393. Labor – Part 2

~ CASIMIR ~

I paced the tunnels, just out of reach of Maya’s power, my body growing tenser and tenser, and my mind spinning.

Rory had brought backup, but I’d warned them to stay two halls away—I didn’t know how far Maya could reach, and it occurred to me that if she could reach these minds that weren’t bolstered by the power, she might use them against me.

I gave them all a quick lesson in defending their minds—though it wouldn’t stop Maya entirely, it might slow her down enough to give me warning if she was reaching for them—then made them stay back and only answer my call when it came.

But why would it come? What was I going to do?

All I could see in my mind was my father laughing, telling me how weak I was, an