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I couldn’t tell what he was doing for a -dead electrical outlet I felt a strange pull fro, and suddenly I saw electricity surge up his arm

Conleth’s face slackened in pleasure, and I realized he was recharging

I alondered how ifrits got their power, I thought Despite the circumstances, I was also fascinated by how Conleth called the power he needed to hiure out where the fuck I was, so I stopped staring at Con and started looking around the roo empty space that looked like it could have been an office It was fah, in a weird way, and after a second I realized why

It’s got the sa around There was a battered old desk that probably belonged to the chair upon which I was currently tied A stained mattress lay in one corner, and junk-food wrappers were strewn about everywhere Conhere since we found his place in Southie…

After a fewdown his bedraggled jeans before co you, Jane, but I knew I didn’t have tiured this was easiest" Conleth sounded genuinely apologetic, and I realized that he thought, given a chance to talk, that I would have agreed to coht I was on his side

I cleared ue was dry and wooden

"Need a drink?" Con asked, and I nodded He walked away and came back with a bottle of water

"I know, I know," he soothed as he uncapped the bottle and raised it toI used makes you thirsty It does make you sleep, but I still always hated that one, for the thirst"

His words hithim talk so nonchalantly about the fact that he’d had his entire life stripped from him made me shudder with pity I closed ain

He started rubbingreturned tooverdown my cheeks

"I know, it hurts I’ainst the pain and nodded

"Not your fault," I ed to croak

He ss But it’ll wear off soon"

Keep hi hands started to wander up towards?"

"Like what?"

"Drugs Cohed, but there was no real mirth in his tone "What else did I have to do, trapped in that lab all er, they let me play outside, but by the end, I wasn’t even allowed to leave rie of sympathy, even as my skin crawled as his hands hs

"You’re s to distract hio crazy"

His strategy wasn’t entirely effective, I thought, still forcing myself to meet his mad blue eyes

"More water?" I asked I was still really thirsty, but he was also groping hs

"Of course," he said, his voice suddenly deeper

Not good, I thought as my still-loopy brain scraavedrink and then tossed away the now e his eyes rove overthan if he’d raised a fist

"Can you untie my arms?" I hazarded "They hurt"

"No, sorry I know it’s just because you don’t know o"

I watched hi how his oer flared up and down erratically Every once in a while, his fire burst free, and I couldn’t believe just howso little control He crouched down in front offor me--

"What was it like?" I asked,back toup the way you did"

Conleth sat back on his heels and gave me a hard look He obviously didn’t like , but I persevered

"You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want But I want to know If we’re going to be friends, we should be able to talk…"