called me about thirty minutes ago, after he talked with you. Believe it or not, he’s also concerned about you.”
Jasmine smiled. For all his gruffness, Bask had a kind heart. Having known him all her life, she’d seen both sides. Sure, she chided him like crazy, but she felt certain he knew she adored him. His was not an easy job—an avocation, really—being in charge of Abbott House and looking out for the founding families. That was a conversation she’d liked to have overheard—him talking to Dr. Browne.
Jasmine sat back, moved her head back and sideways, stretching her neck, trying to relax the tightness that had returned to her shoulders. She took a deep breath and let it out. Slowly, she raised her hand, held her fingers and thumb to form a C, concentrated and made the energy leap between her fingers and thumb. Carefully, she turned her hand palm up and flattened it out. A ball of energy formed and danced lightly above her palm. She blew on it. With a poof, it disappeared.
Dr. Browne sat immobile, applied her best therapist look, and appeared as though she saw people do that all the time. After a moment, she let out a laugh. Self-conscious, Jasmine slipped her hand off the table into her lap. Dr. Browne shook her head slightly and smiled. “Wow. That was something.” The therapist was good at her job and her own smile had Jasmine relaxing, until she smiled back.
Yet, inside Jasmine’s mind raced. That little demonstration was effortless—nothing compared to what it would have taken yesterday. After what had transpired at the fairground with Eryk today, she felt as though she was twice as strong.
Her thoughts turned to Eryk and the reason she was stronger—their shared connection. When he’d clasped her wrist, she’d felt the power flow both ways, not just from her. Yet, it was her added strength that enabled him to manipulate that machinery. She wasn’t sure exactly what he’d done, but when it moved, the man’s arm had slipped free. Then, Eryk had pulled her away from the crowd and kissed her. As if thinking about the kiss gave it life, her blood raced and she felt the heat move through her body. Feeling the doctor’s eyes on her, she felt the blush crawl up her neck to warm her cheeks.
“What’s that for?” Dr. Browne was watching her.
“Nothing.”
Dr. Browne lif ted a single brow. She was the only person Jasmine knew that could do it as well as she could.
“He kissed me ,” she blurted out. Maybe if she said it out loud, the power of it would dissipate.
“Who kissed you?”
“Eryk.”
“The magician?”
Jasmine nodded, watching, looking for some sign of judgment. There was none.
“And he did this why?” Dr. Browne drew out the words.
Jasmine smirked and shot the doctor her most arrogant look. Seeing that she wasn’t buying it, Jasmine said, “Okay, it was after we joined our energies to free a man’s arm. The energy was flowing strong between us. It was almost like being on too much caffeine. He pulled me aside and kissed me.”
“Are you okay with this? How did you react?”
Jasmine remembered the initial panic, then the warmth.
“ Well, I didn’t fry him.” Her sarcasm died almost before it was out of her mouth. “At first, I was startled. Frightened. Then…I suppose I kissed him back.”
Dr. Browne smiled. She really smiled—to the point where the edge of her gums showed. Her eyes twinkled. She reached over and patted the hand resting on the table. “There is much we need to work on. You know that. But, you didn’t panic.”
Hearing that, Jasmine decided, to be fair, she needed to divulge one more thing. “Dr. Browne, there’s a reason I’m okay about what happened. Not perfect, mind you, but okay.” She took a deep breath, not sure if this information would set her back in the good doctor’s eyes. “I’ve been practicing.”
“At kissing?”
Jasmine choked out a laugh. “Here? No. At using my ability…to break locks.”
“I see. And are
Jasmine smiled. For all his gruffness, Bask had a kind heart. Having known him all her life, she’d seen both sides. Sure, she chided him like crazy, but she felt certain he knew she adored him. His was not an easy job—an avocation, really—being in charge of Abbott House and looking out for the founding families. That was a conversation she’d liked to have overheard—him talking to Dr. Browne.
Jasmine sat back, moved her head back and sideways, stretching her neck, trying to relax the tightness that had returned to her shoulders. She took a deep breath and let it out. Slowly, she raised her hand, held her fingers and thumb to form a C, concentrated and made the energy leap between her fingers and thumb. Carefully, she turned her hand palm up and flattened it out. A ball of energy formed and danced lightly above her palm. She blew on it. With a poof, it disappeared.
Dr. Browne sat immobile, applied her best therapist look, and appeared as though she saw people do that all the time. After a moment, she let out a laugh. Self-conscious, Jasmine slipped her hand off the table into her lap. Dr. Browne shook her head slightly and smiled. “Wow. That was something.” The therapist was good at her job and her own smile had Jasmine relaxing, until she smiled back.
Yet, inside Jasmine’s mind raced. That little demonstration was effortless—nothing compared to what it would have taken yesterday. After what had transpired at the fairground with Eryk today, she felt as though she was twice as strong.
Her thoughts turned to Eryk and the reason she was stronger—their shared connection. When he’d clasped her wrist, she’d felt the power flow both ways, not just from her. Yet, it was her added strength that enabled him to manipulate that machinery. She wasn’t sure exactly what he’d done, but when it moved, the man’s arm had slipped free. Then, Eryk had pulled her away from the crowd and kissed her. As if thinking about the kiss gave it life, her blood raced and she felt the heat move through her body. Feeling the doctor’s eyes on her, she felt the blush crawl up her neck to warm her cheeks.
“What’s that for?” Dr. Browne was watching her.
“Nothing.”
Dr. Browne lif ted a single brow. She was the only person Jasmine knew that could do it as well as she could.
“He kissed me ,” she blurted out. Maybe if she said it out loud, the power of it would dissipate.
“Who kissed you?”
“Eryk.”
“The magician?”
Jasmine nodded, watching, looking for some sign of judgment. There was none.
“And he did this why?” Dr. Browne drew out the words.
Jasmine smirked and shot the doctor her most arrogant look. Seeing that she wasn’t buying it, Jasmine said, “Okay, it was after we joined our energies to free a man’s arm. The energy was flowing strong between us. It was almost like being on too much caffeine. He pulled me aside and kissed me.”
“Are you okay with this? How did you react?”
Jasmine remembered the initial panic, then the warmth.
“ Well, I didn’t fry him.” Her sarcasm died almost before it was out of her mouth. “At first, I was startled. Frightened. Then…I suppose I kissed him back.”
Dr. Browne smiled. She really smiled—to the point where the edge of her gums showed. Her eyes twinkled. She reached over and patted the hand resting on the table. “There is much we need to work on. You know that. But, you didn’t panic.”
Hearing that, Jasmine decided, to be fair, she needed to divulge one more thing. “Dr. Browne, there’s a reason I’m okay about what happened. Not perfect, mind you, but okay.” She took a deep breath, not sure if this information would set her back in the good doctor’s eyes. “I’ve been practicing.”
“At kissing?”
Jasmine choked out a laugh. “Here? No. At using my ability…to break locks.”
“I see. And are
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