Meadow's Keep (The Gatekeepers Series) by Shanon Grey Page A

you successful?” When she’d first seen Jasmine, nearly a year ago, Jasmine’s arm was in a sling, her face bruised and swollen and her spirit all but broken. Her kidnapper had chained her hands to a mine timber and repeatedly raped and beaten her. Dr. Browne swallowed, remembering the injuries the poor girl had sustained. But, she’d proven resilient, even from the first. She’d known Jasmine would heal and deal with what had happened.
    “Yes. Very. I’ve bought many different kinds of locks and secured them to chains. I haven’t acquired one yet that I can’t open.”
    “And this is done how?”
    Jasmine wiggled her fingers and her smile disappeared. “Too bad I didn’t have this ability before I was kidnapped.”
    “Does that bother you?”
    “Sure. I mean it did. But then I realized I might have killed him. It really wasn’t his fault. His mind was altered…,” she stopped not knowing how much the doctor knew or which story she’d been told.
    “Do you think it was the trauma that enabled your abilities?”
    Jasmine shrugged. She’d thought about it a lot over the last year. Her ability seemed to appear about a month after the kidnapping. At first, she was setting off electronics or would get shocked just touching things. In a similar, but much smaller way, to what happened in the car. Back then, she’d thought it was static electricity. When she fried a rather expensive computer and ruined a security circuit board, Jasmine realized she was the problem. Why hadn’t she thought about that tonight, before she got in her car. Maybe she could have grounded herself.
    Having grown up around Dorian and Thom, both of whom had the ability to manipulate energy, Jasmine was familiar with the concept. In Ruthorford, or at least at The Shoppe of Spells, these abilities were treated as normal. She’d been around on many occasions when Dorian and Thom had started throwing balls of energy at one another—until Mel would run them outside. She was grateful she’d been allowed to hang around during Dorian’s lessons. She’d tried to apply the lessons she remembered to her own burgeoning abilities, with a little success. She felt she was learning by mishap. Tired of trying to reinvent the wheel, she planned to corner Dorian and ask him about a million questions.
    She couldn’t wait to show Dorian. He would be so shocked. She laughed.
    At Dr. Browne ’s frown, Jasmine pulled her wandering mind back to Dr. Browne’s question. “I think, Dr. Browne, that, over the years, I repressed my abilities. I didn’t think I was supposed to have them—therefore, I didn’t. I don’t know of any other woman, who’s a descendant, who carries this trait.” Then, thinking of Eryk, she added, “I sure don’t know another man like Eryk.”
    “Almost like he was made for you ,” Dr. Browne commented, almost under her breath.
    Jasmine set down the cup. Still unsure just how vetted Dr. Browne was on Ruthorford’s secrets, she gave her a noncommittal smile. Dr. Browne’s statement was far closer to the truth than the good doctor realized and something she hadn’t considered. Jasmine knew there would be little else she’d be thinking about tonight.
    If Browne saw her consternation, she ignored it and changed the subject. “Bask wants to make sure you are okay with flying down in the magician’s plane.”
    “I was n’t, but then I figured he couldn’t do much while flying the plane. Honestly, I’m more worried about our combined abilities screwing up the electronics of the plane."
    “Bask said to tell you he’d have no problem sending a plane for you.”
    Jasmine lips curved in a smile. Yep, underneath that exterior, Bask was a softy. “I’ll think about it and let him know.”
    “It’s okay, either way,” Dr. Browne said and held up the pot of tea. “Warm-up?”
    “No, I think I’ll call it a night.” Jasmine pushed back the chair and stood. “Thanks for the tea and the chat.”
    “My pleasure. You know