No Such Thing Read Free Page A

the
Odyssey.
Seeing you, though, I’m afraid I have doubts."
    Jaded weariness pressed on her like a collapsing mountain, but she gave no sign of her despair. She was too well trained to show any weakness. "I
    understand, Commander. At seventeen, I must seem a child to your eyes. But the Institute would not send me to you if they were not completely confident of
    my telenetic ability."
    "Yes," the commander said, studying her with a curious, seemingly fearless gaze. "They did mention you were something of a wonder. They
    used lots of technical terms, but I’m just a soldier. Could you explain why your abilities are so special?"
    An interview,
she thought with a fretful sort of distress. They had warned her to expect skepticism, but she had hoped for a little solitude and time to recover her
    equilibrium before she had to explain herself. Before she had to prove herself worthy.
    Schooling her expression and voice to serenity, she said, "Certainly, Commander. You know that telenetics are able to affect their physical
    surroundings with just the power of their minds. This ability varies in strength, though the discovery of the enhancing properties of crystalline matrices
    has greatly helped to focus and strengthen a telenetic’s talent. On the Rosch Scale, a level one telenetic could become a two or even a three with
    the proper crystal focus."
    The commander nodded with grave encouragement, his attention riveted unwaveringly upon her even though what she’d said was common knowledge. She
    liked him for that, for his patience and courtesy.
    "I can’t use crystals," she said. "I burn them out."
    A frown tightened his brow before his expression smoothed again. "You burn them?" he prompted in a neutral tone.
    "The Rosch Scale goes from one to five, five being the most powerful telenetic. We only have three of those currently working for the Institute.
    I’m off the scale. They haven’t been able to rate my abilities, but if you were to put me on a scale, I’m guessing I’d be somewhere
    in the neighborhood of fifty."
    His eyes widened, and he blinked at her several times before he coughed lightly into his fist. "I see."
    "You don’t believe me," she said, unable to control the flat weariness of her tone.
    "They said you were very powerful. They didn’t go into detail."
    She very much doubted the truth of that statement but contained her cynicism carefully. Looking past his shoulder at the blank wall, she said, "A
    telenetic’s ability is nurtured and honed to the pinnacle of their talent. They are accepted into the Institute as children and most of their
    lifelong training is based on increasing and strengthening their talent. That’s not my problem. All of my life, I’ve worked to contain my
    ability. This," she reached up and touched the intricate snood confining her dark hair, "is not to help me focus and expand my talent.
    It’s my leash."
    The muscles in his cheeks twitched at the bitterness in her voice, but his eyes remained steady. "What does it do?"
    She pressed her lips together, angry with herself for letting so much of her emotions slip out. Being tired was no excuse. But she’d already
    begun—no sense lying to him now. The Institute had told her to obey him as she would them, so she would answer. With fierce control, she said in an
    even voice, "It’s a pain inducer. It’s activated by any use of my abilities. It also records everything I do and say. My handlers like to
    keep a close watch on me. I’m…something new."
Something to be feared.
But she didn’t say that part aloud.
    A solid line appeared between his brows. "They cause you pain if you use your talent?"
    There was outrage in his tone, but she answered him as she would have a member of the Institute. "Only unauthorized use of my abilities. When I have
    proper authorization, I may remove the net and perform my duties."
    His lips appeared pinched and a white line formed from his nostrils to his mouth. Ryelle studied him curiously, wondering