Part 10 (1/2)

”You are a Prime Psi, which means you can make her change her mind or persuade her to do as you wish. Try it.”

My gaze volleyed between Lottius and Katia, who didn't seem too happy with her cousin's suggestion. Neither was I.

”No. I don't think I should use my powers on a friend. It just seems wrong. Just a second while I tell the guards.” I ran to the family room. Two guards were at their station. They were the same two I'd had when I gained consciousness. The girl with short, pageboy hair and gray eyes was called Ruby, and her ruggedly handsome partner had a name starting with K or C. ”We're going to the beach for a couple of hours.”

They looked at each other.

”Come on. Let's go,” I said.

We appeared on a wide stretch of sandy beach packed with young, beautiful people sunbathing and frolicking in the water. Behind us was a rocky divide that went all the way to the sea. It looked like a wall. Ahead, a group of s.h.i.+rtless guys and scantily dressed girls played beach volleyball.

Not just any beach volleyball. They were using powers, and something about it had my pulse racing. It was too familiar. The ones with the ability to manipulate the air hit the ball without touching it. The Energy Primes used energy b.a.l.l.s. When the volleyball shot up in the air, one dark-haired guy disappeared and I looked up, expecting him to appear in the air with his wings out. Instead, he appeared above the ball, hit it, and teleported back onto the sand before the ball reached the other side of the net. Th girl who was supposed to block the ball missed. The thud and crack of bones filled the air as the ball hit her. I winced and moved closer, the instinct to help taking over.

Then I noticed that the others weren't paying attention to her. Even her two teammates who'd dropped on the sand beside her weren't looking at her.

They were all staring at me. Telepathic whispers followed.

It's the princess.

What is she doing here?

Are we supposed to get up and bow?

Man, I was enjoying the sun.

Shut up. They say she can hear and feel everything around her.

I tuned them out, but I could feel resentment mixed with curiosity. Cringing, I checked left and right. The sunbathers were scrambling to their feet, my image reflected in their sungla.s.ses. The ones in the water also stopped goofing around. It was like being in the zoo and I was the star attraction-except some resented me. My face, I was sure, matched my hair.

”Dimwits,” Lottius said.

”Don't mind them,” Katia added, tugging on my arm. ”Skylar needs your help.”

”Who?”

”The girl who was bludgeoned by the ball,” she said.

As we started forward, people pulled their towels out of the way and bowed. Others pressed their hands to their chests and murmured, ”Princess Lilith.”

”I wish they'd stop with the bowing,” I whispered.

”Want me to tell them?” Lottius asked with a smirk.

”Don't even think about it, Lottie,” Katia said from my left. ”They can't stop, Lilith. Not bowing is a sign of disrespect. And you have four guards who can identify each and every one of them who shows you disrespect.”

I had forgotten about the guards. I glanced back. Ruby carried beach towels, while her partner had a large umbrella. But behind them were two more guards-tall, big men who looked like they could flatten anyone with one blow.

This was beyond embarra.s.sing. I made eye contact with Ruby. Can you guys stay back?

No, Princess- I order you to stay back and tell them to stop bowing, I added.

I can't follow that order, Princess Lilith, Ruby said. I took an oath to stay as close to you as possible.

Probably Lady Nemea's orders. If only I was more commanding like Solange. I glanced at the people bowing, hoping to catch their eyes, but I couldn't see beyond their reflective sungla.s.ses. Shaking my head, I went toward the volleyball field, where a brown-skinned guy with dreadlocks was holding the hand of the girl who'd been hit.

Katia hurried to their side and dropped on the sand. A large bruise was already forming on the girl's side and her body was twisted at a weird angle. Her hands must have been raised when she was. .h.i.t.

”Is it your ribs, Skylar?” Katia asked.

Skylar tried to talk but groaned instead.

”Several. I felt them,” Dreadlocks said, but his brown eyes were on me. He lowered his head. ”Princess.”

”Please, don't try to get up to bow or let her go,” I told him when he tried to release the girl's hand. ”Is there someone here who can heal her?”

He shook his head. ”No.”

”If she doesn't mind, I can heal her,” I said.

”You don't have to, Princess,” Ruby said, and signaled another guard.

”Is there a healer on the beach?” the guard barked.

”He just left,” several people called back. ”We are trying to telepath him to come back.”

I started to kneel and one of the guards placed a towel on the sand. My face warmed again. Deciding not to make a deal out of it, I knelt on it and made eye contact with Skylar. She was in so much pain that her breathing was hollow and rapid, tears streaming down her cheeks.

You are going to be okay, Skylar. I'm going to try and heal you while we wait. Is that okay?

Her fear mingled with the pain. Why should she be afraid of me? I extended both hands over her chest and her fear increased. I'm not going to hurt you, Skylar.

She nodded, but the fear stayed. There was nothing I could do to ease it. Maybe time would make people like her realize I was one of them, not someone to be feared.

This time, the weird writings I'd seen before stayed on my arms and hands. Gasps and whispers reached me from every direction. When they swelled and overwhelmed my empathic senses, I blocked them.

My hands lit up like light bulbs, the glow first bright, then acquiring a greenish haze. They grew brighter until I couldn't see my fingers.

Skylar stared at me, tears streaming down her face. Her rib cage, which had collapsed, appeared to reshape and grow rigid as she healed. Then the nasty bruise faded until there were no signs of bleeding under her skin.

My hands stopped glowing and the weird markings disappeared. Skylar sat up. ”Thank you, Princess Lilith.”

”It was nothing. I'm happy I could help.” I stood and glanced at Katia and Lottius. The others stared at me curiously from beyond the barricade the guards had set with their bodies. Two more had joined the first four and they faced the crowd with their backs to us. My presence on the beach was spoiling everyone's fun.

”Let's go back to the castle,” I said.

”No, don't leave, Princess,” Skylar said. She bowed again. ”I am Skylar Rathi, a friend of Katia's.” She had a flawless caramel complexion, high cheekbones, and pitch-black hair.

”Nice to meet you, Skylar,” I said. ”And please, don't bow.”

”And this,” she pulled the guy who'd been holding her hand, ”is Ravan Clifton, my chosen mate.”