Jevan leapt aside, dodging another blow from Edmund while clutching his chest. The first hit had made him feel as though his ribs had shattered. Without the mask he doubted he could even be standing.
He hadn't come here driven by justice or any desire to save anyone. His plan was simple: kill the men here to force the Claw gang to focus on him instead of taking revenge on innocents.
Jevan could feel everyone's desires in the restaurant, their deep wish for those men to die. In the past, the mask had blocked those feelings from him. Now, even while wearing it, he could still sense the desires if they were strong enough.
This was a chance to experiment. Could he assimilate his Authority more deeply if he fulfilled other people's wishes, even if they never spoke them aloud?
He hadn't expected to face another assimilator in this place. If he'd known, he would never have come without better preparation.
