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The vanity of the past, the artist claimed, had been shaped by his halobal co the way into the future

Matthias was siht-iron rods by stretching theh for two people to stand inside He stopped beside it and put Jessa down on her feet Gripping two of the rods, he strained, pulling theh for both of theh, he turned to her "Get inside"

She shook her head "He’s too strong It won’t protect us"

"It won’t" He looked into her eyes "I will"

She hesitated a ap to step inside the sculpture Matthias followed, turning to press the bars back in place By the time he moved Jessa to the very center of the sphere, Lawson had reached the at the madman on the other side of the bars "But you heard hiht his hand up to her neck "If it looks like he’s going to take me … can you?"

"If I must, I will" He watched Lawson as the other man circled around the sculpture "Only wait, Jessa"

"This is very helpful of you" Lawson bared his fangs as Matthias wrapped his arms around her "Like monkeys in a barrel Or was it turkeys, or fish?"

"Did you tell Genaro where we are?" Matthias asked his," the madman said "Her name, for example--it’s Minerva, not Jessa Did you know that? Funny that she’s naoddess When I od myself" He stopped and peered in at them "I don’t like the way you ive her to ain Maybe I’ll be so busy with her I even won’t bother to look for you right away"

"You will have to kill me," Matthias told hie fists around the iron bars and began to pull

"Matthias"

"Close your eyes," he said softly, and waited until she did He held her close as he did the same and lifted his face

He sent every ounce of his power flying up into the sky directly above the himself the conduit and the storm the vessel The air crackled and all the hair on his body and Jessa’s rose up, drawn along with the power A low, deep sound reverberated overhead as the storh the darkstruck the sculpture, electrifying it Matthias looked as Bradford Lawson screamed, and h his hands and into his body

Jessa kept her eyes closed, at one point burying her face against Matthias’s chest, but he watched Lawson as the prih Lawson’s limbs and arched between hi of Lawson’s body rotesque sort of dance The bolt lasted another three seconds before it vanished, and Lawson fell against the s ruin

Matthias released Jessa only long enough to pry apart the bars again, and put his ar rain tapered to a softer shower, he glanced back at the deadto the sculpture

"This is your ability," she said, the rain strea down her face like a thousand tears "You created the stor The same way you did the day wethe rain" He s is drawn to me wherever I am in the storm If I think very hard, I can summon it"

She looked over her shoulder, stared at Lawson’s body, and then turned back to him "We can’t leave him here like that"

"The authorities will find hi and take him away Whatever was done to him will be discovered Then GenHance will come for him" He put his hand to her cheek "We cannot kno much he told them We o?" she asked

"Rowan and Drew are co back from Atlanta I will contact them and have them meet us at a safe place in the country Then ill decide together where ill go" He stroked his thu the tear that spilled frole with the rain on her face "There is no more time for me to chase you or talk to you You have seen for yourself what GenHance can do We ether, or as done to Laill be only the first of countless horrors" He put his hand on her shoulder "Will you give your trust now? Will you stay with me?"