Rogue's Passion(19)

The streets in this part of town were deserted. Few cars and hardly any people. It was as if the explosion site were a black hole and all normal city activity had been sucked into it.
She kicked a small stone off the curb and watched it roll into a grate. “So you want to know why I hide my ability?”
“Yes,” he said, surprised that she was willing to tell him now.
“Let’s just say that if the army finds out what I’m capable of doing, my life will not be my own anymore. And that’s putting it mildly.”
“What will they do?”
“Anything they want.” She pretended to be examining her nails. “They’d rip me away from my life and force me to work for them, just like they did with my brother.”
He knew the Army used those with Talents, but he hadn’t realized they were given no choice.
On his side of the portal, people looked up to the warriors of the Iron Guild. They were protectors, risking their lives to keep people safe. He considered it an honor—all of them did—to be one of a chosen few. Didn’t she consider their army the same way?
He thought about how little time he’d spent on the other side of the portal, but there wasn’t much for him there. His job was over here.
“Is there no honor in that?” he asked.
“Honor?” She laughed. “Honor is something you earn through your actions. No, there is no honor in working for the army. Not according to my family.”
She started to walk away, but he reached out, slid his hand down her arm, and stopped her from going any further. She looked at him, her gaze starting from where he was touching her then trailing up to his face. Behind her strength, he saw a great sorrow in her eyes.
“Wait,” he said softly. “Tell me what happened.”
She turned away. He’d pushed her too hard.
“Are we getting close to your car?” she asked, changing the subject again. She was good at that.
Dropping his hand from her arm, he cursed himself for asking so many questions. He, of all people, should understand the need to keep secrets.
“It’s parked on the next block.”
Clearly, it was too hurtful a memory for her to tell a virtual stranger. He wasn’t good at deep stuff. Should’ve just kept the conversation light. As soon as they found Conry, he’d drop her off at her house, thank her for helping him, and that would be it.
They walked to the next intersection in silence. When they stepped off the curb and into the crosswalk, she surprised him when she started talking again.
“Vince was an amazing artist. Amazing. And I’m not just saying that because we’re brother and sister. Several top art schools had been wooing him when he was only a sophomore in high school.” She told him about a big art contest her brother had won that drew him national attention. It was clear she was very proud of him. “After…afterward…when I was going through his things, I found a series of charcoal drawings of a young woman that were so achingly beautiful. I have them framed in my apartment.”
After what, he wanted to ask, but didn’t. “His girlfriend?”
“I…I don’t know. I never saw her before.”
The sudden wail of a siren came from the next intersection. A Night Patrol vehicle screeched around the corner, its flashing lights illuminating both of them. Olivia sucked in a breath and her eyes went wide.
He rested his hand on her shoulder. “Keep walking. They’re heading to the explosion site, and we’re just two people trying to get back to our car.”
The patrol zoomed past and Olivia exhaled. “You’re used to it, aren’t you?”
He shrugged but didn’t answer. He liked hearing her talk. There was a melodious quality to her voice and a slight lisp when she said certain sounds. He’d wait to hear it, and then, when he did, it was like tiny reward. He found it more than a little charming. He could see why Conry had been so smitten by her. He was feeling the same way.
“I take it Vince didn’t go on to art school?” He wanted to know more about her before he took her home and exited her life.
She shook her head. “His Talent manifested itself when we were teenagers. We’re twins,” she added, evidently sensing his raised eyebrows.
A strand of hair stuck to her lips. Without thinking, he ran the back of his finger down the side of her face to release it. “And then what happened?”
She took a deep breath that came out ragged. He thought for a moment that she might be crying, but he didn’t notice any tears. “The army found out about him somehow and came to the house. We never saw him after…after that night. We did get letters from him at first. Poetry, mostly, but it was clear that they were being monitored. Words and blocks of text were blacked out. Then one day, they just stopped coming. It’s been ten years now and I still miss him.”