Free Beyond Your Touch by Pat Esden Page A

inside. It reminded me of... Annie, I left other people back in the realm besides your mother: friends, half brothers, they’re all probably dead by now.”
    I hugged myself against a chill. There had to be a solid reason Grandfather hadn’t believed him. “I’m guessing the note wasn’t written in the genie language?”
    â€œIf it had been, that would have made all the difference.”
    â€œWhat did it say?”
    He rubbed his branded collarbone. “It was faded.”
    I frowned. That rub was one of Chase’s tells. He was fibbing. Not a big lie, more like he was avoiding the truth. “But you still suspect it came from the realm, don’t you? Was it signed?”
    He took me by the shoulders, his ocean-deep eyes meeting mine. He let go with one hand and lifted my chin, like he often did before he kissed me. His voice deepened, thick with emotion. “You’re beautiful. I don’t want to stay away from you.”
    My brain refused to register what he’d said, but the sadness in his eyes set free the fear I’d struggled to ignore.
    â€œAnnie,” he said. “We can’t do this anymore, at least not until I get back.”
    I shook my head. He couldn’t be suggesting—I refused to believe it. “What are you saying?”
    â€œWhen I’m with you, I feel more alive, energized. It gets stronger every time.”
    â€œAnd that’s a bad thing?”
    â€œI—It’s overwhelming. More powerful than you can imagine.”
    I laughed. “Actually I can. Being with you is amazing.”
    He didn’t smile and numbness spread through my body.
    â€œLast night when I was kickboxing with Zachary,” he said, “the kid got a hit in. He thought I gave him the opening on purpose, but the truth was I’d let my focus slip. I was thinking about you.”
    â€œOh.” I wanted his thinking about me to always be a good thing, but I could see what he meant.
    He looked down at his knuckles. “That’s not all. When I felt that hit, I struck back.”
    My thoughts reeled. He loved Zach like a little brother. “But you didn’t hurt him, right?”
    â€œI caught myself and pulled the punch just in time. But Annie, I could have killed him.” His fingers brushed my face, his eyes once again filling with regret. “I’m not talking about forever. When I get back from the realm, we can start over, take it slower. But I need to take a break right now. I have to train. Get my head in the right place before I go to the realm.”
    Turning away from him, I swallowed the ache in my throat and wished to the heavens that it was getting dark instead of light, then there’d be no chance of him seeing the tears welling in my eyes.
    His hands moved down my arms and he whispered gently, “We have to do this—for your mother’s and father’s sake. I need to focus on the mission.”
    A lump tightened my throat. “That can’t be all,” I said, keeping my voice steady, afraid he’d hear the trembling. This wasn’t connected to his nightmares. At least I didn’t think it was. “Tell me what’s really going on. I deserve to know.”
    â€œUntil you, I’d managed to—” His grip on my arms tightened and he groaned as if in pain. “Annie, I’m at the age where genies mature. The aura gets stronger. The instincts really kick in, aggression, other abilities. Testosterone and adrenaline bring on the change faster. It makes us hyped up instead of focused. It’s especially bad for half-ifrit guys like me.”
    My mind staggered at the enormity of what he was saying. Maturing. Changing. Sure, I’d known he wasn’t the same as other guys. He’d even mentioned the maturing thing when I’d asked him why he didn’t have any tattoos. “ One permanent one to commemorate each fight is allowed, but only after a warrior