Pupils flicked right and left as she examined me closely. “I only ask that we try,” she finally said.
I was happy that she didn’t argue any further. I could see fire in her. The same fire that was in all the half-Walkers, but there was also flexibility and compromise, and that was important.
“You know that your element is spirit,” I murmured, turning back to face out to the ocean. “You make the seventh of our elemental tie.”
I felt her body stiffen beside me. Her muscles were rigid and the next few breaths were still heavy and sort of jagged.
“Spirit.” The word sounded strangled, although not surprised. She clearly knew something. “I guess that explains it then.”
“Explains what?” Brace said from where he stood nearby. He didn’t have to be at the front to see; he was a head above everyone here.
Her lips parted into an awkward, strained grin. “It explains why I see dead people.”
Okay then. That was unexpected. I hadn’t exactly been sure what ‘spirit’ was going to entail, but seeing dead people had not been on that list.
“So you like, literally, see the spirits of the dead?” I asked.
Brace cleared his throat before she could answer, and I knew he would have some theory regarding her gift. He knew the stories of the originals and he understood Walker powers a lot better than me. He let her speak first.
“Yes, I see the resonance left behind when a human dies. Sometimes it’s clearer than others. Their spirit seems … almost aware. Other times they’re nothing more than a transparent reflection, just wisps which eventually fade away. They help me on the streets. I avoid the places with lots of dead.”
I flicked my eyes up to my mate. “Is this going to be the full extent of her abilities?”
Brace’s chocolate eyes were soft. “I very much doubt it. The same way the shield kept the majority of your powers from emerging, Eva’s will be the same. Not to mention that Earth mutes or … distorts everything to do with energy. Like you, until Eva is on First World for an extended time, we won’t know the true nature of her gift.”
Her golden skin tones paled considerably at his words. And then we lost her. Whatever animation had been in her face was now gone, eyes glassy, as if she was in another place. She’d retreated somewhere that no one could touch.
Strange.
Before I could say anything more to her, she turned tail and ran. Back down the docks. I was stunned for a second, watching her retreating form, blond ponytail bouncing.
Shaking my head, I grabbed Brace’s arm. “I’m going after her. Keep an eye on everyone for me.”
He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, and grazed my cheek with his fingertips. “You got it, Red. Be careful.”
I took off. Eva was fast. She was already back at the docks and heading toward the building. I was fast too, and enough of my energy had returned that I could really sprint after her. The warmth of the morning sun disappeared as I entered the weathered office again. I was worried I’d have to search her out, but she had not moved past the first room that contained all the pictures. She was just standing there, staring at one which was titled ‘Jet Ski Challenge 2037’.
“We used to have a jet ski.” She was talking before I even reached her side. “One Christmas, when I was ten, Dad hinted that he had this amazing gift me for me and Matty … my little brother.”
My heart hurt at the sheer agony in her voice. Just saying the name of her brother was too painful for her. But she managed to continue.
“We were bouncing off the walls all morning even after opening our presents. Dad held out until about 10am. Then, finally, he drove us to the local lake. It was a massive water zone, and everyone from all the surrounding areas would spend hours there in the summer months.
“I jumped out of the car, wondering if he’d organized a party, but there was no one around. Just this lump covered in a sheet. He told me to rip it off –”
A sob shook her, cutting off part of the next word.
“There it was all white and shiny … best present ever. We played on it all day and I’d never had so much fun. Mom came along later and the four of us took turns zooming around the lake.”
By the time she turned to face me tears filled those tiger eyes. “I loved my family more than my own life. How could Mom do this to me? To Dad? She lied to me my entire life. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
I had no idea what to say to her. There were no words, and the two people who might have shed some light on the situation were dead.