My mind feels muffled, my head hazy. This can’t be happening. Four Silencers stand in front of each of us, smothering our powers.
Four Silencers stand in front of each of us, smothering our powers.
Every contestant but Paedyn is feeling like their head is splitting. I know she isn’t affected by the Silencer’s power, but why is no member of the Resistance even touching her, guarding her, getting close to her?
The thought slips my mind when another wave of what I can only describe as heaviness crashes into me.
The ache and agony of it is hardly bearable, even with all the training I’ve been doing with Damion. My pounding head is making it hard for me to focus on the man beside Father, his face swimming in my vision.
From what I can hear through the ringing in my ears, his speech consists of how the Ordinaries want to live, even despite the disease they will spread to the Elites.
But if there are as many Ordinaries living among us as he says, then why have we not felt the effects? The loss of power?
My head throbs even more as I try to puzzle it out. The man keeps talking but I bare my teeth and block him out. I take a deep breath, pushing aside the pain to focus on the feeling of power beneath it. I focus on the man currently silencing me as the tingling thrum of his ability grows under my skin.
I shut my eyes, reaching out towards that power just as I had done so many times before with Damion. Of course, I’d never actually been able to do it—
Not. Helping.
Adrenaline mixes with that faint feeling of power, so feather-light beneath my skin.
I latch onto it.
It’s odd to think that the very same power the Silencer is using to suppress my ability is still my power, nonetheless.
Clinging to the Silencer’s ability, feeling it flood my body, I throw it back at him.
His eyes go wide at the sudden feel of his own power battling him. He was not prepared for this, not expecting this. He let his guard down.
Only a Silencer can beat a Silencer.
And that’s exactly what I do.
I beat him with his own ability.
The weight of his silence slips from my shoulders.
And then I consume them in flame.
