Getting Ryan to let me leave with Derry requires serious manipulation of his emotions. He may never regain his compassion.

Our time is limited. He’ll call for reinforcements. While I’m terrified what will happen when I present myself to the Sumair family, doubting my connection to Derry isn’t on my radar. Did he lie? Yes, yes he did, but so did I. It doesn’t stop me from trusting him. Not forgiving him for withholding would mean he shouldn’t forgive me, either. There’s only one lingering question for him to answer. “What’s your ability?”

“I can read minds. My fire comes in the way of light.” He side-eyes me, checking my reaction. “I’ll always know the truth.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” I grouse, trying to replay every thought I’ve inadvertently shared. My privacy has been invaded. Instead of feeling violated, I’m pleased I won’t have to keep secrets from him ever again.

“Most people, even those close to me, aren’t so accepting of my ability. I didn’t expect you to feel differently, but I’m glad you do.”

He reaches across the console, and I receive his hand gratefully. In finding out what he is, I could’ve cut him off—the Keanes will still want that—but I didn’t. I’m not even upset he’s a Sumair. I’m relieved.

“I was worried you would...”

“You don’t know me very well.”

“I want to,” he assures me.

“Same.” I tighten my grip on his hand. “But we’re just two very small pieces in this puzzle.”

“The final pieces.”

“Your mom has answers I need.”

“She’s not really my mom.”

“Did you miss how I emphasized mom?”

His smile is distracting. “I was too busy being delighted you still want anything to do with me to pick up on your inflection.”

“Well, squash it. I can’t think straight with you grinning so hard.”

Maybe his attention has more to do with what I can offer him, in the way of an energy boost.

“I guarantee your mind interests me but won’t dismiss the appeal of other assets,” he admits. “Your lips, for instance. I like those a lot.”

I bite at them, the heat sparking inside me.

“Your skin, it’s soft and alluring, and when you do that thing where you...”

My cheeks flame.

He smiles coyly. “That color is a lovely shade on you.”

I suck a breath in between my teeth, tasting his Morning Glories and Sunshine.

“And…your scent.” His voice breaks as he says it. “Cinnamon and Tuberose. I’m a fan.”

“No broccoli aftertaste?”

“Whoever said you taste like a vegetable needs to have their taste buds tested.”

“An earth elemental.”

“You wouldn’t taste as sweet to them. Supplementing is different.”

“Let me see if I have this straight.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

He lifts a curious brow.

“Kiley’s air, Melanie’s water, Barry’s earth, and you’re fire. I should add Barry has the specialty of masking like a rock. He shields you from being visible to the Tribunal or other Solathairs.” Barry’s obviously the misplaced earth elemental Molly mentioned.

“Alarmingly correct on all counts.”

“Why alarmingly?”

“I’m the mind-reader here,” he points out. “Are you replacing me?”

I slump down into the seat. “Are you intimidated by me?”

“No, quite the opposite.” He caresses my hand. “I’m relieved. Communication can be a struggle. I tend to respond without being spoken to or take too much liberty speaking to eliminate personal strains. It’s hard to hide my ability and subsequent reactions. To keep someone’s private thoughts private isn’t easy.”

“I’ll help you. If you can use your electrical prowess to help me rewire my shut-off switch, I can help you shut people out.”

“My gravitation to electronics won’t help that, Sheyla. You’re not a machine.”

My defective robot begs to differ. It’s saved me more times than I can count. “You might be wrong.”

He chuckles. “Well, Melanie did say I’d fall in love with a robot.”

“What are their gifts like? I get Barry’s. He’s a shield. Kiley does something musical, but what? Her voice is why I deduced her air affinity.”

“Kiley’s a magician,” he clarifies. “Yes, she has a spectacular voice, but she also persuades with it. Her hairstyles, for instance, are ever-changing. They’re not technically changing. That’s just the illusion she’s giving you. She manipulates how you see things.”

“She can alter perception. Can she literally change anything, or does it only impact sight?”

“Ask someone who dies of a heart attack over something they’ve seen whether it has the power to affect something beyond sight,” he counters. “Our brains are connected directly to our senses.”

“True,” I agree. “How strong is her power?”

“She has to be in range for you to be influenced. It’s why she can’t be the superstar you’ve envisioned. Sure, the whole non-human thing is another reason, but she doesn’t project the same on camera.”

“Just like you couldn’t read someone’s mind through the computer, she can’t maintain the illusion via electronics.”

“That, Sweetheart, is why I’m so fascinated by technology.”

“Cool.”

“Since you know I’m a fire Sumair now, does that mean you’ll finally admit to my hotness?”

“You still have to earn it,” I challenge him.

“Work for my supper?” He winks.

That’s an appealing suggestion I plan to make use of, but I have a trickier venture in mind. “Could you help me reach my mom? If you can read minds, perhaps you can read hers? It’s a shot in the dark…could you do it?”

He seems smug. “It won’t be as tough as you’re thinking.”

“A little cocky, are you?”

“She talks to you all the time, Sweetheart.”

I glower at him. Is he teasing me?

“No, honestly,” he deflects. “You just didn’t grasp it was her. You thought it was your conscience.”

Clueing in, a slow smile spreads across my face. Superego wasn’t my conscience. It was Mom. I’m excited and nervous. When will Supermom try to reach me again? Can I respond to her? If she’s my conscience, does that mean I don’t have one?

He lifts my frowning lips with a gentle touch. “That doesn’t mean you don’t have a conscience.”

“I’m proud of my shield of indifference, Derry. It shouldn’t bother me.”

“You just have to figure out when to lower it because when you do, you have the most compassionate, clear-sighted mind I’ve ever intruded on. You’re beautiful inside and out. Radiant even.”

“You must have me confused with Tally.”

He scrunches up his nose.

“What? Was the joke a dud? I’ll have to give the next one more firepower.”

“Your attempts will be slighted by my absorption.”

“No harm in trying.”

“Please, try away. You have my blessing.”

I lean over and kiss him, the connection immediately forming. I can finally understand it, the persistent urge to give, but for the first time, I can control my release. In my constant rush to extinguish my fire, I seldom stop to enjoy the warmth it provides. I’ve been keeping this pleasure from myself, this steady build that knots my stomach in an addictive way.

Then I realize a paramount fact in my continuance. The need for the Sumairs to feed from my energy isn’t the only addiction. I crave release. So long as I remain human, and as long as Derry wants me around, I won’t have any difficulty sating that need. It’s a benefit to us both.

When I reluctantly disengage, he smiles at me. “Ready to put the pieces together?”

I frown again. “I just hope we won’t be missing any at the end of it. Nothing sucks worse than an unfinished puzzle.”

“We’re not missing any, but I’m worried, too.”

“Will they let us finish it?” Us being our Solathair and Sumair friends.

“That’s where Melanie comes in awfully handy.”

“Ryan’s water specialty is healing. What can Melanie do?”

“She doesn’t deal with water as a liquid.”

“It’s her element, right?”

“Her specialty.”

Water has several forms: liquid, gas, and solid. “Ice? She can’t manipulate the ice itself. A Sumair only gets a specialty, not the actual element manipulation.”

“Only.” He scoffs. “No, she can’t. It would be cool if she could. Cool...like ice. Get it?”

I just shake my head.

He pouts playfully. “Not hot?”

“Lukewarm.”