“Tomorrow.” He turns to leave but stops short of leaving the room. Without turning he says, “If you need anything, ask one of the men outside.” Before I can comment, he closes the door behind him.
Well, alright then.
I look to the desk and find a clock displaying it’s late afternoon, but I have no idea what day it is. I take one last look over my shoulder at my wings. I still can’t believe I grew wings.
I pause. Shit.
I forgot to ask Malik what my wings means.
Chapter 14
Run.
Don’t look back, just run.
They’re coming for me. If I can just make it past the tree line, I’ll be free. I can’t think about what happens if I don’t make it. I can’t think about what happens if they chase me past the tree line either.
If they catch me again, I won’t survive this time. I just know it. I’ve killed their own, there’s no way They’ll let me live. No matter how ‘special’ I am.
No. No. Stop thinking. Run. Just keep running.
My lungs burn and my legs ache. The rush of power I felt has faded, leaving weakness in its wake. There’s no telling how far I’ll be able to go. There’s no telling how much further I can run.
My heart thumps painfully in my chest. My breathing is ragged and sweat soaks my worn body. The cuts across my flesh burn and jolt with every step. But I ignore it all. Survival is all that matters now.
And revenge.
Revenge for my village.
Revenge for my family.
Revenge for myself.
I will watch Them all burn, but only if I survive.
Run, Alanna. Don’t let Him get you. Run and don’t look back.
I startle awake. I thought I was free from the nightmares, but my shaking hands and ragged breathing say otherwise. I suck in air and exhale slowly, closing my eyes. My heart pounds in tandem with the fading dream.
Willing the last of the nightmare away, I slowly stand. I stretch wide, feeling a strange tug on my back. I gasp as it all comes back to me.
My wings.
I turn my head and peer back at them, marveling at how delicate and beautiful they look. I flex the muscles in my back in a foolhardy attempt to move them. Not one to give up so easily, I try again and again. Yet still they don’t move. They lie limp against my back, useless things.
I’m distracted by someone clearing their throat. I jump and whip around to face them.
Malik.
His expression is one of great amusement. Whether it’s due to my actions or something else, I can’t tell. My face heats and I bark out a clipped, “What?”
His smirk spreads wider. “We’re starting training.”
It’s then that I remember I’m not wearing a top. Damn wings. My face burns with shame and I rip the clean sheet over my chest, clutching it like a life line. Deep laughter rumbles out of Malik and I look at my feet.
Trying to ignore it all, I think about what he said.
I nearly forgot about training. I’m actually looking forward to learning Mindula, and I only hope I can manifest it. After all, I’ve already learned Firvo and Elestal. Not many talnarins can manifest more than one affinity, let alone three.
Then again, I’m not really a talnarin.
I glance up and find Malik still staring at me with that amused expression. I realize I haven’t acknowledged what he said. “Fine, but I have some questions first.” He merely crosses his arms, remaining silent. “Why don’t all talnarins grow wings?”
A look of mild surprise crosses his face. “Wings are a show of power and strength. Those with the aptitude to manipulate more than one affinity have wings.”
“Then what two affinities do you have? You know, since you have wings.” His expression shuts down immediately. His smile wipes away so quickly, it’s almost as if it was never there. Cleary, I said something wrong, again.
“That’s not important.” His tone books no room for arguments, and for once, I don’t.
Instead I say, “Then why do they show when talnarins have more than one affinity?”
Malik leans against the wall, arms still crossed. “The wings are designed as a fail safe.” At my confused look, he explains. “The wings are intended to protect the talnarin. Did Benjamin ever discuss what could happen when a talnarin has too much energy or power?”
I rub my chin gently. “Those with too much energy could draw to much from the source of energy, depleting it.”
“That’s true, but that’s not what I am referring to.” He doesn’t give me a chance to try again as he continues. “A talnarin with more than one affinity requires more energy than a talnarin with one affinity. The body must store more energy, and it has the potential to tear the talnarin apart. Too much energy being stored in a core can go haywire. Take your bomb, for example.”
He gives me a pointed look and I grimace.
“You concentrate energy in place for too long and it explodes. That’s what can happen to a talnarin with more than one affinity.”
I gulp. Am I going to explode?
“The core already has a balance in place to store the necessary energy for one affinity. There are no risks of being torn apart this way. However, when you can manipulate more than one affinity, you require double the amount of energy than before. For three, you require triple the amount of energy. Do you follow so far?”
“Yeah. I’m not going to be torn to pieces, am I?” I shift my weight nervously.
His smirk returns with force. It’s nearly blinding in intensity. “No. That’s where the wings come in. Consider them an additional storage unit for energy. The wings themselves are an external manifestation of the energy you possess inside your core.”
My jaw drops. The wings are energy? My energy? That’s what my energy looks like inside my soul?
Holy shit.
Nearly bubbling with excitement, I say, “So is that why they’re silver? Because my flames are silver?”
“You’re energy manifests itself as silver, yes. But it’s not because of your flames.” My brows furrow. He sighs. “Your energy is silver. This is the reason for your eye color and affinity manifestation color.”
