Free Grace and Shadow by Viola Grace

Chapter One
     
     
    “I am sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Kelart. Imgrace has no talent. She has no physical effect, no psychic ability and no incidental skills that can be detected. She is simply a void.” The doctor gave his assessment in a cold tone.
    Imgrace sat and watched her parents as they argued that something must have been overlooked.
    At nine years of age, she knew that she was not in possession of one of the talents that were given to one hundred percent of the population of Jremat. Her self-awareness was her only talent, but it wasn’t a talent, it was a survival mechanism.
    When everyone in the schoolyard had enough power to destroy her, she had to be on her toes and around the corner before they could focus their energy.
    School, busses and other public transport all were equipped with dampeners, but playtime was dangerous for someone like Imgrace.
    She looked at the doctor when her mother whispered, “What will we do with her?”
    He looked directly at Imgrace, and his prognosis was grim. “If she is injured at school, there will be an inquiry. I would recommend homeschooling with a bot or other tutor.”
    Her parents looked at each other and then over to her. Imgrace looked back with an unshaken gaze. “I am willing to work from home. I can probably complete my education ahead of schedule with no distractions.”
    The Kelarts swallowed and nodded in resigned agreement. Imgrace’s fate was set.
     
    She wore a headset to keep the psychics out of her mind as she walked to work. It was a creation of her own making and mimicked a standard control band that kept psychic input from leaking out.
    In the distance, she could hear the thud of a talent out of control. She increased the speed of her steps and got into one of the reinforced buildings for her morning tea and pastry.
    She smiled at the clerk and gave her order. The cup and pastry went sailing through the air without a hand touching them.
    Imgrace took her order from the counter and made her way through the crowds pushing in. At first, she thought it was the line for the counter, but she swiftly figured out that it was one of the Guardians of Jremat. So’orn, the Walking Shadow. His covered eyes and armoured suit gave him away.
    Imgrace smiled slightly and made her way out of the building and into the light, two more blocks until she was at work in the call centre for the city where she only had to pass along the calls of those who needed information on their municipal taxes. It was an easy job and one that suited her.
    In her time as a shut-in, educating herself as best as she was able, she had gained degrees in history, sociology and medicine. Without having to adhere to the plodding learning of the classroom, Imgrace had rocketed ahead, trying to prove to her parents that keeping her with them had not been the wrong decision.
    Now, she was a low-level functionary for local government. She wasn’t the talent that they had wanted, but her mother’s talent for plants and her father’s minor diagnostic talent seemed to keep to themselves. They didn’t share.
    Imgrace settled behind her desk, swapped out her travel headgear for her normal headset and she flicked on the newsfeed. The thudding that she had heard earlier was displayed as a lawbreaker with a concussive talent. The Guardians had swarmed in and taken care of him, hauling him to Riakku Confinement Centre for holding. If he was deemed sane, he would get his day in court.
    Her headset chimed, and she fired up her terminal. It was time to work. She could watch the news later.
     
    At lunchtime, she left her office and headed through the halls to the main-floor lifts.
    A crowd was gathered on the main floor, and she had to go around it. When she walked up to the elevated edge of the room, she could see two Guardians signing autographs and smiling brightly.
    Why are they here?
     
    * * * *
     
    “Shadow, the void you are looking for is exiting the building.”
    He smiled and answered Link through