Mind Control 2

“Now you know how I feel.” Tuck looked down at Jace. His eyes were wild. “Never again, Beleren.”

He raised a boot.

Help me.

Jace’s perspective lurched. He was looking down at himself, down at Tuck, out of Caden’s eyes.

Caden’s hand moved. Jace moved it. He didn’t know how or why or what Caden was seeing right now. He didn’t really care.

With Caden under his control, Jace grabbed Tuck’s shoulder and yanked him back from the edge, then stiffly offered himself a hand.

How small he looked, hanging desperately above the crackling stream of mana. How vulnerable he looked. He hated it.

Back in his own head, Jace grabbed Caden’s hand and hauled himself up.

He stood there, shaking, the plating solid under his feet. He only half-believed he was still alive. He looked to his three schoolmates.

Caden swayed on his feet, his eyes crackling with blue energy. Tuck was red-faced, furious. Jill’s eyes were wide.

The glow in Caden’s eyes faded. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he hit the plating with a thud.

***

She shook her head. “I think you are perfect and I love you, no matter what.”

Jace knew that was true, though whether by his abilities or not, he couldn’t say.

“How’s Caden?” asked Jace. “Have you heard?”

His mother’s lips pursed. “He’s still out,” she said. “The healers aren’t quite sure what to do.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him,” Jace said.

“I know.”

JACE’S ORIGIN: ABSENT MINDS