I’d sensed Mom’s energy when she’d entered. The rest of them
thought the power had died with Mom, but I knew better. Perhaps that’s why I
was so eager to believe she still lived.
“When your mom died, her powers transferred
to me.”
I wrapped my arms around myself,
feeling chilly, achy, almost like I had the flu. I so couldn’t afford to get
sick now. Something wasn’t right. My aunt was talking, but I couldn’t really
concentrate enough to hear her. My head throbbed, my reality threatening to
slip away. She had Mom’s energy. Maddox hadn’t turned me in… So many thoughts
whirled through my mind.
Suddenly she was standing right
in front of me. “Nora, are you listening?”
I rubbed my temples, attempting
to regain control, but I couldn’t. Everything was spinning, slipping away. “Yeah.”
“I am the source.”
I got it, what the hell did she
want? A trophy? I parted my lips intending to tell her that I didn’t care, that
I needed to rest, to leave, something, but she interrupted.
“That’s not all.”
I studied her warily, slowly
lowering my hands from my head, only to wrap, my arms around myself. Cold. I
was so cold. “What else?”
“The source has chosen the next
person to inherit, the person I will transfer my powers to when I die.”
A shiver of unease raced over my
skin. My mind was finally acknowledging what my body and senses had already. I
knew, didn’t I? The way I’d been feeling, the odd powers I hadn’t had before, the
way she was looking at me.
“It’s you, Nora. You have been
chosen to be the next carrier of the source.”
Chapter 5
When I opened my eyes and found
myself in a familiar locker room, I groaned. When I saw Maddox’s form sitting
against the wall as if waiting for me, even expecting me, I groaned even louder.
Not here. Not now. Not when I was so vulnerable.
I settled my elbows on the hard
cement. “Wonderful, as if once wasn’t enough.”
He stood, grimacing with the
movement. “Hey, we both know I don’t have any powers, so this is all your doing,
Sweetheart.”
“What are you saying?” I
demanded, using what little strength I had left to sit upright. The room spun,
but I ignored it. Giving my body attention would only make it real. I would not
lose control of my body and my mind. Not again. “You no longer think this is a
dream?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s
something more.”
I didn’t want to dwell on his
words, but my aunt’s voice came wavering back to me.
“It’s you, Nora. You have been chosen to be the next carrier of the
source.”
“Damn it.” When my mother had
been alive, when she had been the carrier, Cameron had been next in line. But
her death had shifted the power to my aunt, and indirectly to me. Me. I tucked
my feet underneath me and stood. Obviously, Cameron still had her abilities,
but they must have been coming from her father.
Why? Why had the universe picked
me? I didn’t want the extra energy. I didn’t crave world domination like my
dear dad. Hell, I hadn’t even been trained for the power. Yet I was next in
line to inherit the source, whether I wanted it or not. And so I guess it all
made sense…why I could mind travel. Why my brain felt fuzzy. Why I could sense
things I hadn’t before.
I slid a glance Maddox’s way. He
leaned against the wall, watching me warily. This was different than Cameron’s
spying jaunts. I was actually bringing Maddox’s energy, his soul, whatever it
was, with me.
Frustrated, I paced the room,
stretching my stiff legs. Everything was a damn mess. Throughout my entire life,
I’d known I wasn’t the special one. I’d accepted it long ago. I was the warrior
in the family, the one who protected others. A guard. Brute strength and all of
that. But now, Aunt Lyndsey was telling me that I would one day carry the
source. I’d be a leader. It was a bit
much to take in. I paused near the door.
The sad thing was that I wasn’t
sure which was more
thought the power had died with Mom, but I knew better. Perhaps that’s why I
was so eager to believe she still lived.
“When your mom died, her powers transferred
to me.”
I wrapped my arms around myself,
feeling chilly, achy, almost like I had the flu. I so couldn’t afford to get
sick now. Something wasn’t right. My aunt was talking, but I couldn’t really
concentrate enough to hear her. My head throbbed, my reality threatening to
slip away. She had Mom’s energy. Maddox hadn’t turned me in… So many thoughts
whirled through my mind.
Suddenly she was standing right
in front of me. “Nora, are you listening?”
I rubbed my temples, attempting
to regain control, but I couldn’t. Everything was spinning, slipping away. “Yeah.”
“I am the source.”
I got it, what the hell did she
want? A trophy? I parted my lips intending to tell her that I didn’t care, that
I needed to rest, to leave, something, but she interrupted.
“That’s not all.”
I studied her warily, slowly
lowering my hands from my head, only to wrap, my arms around myself. Cold. I
was so cold. “What else?”
“The source has chosen the next
person to inherit, the person I will transfer my powers to when I die.”
A shiver of unease raced over my
skin. My mind was finally acknowledging what my body and senses had already. I
knew, didn’t I? The way I’d been feeling, the odd powers I hadn’t had before, the
way she was looking at me.
“It’s you, Nora. You have been
chosen to be the next carrier of the source.”
Chapter 5
When I opened my eyes and found
myself in a familiar locker room, I groaned. When I saw Maddox’s form sitting
against the wall as if waiting for me, even expecting me, I groaned even louder.
Not here. Not now. Not when I was so vulnerable.
I settled my elbows on the hard
cement. “Wonderful, as if once wasn’t enough.”
He stood, grimacing with the
movement. “Hey, we both know I don’t have any powers, so this is all your doing,
Sweetheart.”
“What are you saying?” I
demanded, using what little strength I had left to sit upright. The room spun,
but I ignored it. Giving my body attention would only make it real. I would not
lose control of my body and my mind. Not again. “You no longer think this is a
dream?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s
something more.”
I didn’t want to dwell on his
words, but my aunt’s voice came wavering back to me.
“It’s you, Nora. You have been chosen to be the next carrier of the
source.”
“Damn it.” When my mother had
been alive, when she had been the carrier, Cameron had been next in line. But
her death had shifted the power to my aunt, and indirectly to me. Me. I tucked
my feet underneath me and stood. Obviously, Cameron still had her abilities,
but they must have been coming from her father.
Why? Why had the universe picked
me? I didn’t want the extra energy. I didn’t crave world domination like my
dear dad. Hell, I hadn’t even been trained for the power. Yet I was next in
line to inherit the source, whether I wanted it or not. And so I guess it all
made sense…why I could mind travel. Why my brain felt fuzzy. Why I could sense
things I hadn’t before.
I slid a glance Maddox’s way. He
leaned against the wall, watching me warily. This was different than Cameron’s
spying jaunts. I was actually bringing Maddox’s energy, his soul, whatever it
was, with me.
Frustrated, I paced the room,
stretching my stiff legs. Everything was a damn mess. Throughout my entire life,
I’d known I wasn’t the special one. I’d accepted it long ago. I was the warrior
in the family, the one who protected others. A guard. Brute strength and all of
that. But now, Aunt Lyndsey was telling me that I would one day carry the
source. I’d be a leader. It was a bit
much to take in. I paused near the door.
The sad thing was that I wasn’t
sure which was more
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