Free The Havoc Chronicles (Book II): Unbound by Brant Williams Page A

special circumstances, and that without training you have cast a haze. That is truly impressive.”
    What I seemed to remember Mallika telling me was that no one believed I was both a Binder and a Berserker. Either something had happened to change their opinion – and I couldn’t think of anything that might have done that – or this experiment was expected to fail and discredit Mallika.
    “That’s right,” I said, more confidently than I actually felt. If this failed, it wouldn’t be from my lack of trying.
    “Excellent,” said Naki. If she wanted me to fail, she sure was hiding it well. “Now, what I need you to do, Madison, is to cast the beginning – and just the beginning mind you, no one wants to lose their memory – of a haze.”
    That seemed simple enough. I looked over at Mallika and she nodded her approval.
    I closed my eyes and thought back to what I had felt when I had cast the haze on Josh – the overwhelming desire for him to forget, the feeling of reaching out and pushing that desire out of me.
    Blue mist sprayed out of my hand in a large cloud that sent everyone at the table scrambling to avoid touching it. Considering the age of Mallika and Naki, they both moved much faster than I would have expected.
    While everyone jumped out of the way, the Sarolt stone lit up with a bright red light, casting strange purplish shadows through the blue mist.
    “Sorry,” I said, helping Naki back to her feet. “I don’t have much control yet.”
    But Naki didn’t seem upset. Quite the opposite in fact, she was practically giddy with excitement.
    “That was wonderful!” she said once we were all back at the table. “Such force and volume! I’ve never seen its like, have you Sunee?”
    Sunee shook her head. “I have not.” She still didn’t smile, but she appeared a bit shaken, and looked at me rather warily.
    “So, there can be no question about it,” Naki said. “The stone has verified it – you are a Binder.” She paused and looked at all of us, beaming. “Now, Mallika tells us that you are also the first female Berserker in history. Is that correct?” Her smile was bigger now. I was still torn about her motives – I couldn’t tell if she really was excited to see what I could do, or if she was just hoping to embarrass Mallika.
    “Yes,” I said. “I am also a Berserker.”
    “You have then actually had a full Berserking?” Sunee asked.
    “Yes,” I said, doing my best to keep a measure of patience in my voice. I couldn’t really blame them if they doubted. I still remembered the shocked looks on the Berserkers’ faces when they realized I was a girl. “Would you like a demonstration?”
    “Absolutely,” said Naki. She turned to Kara and put a hand on her arm. “I haven’t been this excited in years!”
    Unlike my Binder skills, my Berserker skills were much better honed. In an instant, I had triggered a full ‘zerk and began glowing.
    The reaction of Naki and Sunee was appropriately gratifying. Sunee watched with wide eyes while Naki leaned back, a hand covering her mouth in surprise.
    The Sarolt stone glowed a deep navy blue and began to pulse with the light glowing brighter, then dimmer, over and over.
    “Remarkable,” said Naki. “A Binder and a Berserker in one. We truly are living in unusual times.” 
    I stopped ‘zerking, and the stone returned to its sucking blackness.
    Mallika folded her arms and fixed Naki with an expectant look.
    Letting out a sigh, Naki said, “I apologize for doubting you, Mallika. You were right and the girl really is something never before seen.”
    “She really is something special,” said Mallika, giving me a wink.
    “Well, if everything you’ve been telling us is true,” said Naki, “and I’m sure it is,” she added upon seeing the looks from Mallika and Kara, “then what I would like very much to see this, what do you call it, pre-zerk. A useful ability I must say. The capacity to heighten one’s senses and access some of