A Touch Of Lightning (COMPLETED!)

Chapter 19 Falling Walls

As soon as he sat at the breakfast table, Ahleena pinned him with her gaze. And just like every time she looked at him like that, he faintly wondered if he should freeze, or keep acting normal.

"What is your favorite food?" Ahleena asked.

He hadn't expected that! He poured himself a glass of orange juice, wondering at the random question. Wondering if he could ever figure out Ahleena. The three of them were sitting at the rough table for breakfast, Callin noting that the fridge was well stocked with fresh food. Ahleena had planned this little training stay at the cabin in advance.

"Probably pizza." He said, stifling a yawn.

It was 5:00 AM, and Callin had barely managed an hour of sleep before Ahleena had pounded on the bedroom door. And that hour of sleep had been filled with dreams so vivid and intense that he felt like it had been more exhausting than restful.

"And what is your favorite food?" Ahleena asked Carmen.

Carmen was cradling her mug of coffee like it was the single most precious thing to her at the moment. She answered without hesitation.

"Coffee."

"That's a drink, not food." Callin said, grinning. He knew how much Carmen disliked mornings, how she preferred to sleep in till at least 10:00 every day, if possible.

Carmen shrugged. "It's all I need at this unspeakable hour of night."

Ahleena was quiet as she ate for a few minutes, and Callin watched her from behind his shaggy hair. The bacon and pancakes were almost delicious enough to make him forget that she was planning something for him and Carmen. Now, though, he could tell her mind was working on something nonstop. He wondered what she was up to, asking them what their favorite foods were.

"Do you remember your life before the lab?" She lifted her head and met his eyes, catching him watching her.

Callin paused, a piece of bacon halfway to his mouth. That was a memory path he did not want to venture down. It was a place of pain, of bittersweet loss and grief. He popped the bacon in his mouth and chewed carefully, not breaking eye contact with her, and shook his head.

Ahleena scowled, knowing he was lying. "How old were you when the labs captured you?"

Callin's eyes flashed for a moment, before he schooled his expression. "I have no idea." He said, grabbing a huge mouthful of pancake.

"Perhaps the most critical aspect of your training will be learning to trust me and Carmen. And learning to talk. To share who you are. It will help you understand what you are, what your power is doing to you, and how it's changing you."

"I will never trust you. You've never given me reason to trust you. And prying into my past, when it's sarcastically clear that I don't want to talk about it, isn't helping."

"Do you wish to remain a captive victim to the control of the labs for the rest of your life? If you do not work with Carmen, Jacob, and me, you will never be free of their control."

Callin felt like the pancake had turned to a great glob of ashes and glue. He swallowed hard and stood up, and Ahleena immediately stood up, also.

"I only need you to label the blocks and the false memories. That's it. I'll deal with the rest." He stated, his animal-green eyes glittering coldly.

Ahleena pointed at his chair. "Sit. We're not done with breakfast yet." Her voice was flat and demanding, her entire body language radiating authority.

Callin stared at her, trying to decide how to react.

"Can we just sit and eat breakfast like normal people?" Carmen asked gently.