Star Gods, стр. 36

I reach out with my mind, similar to what I did with Ashe, latching onto the tiniest of threads and pull, bringing the brunt of power toward me. It’s immense, the power she created, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold enough of it to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Ashe stands firm, protecting Tyce from the blast, his body glowing strongly with silver as he instantly becomes a Luminary for protecting and saving another.

“What have I done?” Sage cries.

“You didn’t know, Sage, none of us knew,” Ashe responds, raising a hand in her direction while watching me. “Just stay where you are.”

“You didn’t know what?” Sage squeaks.

“Didn’t you feel it?” Ashe questions. “You amped up our abilities—ability manipulation. It also explains how the two of you can rejuvenate each other. I felt it initially when Tyce and I were healing Zeke, I only thought it was because you just received your extractor ability and you didn’t have control.”

“How do I help Zeke now if I end up amping up his abilities?”

“You have to receive some of what he’s holding.”

“What?” she shrieks.

I grit my teeth, dropping to my knees, feeling as part of Ashe’s ability seeps into me.

“Zeke, you can’t hold it all, you have to send some to Sage, and mine back to me,” Ashe instructs.

“I got it.” I grunt with the pressure and power absorbing into me.

“Zeke, listen to Ashe,” Abby calls. “You can’t take it all!”

My mind tells me otherwise. Somehow, I’m not sure how, I split the abilities with my mind and create pocket-like storage inside of me.

“Oh, my God,” Abby states. “Ashe, are you seeing this?”

I sit back on my heels, taking in a gasping breath, as the pressure finally eases, my heart hammering inside my chest.

“Zeke?” Sage asks.

“It’s okay now, I got it contained.”

She comes to me, dropping onto her knees and placing her hand onto my arm spreading energy between us. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Did something happen to Ashe, did I hurt him?”

I shake my head. “No. He became a Luminary because he protected Tyce.”

She lifts my hand into my line of vision. “Are you a Luminary as well? You’re more silver than violet.”

Fear spikes inside me. “Not possible. I’m not old enough and I haven’t started training yet.”

Her brows raise. “You just doubted that.”

“It’s not possible, Sage.” I peer over her shoulder when a movement draws my attention—and the trunks of the trees shift. I blink to make sure my sight is clear, and bodies begin to materialize. “We’ve got company.” I surge to my feet, and yank Sage to hers.

“Stay close. I mean it. Pool a small amount of my barrier in one hand and get ready to extract with your other. Leave your other ability alone. Understand?”

I feel her unease and change tactics. “Concentrate on only using mine, Sage. Okay?”

She’s nervous, but she turns, faces our threat, and follows my direction.

“I’ve got over twenty on this side.” Tyce shoves Claire in the center of us. I feel as he increases the power in his wards.

“Same here,” I respond.

“Something’s happening.” Sage nervously shifts the weight on her feet.

The line disperses, Assassins creating a space for one lone figure to move forward. “I got movement over here.” I don’t have to guess at who this is.

He’s tall, broad, and moves with an arrogance of ultimate power. He wears the clothes of the Assassin in all black showing his well-defined muscles, the hood thrown back and showing what girls would most likely deem a handsome face. His hair is sandy brown and unkept reaching his shoulders. He stops fifty feet away taking his time in looking at each of us, and finally stopping on me; his face flashing from Neil and back.

“The Cartwrights,” he says in a deep baritone voice. “You certainly don’t fit the reputation which precedes you.”

I increase the voltage on my barrier, and for the hell of it, lace it with a portion of Ashe’s ward, cupping it in my hand. “You must be Levi.”

“Abby has a big mouth.”

“Where’s my sister?” she spits.

There’s movement to my right and Levi turns one palm in my direction. “Stay in your rank!” he snarls and the movement stops.

“What do you want?” I ask, turning my own palm toward him.

“You and your sister.”

“You’re not my type.”

He chuckles, low and deep.

I feel it, the shift in the air of abilities building. I increase what I’m holding so I have laced barriers in each hand. Two Assassins suddenly leave rank and I lift one hand and both fly backwards into their comrades; my barriers never leaving my hands.

A moment of surprise travels across Levi’s face quickly turning to anger. “Hold your positions!” he yells. “I told you, he’s mine.” He curls a lip right before a blinding red light leaves his body.

It crashes into my chest, taking me off my feet to slam me onto the ground, knocking the wind from me and triggering a message; darkness, death, my house blown to bits, and Sage—her empty eyes staring up at me with no life inside flashes quickly pissing me off.

“I’ll be taking that back!” Levi’s voice echoes inside my head.

I growl, deep within me, shoving the message back and away. I push at caring hands and get to my feet, my eyes searching an empty field. “Where is he?” I growl.

“He and everyone with him, left once you hit the ground,” Ashe answers, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You hit hard, so let me take a look at you.”

I yank away, scanning the area and gulping in air as rage consumes me. “He has to be here somewhere!”

“He’s gone,” Sage says. “He did something and took them all with him.”

“He traveled.” I shake my head in disbelief, swearing under my breath. I angrily spread my barrier to cover everyone and travel us safely home. “Put up the wards,” I snap, traveling to the basement and coating the entire area with my barrier, my anger reaching its breaking point.

Something