“You never said a word. What was I supposed to think?”
The raw emotion in his question pulled the rug out from under my
tumultuous emotions, leaving me exposed. The past crowded too close, and I had to cough a couple of times to clear the lump in my throat. “You left me.” My
unexpected accusation squeezed out, shocking us both. “You blamed me.” Now
that the words were free, I couldn’t stop them. “After Flash’s death, everyone disappeared. I get Liza, Nate, and Mike, maybe even Kayden. But you?” My voice cracked.
Stunned comprehension dawned and he reached out in a recognizable
attempt to comfort. The minute he touched the back of my hand the little zing reappeared. “Jesus, Cyn, I never blamed you for the attack.” He cocked his head.
“But you blame yourself, it’s why you won’t talk to me.”
I flinched. Hoping to block his too perceptive ability, I pulled my hand out from under his. “You all left me in the dark.”
“I was in the hospital for two months. As for the others…” He shook his head, his gaze narrowing. “Nope, that excuse isn’t going to work this time.
You’re going to tell me what you think you could have done to change what happened.”
I tightened my lips, refusing to look at him.
“Tell me what you think you could have done differently with a punctured lung, third degree burns, broken ribs, shattered femur, a broken wrist, and broken
fingers? Oh wait, let’s not forget the concussion.” By the time he was done listing my injuries his voice had deepened into a growl. “What could you have
done, Cyn?”
“I shouldn’t have thrown the damn knife!”
We sat there, my words ringing between us.
Confusion twisted his face. “What are you talking about?”
“Ellery had Flash pinned to the wall, but the flames, they weren’t burning him. They changed colors, but it wasn’t until I threw the knife that it all changed.
Until then, Flash was okay.” I rubbed a hand over my aching chest. “He was okay.”
“No, he wasn’t.” Kayden’s voice came from behind me, causing me to start
in my chair. He went to lean against the railing, facing Tag and me. “Flash was a
pyrokinetic. What you saw was Ellery’s ability in action.”
Kayden’s revelation confirmed my burgeoning suspicions. “Ellery’s
psychic?”
Kayden nodded. “He’s what we call a Syphon. Someone who absorbs other
psychic abilities. What you saw that night? The flames changing colors? Did they go from bluish white to yellow to orange?”
Stunned, all I could do was nod.
“Ellery was syphoning Flash’s ability. It didn’t matter what you did, Cyn, Flash couldn’t fight indefinitely.” He looked at the file on the table. “When you
read the file, you’ll realize Ellery’s getting more and more creative at how he steals abilities.”
My gut clenched. This was the monster hunting me? “Why didn’t anyone tell
me?”
“Hello? Hospital for two months, remember?” Tag said. “When I got out,
you wouldn’t talk to me.”
Looking between both men, I knew it all had to come out. If I didn’t lance
this wound, there would be no working together to stop Ellery. To let things go
and move on, I needed answers. “No one would tell me where you all were, or
what had happened. I woke up in Landstuhl and the higher-ups wanted answers.
I couldn’t tell them what happened. It didn’t even make sense to me. Ellery wasn’t talking to anyone, not even his lawyer.”
I rubbed my hands down my thighs. “All I knew was Flash and Ortega were