“That’s what I said.” I give him my best no shit look. His smirk kicks up in the corner.
“That is not what you said.” I open my mouth to protest but don’t manage to get a word out before he moves on. “Once you gain proper control of the energy, the wings will disappear.”
“Where will they go, then? You said it was an external storage unit necessary to preventing the talnarin from exploding.”
He rubs his hand down his face. “They don’t actually disappear. You simply will them to remain out of sight.”
What in the Hellvian is he saying?
“When you created the bomb, you built up the energy away from you, correct?”
I nod. Where is Malik going with this?
“You never physically saw the energy manifest, did you?” I shake my head. “That’s what you can do with your wings. The energy is still there but it’s not physically seen or touched.”
Now what he says clicks. “Can I learn to do that now? Hide them I mean?”
“No.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why not?”
“It requires a level of control you don’t possess.”
Excuse me? “Well, we won’t know until we try, will we?”
His golden eyes seem to be laughing at me. My own narrow in response. “Very well. I’ll show you how to do it.” His voice is mocking.
“Now.” I challenge.
“No.”
I frown. “But you just said-”
Malik cuts me off. “I know what I said. When you gain better control of your energy, I’ll teach you. Fair?”
I huff, nodding. He pushes from the wall and stands a few paces from me. He looks down at the bundle of cloth against my bare chest. I flush and feel my hands twitch. “Tie that off.”
I look down, brows furrowed. “What?” I glance up
to find his golden eyes on mine.
“Turn around.” Malik doesn’t wait for me to do it, instead he grips my shoulders and gently twists me around. If he didn’t have a hold on me, I would have likely teetered over due to the strange weight on my back from my wings. I let out a startled squeak as the sheet is pulled behind me, front still covered. I frantically reach for the sheet to yank it back when his deep voice rumbles from behind me.
“Calm down. I’m not doing anything.”
I still my movements, still tense. I feel a gentle tugging at my lower back and upper shoulders. I try to peer around but can’t see anything. A short time later, I’m released to turn back around. I do so slowly, careful not to topple over. As I move I notice the sheet is properly secured behind me so I release my hands from my front. I glance down and see it sitting snug against my flesh.
“It’s tied underneath your wings so they don’t pull uncomfortably. I know you can’t feel pain with the medicine, but let’s not push our luck.”
I look down at my feet and mutter a soft, ‘thanks.’
“Don’t mention it. Let’s practice the Mindula Affinity.” He turns swiftly and drags the chair from the desk towards the foot of the bed. He eases into it, and I take that as my cue. I plop down on the bed, carefully to avoid landing on my wings.
“What do you know about Mindula?” Malik rests his elbows on his knees, eyes intense.
“Not Much. It’s the mental manipulation. You can read feelings and intentions.”
“Not much, indeed,” he muses. “Mindula works differently than the two affinities you possess. Flokil is different as well, but we won’t get into that today.” He crosses his hands and places them under his chin.
“Now. Mindula is the mental manipulation, that’s correct. But, it’s not a physical manifestation like Firvo or Elestal. Instead, it’s all about concentrating your energy into something else, like the mind of another.”
“So, you’re sending your energy into someone else’s mind to get a read of their emotions?”
“That’s correct. But you need to understand that you can go too far.” Malik’s eyes bore into mine, stressing the seriousness of what he’s saying. “If you push too much energy into the mind of another, you can damage them, possibly kill them.” I gulp. “It’s all about subtly.”
I’m not so great at subtle. “Can the persons whose brain you’re invading notice you’re messing around inside their head?” I never feel Elaine inside my head, but she’s been practicing for a long time.
“Yes, they can. That’s another reason to be subtle.” Malik sits up straight and stretches his legs. “But, that requires years of training. All you need to focus on is not killing or damaging me.” As if an afterthought, he adds, “As tempting as I’m sure that is.”
I can’t help the tiny smile lifting the corners of my lips. Now there’s a tempting offer. How am I to resist? I look up and find Malik staring wide-eyed at my face. He stares so intently it’s embarrassing. I feel my face heat and my lips straighten. There’s an odd gleam to his eyes too. It’s wonder. But wonder at what?
All too quickly the look passes. Malik’s face is carefully blank as he stands abruptly. I hear a soft knock on the door seconds before he opens it.
Freya is standing outside, another needle in her hand.
She gracefully bows before leaving, the door closing firmly behind her. Malik makes his way back to the bed and towers over me. I grimace as I eye the needle with apprehension. I glance up, about to protest, when I see the slight softening of his face. He gently holds the needle out for me to take. An offering.
I don’t know what it means, but an unnamed emotion passes through me too quickly to identify. I huff out a breath, willing my racing heart to slow. I present my arm, the limb shaking softly. A gentle smile graces his lips and he carefully inserts the thin needle in my arm.
It’s over before I can blink, and so is Malik’s smile. Disappointment runs through me and I berate myself for feeling that way in the first place. He returns to his seat at the foot of the bed. “You’re going to practice Mindula on me, but first I will demonstrate on you.”
Chapter 15
Wait what?
