Their situation had just worsened exponentially.
Sir Oswald was busy informing the new arrivals of the night’s events, and he snapped at Signa for not paying attention. The mind reader smirked darkly at the place where Alex and Jordan stood before he slowly turned to the older man.
“Hurry!” Jordan urged.
She reached behind the plant for Samson’s bag, handing it to Jordan who slung it over his shoulder. He spun them both around, seemingly intent on running straight through the wall to get them out of there.
They took three steps before their progress was halted. As in, literally. It was as if they’d stepped onto a patch of superglue, since neither of them could move their feet so much as an inch. While that was a distinct problem, Alex was more concerned when she felt Jordan’s transcendence dissolve around them, bringing her vision into clarity and leaving them visible to everyone else in the room.
“It’s impolite to leave a party without saying goodbye,” purred a voice that sent shivers of trepidation down her spine.
Alex and Jordan found themselves being physically turned around as if on invisible rotating platforms until they faced the entire group of people. Alex’s focus was solely on one person, though. She had no idea where he’d come from, but she was certain he hadn’t been there a moment ago.
“I’d say it’s good to see you again, Aven, but I’d be lying.”
“It’s unfortunate you feel that way, Alexandra,” he replied. “I, however, am pleasantly surprised by your unexpected appearance. And you’ve even brought a little friend with you. Would you care to introduce us?”
Alex didn’t respond. She looked around the room, trying to figure out who was responsible for their current state of immobility. But with all the potentially gifted—not to mention, potentially Claimed—people in the room, she didn’t know where to begin guessing.
“His name is Jordan Sparker,” Signa informed Aven. “He’s a student at the academy. He has an impressive gift, as we all just witnessed for ourselves. But his thoughts are scattered. He’s very difficult to read.”
Alex glared at the mind reader who turned his gaze upon her.
“I knew you were lying,” Signa said arrogantly. “Those military idiots played right into your hands, didn’t they, Princess? I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to listen to you scream for mercy while they tortured you for information. But it looks like the tables have turned now.”
“Silence, Signa,” Aven ordered, and the other man quieted immediately.
The Meyarin sauntered slowly across the room, with Calista, Gerald, Signa, Sir Oswald, and another woman following. They stopped directly in front of Alex and Jordan. She felt incredibly vulnerable in her immobilised state, and she wondered why her gift wasn’t protecting her. Shouldn’t her willpower allow her to decide who could use their powers on her? Why wasn’t it working?
Signa sniggered. “It seems that the all-powerful Alexandra Jennings is second-guessing her ability.”
Her eyes widened. How could he read her mind now? Something must have changed. She looked around the room and locked eyes with Jordan, specifically where their hands remained linked.
“Are you still trying to keep us transcended?”
A silent nod told her all she needed to know. Someone in the room was interfering with his gift, and because she remained connected to him, somehow her willpower was being nullified as well. She yanked their fingers apart and immediately she felt her feet unstick from the floor, but she remained in position. It was one thing for them to know she was once again mentally protected; she didn’t want to reveal her newfound physical freedom just yet.
Signa was staring at her with frustration, evidently unable to read her again. He took a threatening step towards her but Aven speared him with a glance and he retreated hastily. Alex wondered if he’d been following a blood-bonded mental order or if he’d reacted purely out of self-preservation.
“You don’t need to know her thoughts to understand her motives, Signa,” Aven told the other man. “Her face reads like an open book.” He reached out a hand and tenderly stroked her cheek. Feeling violated, Alex shuddered, but somehow managed to remain glued to the spot.
“What are you doing here, Aven?” she asked, trying for nonchalance. “You don’t seem like the partying type.”
“You’re one to talk,” spat Sir Oswald. “Who, exactly, are you, Alexandra Jennings?”
Alex sent him a look. “You just answered your own question, genius. I guess you’re still recovering from your, ahem, ‘power nap’, huh?” She managed a taunting smile just to annoy him further.
“Why, you little—”
“Enough, Oswald,” Aven said. “Go and see to the others.”
Sir Oswald clearly didn’t like being ordered around in his own home, but he stormed back to his seat at the table where the other people Claimed by Aven waited.
“You have them all wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?” Alex said to Aven. “What did it take to get them on your side? Did you just steal their will from them like you tried with me? Or did you offer them riches and glory in return for their services?”
Aven smiled at her. “What makes you think they didn’t come to me of their own volition?”
Alex shook her head in response, knowing he was a first-class deceiver and that there was nothing he could say that she would believe. “Whatever.”
“Aren’t you curious about your immobility?” he asked. “Perhaps you’ll be enlightened if I introduce you to some of my closer associates.”
Associates. That was a word Alex had heard Aven use before, and she shuddered at the possibility of it being the term he used for all those he Claimed.
“You already know Gerald Togen,” Aven said, gesturing to the tattooed menace crackling his knuckles and sneering at Alex.
“We still have unfinished business, girlie.”
Alex wasn’t sure whether to snort or cringe, so she kept her face blank and turned her attention back to the much more dangerous Aven.
The Meyarin next indicated to the tall, blond woman who Alex already sort of knew. “This is Calista Maine. You can thank her for your current physical stasis. She has a very useful, very powerful gift of telekinesis, which is keeping you fastened securely to the floor.”
“So nice to meet you, Calista,” Alex said, her voice sugar-coated with sarcasm. “How do you feel about letting us go now?”
The woman just stared at Alex with her scarily empty eyes.
“Oh, Alexandra, how amusing you are,” Aven said, without the slightest trace of humour. He turned to the final woman, who had bright ginger hair that fanned around her face like waves of fire. “This is Lena Morrow. Her gift allows her to neutralise the abilities of others, as I’m sure your friend Jordan can verify. Judging by Signa’s displeasure, it seems her gift doesn’t work against your own mental fortitude.”