longer than she could recall. She looked down at her arms, noticing the healthy pink glow. The redness and pain were gone, along with the chills.
She called softly to Mira, then Jaden. But she was alone. Surprisingly, for the first time in forever, being alone felt wonderful.
Chapter Seven
I think that there are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent, justify private revenge. –Sherlock Holmes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From his vantage point at the end of the hall, Gideon watched Jaden exit Petra's room. The nurse had been clear he wouldn't get in there anytime soon. The forced separation didn't upset him. Petra freaked him out more than a little and
Petra shivered. "I didn't know I could do that. Plant memories, that is. I can read people's memories if I'm touching them, it's better, more clear, if I'm prepared. I can draw off pain or ease symptoms, but I can't truly heal. Until today, I've never attempted anything so big. I think your strength fed my gifts and made it possible."
"So the flip side is you think your empathic gifts helped me know what to do?"
It didn't take an empath to sense the edge in Jaden. Petra shook her head. "Not at all. You've always known what to do. When the time was right, you took action." Jaden frowned but Petra continued. "No it wasn't always the wrong action. You did what no one else had the courage to do."
"You're telepathic too," Jaden accused.
"Not really. Your face gave you away." She smiled. "I feel close to you, linked to you, like I do my brother."
Petra relaxed under Jaden's study. They definitely shared something, but who could blame her for being skeptical.
"How did you do it?" Jaden asked. "Modify the memories?"
Petra looked at the red, raw skin of her arms and closed her eyes. "I'm not sure. Honestly, I can't explain it. It needed done and I guess I worked from the shock of his...transformation. From there I just sort of blended in what people would've expected to see."
"Brian says there's no body."
"Brian?"
"My, um..." Jaden searched for a definition.
"Your partner?" Petra offered.
Jaden nodded. "Close enough. He told me no body was recovered. Did you see what happened to that bastard?"
"He dissolved." She hated to think about that moment, the sulfur smell hanging in the air and the angry shrieking in her head. "He's over. Not available to this world any more."
"Ever?"
"His failure wasn't well received."
"What?" Jaden asked, incredulous.
Petra paused as a willowy, blonde nurse walked in to check on her and chatter about shock, burns, doctor's orders, and visitors. Petra appreciated how the nurse diligently avoided touching her. She didn't think she had enough strength left to block anyone else.
"The doctor will be around in about an hour. You should rest until then," she said with a pointed glance at Jaden.
"We'll talk more soon," Jaden promised on her way out.
Petra nodded, relieved to put further discussions and explanations on hold.
"All right, young lady," the nurse began. "My name's Mira. I'll be poking around the room, getting ready for the doctor. Just relax and try to sleep through it."
Tired as she was, Petra read the nurse's aura. When the genuine clarity matched the words, Petra let her eyes drift close. Mira's quiet movements became a pleasant background and lulled her into a shallow sleep.
She dreamed, at the far reach of awareness, of a warm light bathing her aching body. She heard voices murmur assurances and encouragement and she felt gratitude bloom in her heart.
She dreamed of thick green grass beneath her and a vivid blue sky above. A gentle breeze brushed tenderly over her skin, wisping away the pain. The soft scent of flowers surrounded her with hope and energy.
The voices grew and then faded, and at last a restful silence enveloped her.
Petra opened her eyes and inhaled deeply. She felt restored and refreshed. Better than she'd felt in longer than she could recall. She looked down at her arms, noticing the healthy pink glow. The redness and pain were gone, along with the chills.
She called softly to Mira, then Jaden. But she was alone. Surprisingly, for the first time in forever, being alone felt wonderful.
Chapter Seven
I think that there are certain crimes which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent, justify private revenge. –Sherlock Holmes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From his vantage point at the end of the hall, Gideon watched Jaden exit Petra's room. The nurse had been clear he wouldn't get in there anytime soon. The forced separation didn't upset him. Petra freaked him out more than a little and
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