“Hold on.” I shove my hands out in front of me, the universal sign of surrender. “What’s the affinity going to do exactly?”
Malik raises his eyebrow. “Worried I’m going to damage you?”
Oh shit. I didn’t even think about that. “No.” I say honestly.
“Ah.” His eyes light up. This asshole’s enjoying this. “Worried I might find something in that head of yours? Something private, maybe?”
For what feels like the millionth time today, my face flushes a deep red. I flounder for a suitable response, telling Malik all he needs to know with that. Frustrated and tongue tied, I settle for silence, and my mouth snaps shut with a click. An amused, shit-eating grin lights up his handsome features. It’s irritating to see.
It feels like I lost somehow.
“I’m going to make the invasion obvious.” The grin is gone, in its place is a serious and intense look. “That way you can distinguish the feeling and understand how to do it yourself.” Malik stares into my eyes and I see a slight challenge in them, almost like he’s daring me to protest.
So, I don’t.
His smirk returns and it seems I’ve lost yet another game with him. What the game is I have no idea, and I never seem to know. It’s frustrating.
I feel a soft caress inside my mind; it’s painless, comforting.
Suddenly I feel the overwhelming urge to stand and stretch. So, I do. I gently roll my neck on my shoulders after a faint whisper echoes inside my head. It’s a suggestion I can’t ignore. The offer to abide is far too tempting.
Just as suddenly as the feeling arrived, it’s gone. It leaves me feeling strangely cold and empty. It takes me a few moments to collect myself and gather my scattered thoughts. Finally, I manage to ask, “What the Hellvian was that?” I glance over to Malik and find him watching me intently.
“That was Mindula.”
“All of it? Even me moving?”
“Yes.”
No, that can’t be right. I wasn’t forced, I wanted to stand and stretch. I was stiff and needed to work out the kinks. As if he can sense the direction of my thoughts, which he probably can, he says, “The Mindula affinity is all about suggestion. The reason those with the ability to manipulate this affinity can feel emotions or outlines of thoughts is because they are suggested to share those things. They can make them do their bidding and spill their secrets.”
That’s amazing and terrifying all in one. “You said I’d feel it, though. I didn’t feel anything.” At least I don’t think so.
Malik pushes his hand through his hair, the strands falling haphazardly around his face. “But you did.” I furrow my brows. “You felt a soft presence in your mind correct?”
Confused on where this is going I say, “Yes.”
“That was the energy whispering along your consciousness.”
Holy shit. I was expecting pain as the indicator after what he said about tearing someone apart.
“Of course, those who’re more experienced can glean what they wish without the person feeling or hearing a single whisper of suggestion. It is so subtle that it feels like it’s a part of you, that you are the one who suggested it. You feel compelled to give forth the information, thinking it’s your own free will.”
I stare open mouthed for a moment. I softly drop back to the mattress. “That’s terrifying.”
He grins. “It is. That’s why the Mindula affinity is arguably the most powerful and useful of the four.” He sounds so proud, but for once, doesn’t come across as arrogant.
And he thinks I can manipulate it. “I can do all that without the other person knowing?”
Malik shrugs nonchalantly, like it doesn’t matter to him one way or another. “With practice, perhaps.”
“It’s not a sure thing even with practice?”
; He gives me a long look. “No. Each affinity works differently for each user. The basic foundations and capabilities for the abilities remain the same, but the outcome is different. It depends on who you are and how strong you are.”
That makes sense, I guess. “So why are you so sure I can manipulate this one too? I already have Elestal and Firvo. Isn’t it really uncommon to have more than one, let alone three?”
Malik’s expression is unreadable. “It’s not just the Mindula affinity. I think you possess the capability to manipulate them all.”
I gape. What? Is there anyone who can manipulate them all? There was nothing in the books I found about this topic but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
“Is it because I was created as a talnarin not born?”
“The experiments altered your system in a way that’s vastly different than ours.” Malik rubs his face, frustration evident in his expression and tone. He sighs deeply before continuing. “But… I don’t know if that’s the reason you may be able manipulate them all. That’s not important right now. Let’s get back to Mindula.”
“But-”
”No. Don’t argue.” His gold eyes harden, challenging me to argue again. “What did you feel when the energy left?”
Sulking, my lips turned down slightly in the corners, I snap out, “I felt cold. Empty.”
Malik appears unfazed with my attitude, eyes lit with amusement. “Once you become sufficient at manipulating the Mindula affinity, you won’t leave that feeling behind. When you become skilled enough, you’ll leave the person feeling content and happy. Giddy, almost.”
Before I comment, Malik pushes forward. “With this affinity, you can implant fake emotions and thoughts into the one you are manipulating. In fact, it’s quite useful during interrogations. Usually, a person will be quite happy spilling everything we need to know. Or they can be quite miserable too. It depends on the preferred extraction method.” A sadistic grin stretches across his face. Guess I don’t have to guess which method he prefers.
A thought hits me. “So, you can manipulate Mindula even though your eyes are gold, not purple?”
Spilt Secrets (A Talnarin Novel Book 2) Page 9