Kael did not realize his hands were still sparking until the kid flinched.
They had ducked into a side alley three blocks from the plaza, hearts still racing, when a door banged open just ahead of them.
A boy of maybe twelve froze on the threshold, a crate of empty bottles in his arms.
His eyes went straight to Kael's fingers.
The faint blue light reflected in them.
He did not scream.
He just went very, very still.
Rin swore under her breath.
"Kael," she whispered.
He forced the power down.
The sparks faded, leaving only the smell of singed air.
The boy's grip on the crate relaxed by a fraction.
"Sorry," Kael said.
It felt strange on his tongue.
Not a word he used often.
"Are you… are you the one from the video," the boy asked.
His voice shook.
Not with fear, exactly.
With too many emotions fighting for room.
"Which video," Kael asked.
"The lab," the kid said. "The collar. The… the pillar."
Kael exhaled.
"Yes," he said.
The boy swallowed.
