Whisper (Whisper #1)(47)

Cami grins widely. “It’s nice to finally hear your voice.”

I send her a half smile in return but say, “No more messing with my head without permission.”

She moves closer and pulls me in for a spontaneous hug. “No promises.”

“As touching as this is, can we continue our lesson?” Ward interrupts.

“Spoilsport,” Cami grumbles under her breath as she pulls away from me.

“What else do you need from me?” Crew asks Ward.

Ward considers for a moment before saying, “You’re done. Jane says she’s not an idiot, so I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt that she’ll be a quick study.”

I purse my lips, and Crew looks darkly entertained. “Sure, whatever. You know where to find me if you need me again.”

And with that, he saunters out of the room.

Enzo appears puzzled. “That was easy. I thought you were going to have him shred me just to make your point.”

A shrug is Ward’s response, along with the suggestive words, “Waste not …”

If Enzo catches the implication, he doesn’t bite. Instead, he asks, “Does that mean it’s breakfast time for us?”

“For you two,” Ward says, indicating Enzo and Cami. “Jane has to earn her keep first.”

Cami sends me a sympathetic look and promises to save me something for later.

I try to smile in thanks, but my stomach is in knots over Ward’s statement. Just what does he have planned for me?

“Catch you later, JD,” Enzo says, ruffling my hair as he walks past and pulling Cami out of the room with him.

I turn to Ward. “What now?”

He eyes me shrewdly. “You’ve heard the saying ‘Practice makes perfect’?” At my nod, he tells me, “Consider that your new personal mantra.”

I don’t try to hide my apprehension. “I’m not sure I understand.”

He smiles, his perfect teeth glinting in an almost predatory manner. “You will.”





CHAPTER FIFTEEN


“We already know you’re powerful,” Ward states, striding into the center of the room and motioning for me to follow, “so this isn’t the place to test the limits of your ability. Plus, you need to learn control before we even think of doing anything like that.”

If what I’ve already learned about Creators is true, then there are no limits. I shiver just thinking about it.

“So that’s what we’re going to work on today,” Ward continues. “Control.”

“And how do we do that?”

“We’re going to start by strengthening your mind.” He taps a finger against his forehead. “You need to learn how to discipline your thoughts so that when you talk, you can choose whether you infuse your words with power or let them just be normal speech.”

I nod vigorously, since that’s exactly what I want to be able to do. “Again, how?”

“You’re a unique case,” he says, “so it’s going to be a matter of trial and error until we figure out what works best. Then repetition is key until controlled Speaking comes as naturally to you as breathing.”

I frown at him, unhappy with his lack of certainty. “I thought you knew what you were doing.”

He raises one eyebrow cockily. “I do. It’s you who’s the wild card. All this depends on how willing you are to submit to instruction.”

I resist the urge to pull a face at him and, instead, grind out, “Let’s just do this.”

He moves slightly, balancing his weight as if to be more comfortable on his feet. From that alone I get the feeling we’re going to be at this for a while. “We’ll start by putting into practice what you’ve just learned about intent. Think about a cat.”

I’m caught off guard. “Sorry?”

“A cat,” he repeats. “Close your eyes and imagine a cat.”

I just look at him. “As in, meow?”

His return look is scathing. “What other kinds of cats are there?”

I clench my jaw, close my eyes and do as directed.

“Imagine a gray-and-white-striped tabby. Four legs, fluffy tail, soft coat. Can you see it?”

“Mmm-hmm,” I murmur, seeing it as he described.

“Good. Now I want you to Speak it into being. You already know how. Just keep the picture in your mind and call it forth. It will be harder with the Karoel dampening your ability; you’ll feel like you’re trying to talk around a mouthful of honey. But you just have to push through the pressure and concentrate hard on what you want.”

He makes it sound so simple, just like when we were up on Market Street. And really, it is unbelievably simple. Enough that I don’t try to think about the impossibilities behind my ability, and instead, I just say the word, “Cat.”

I understand straight away what Ward meant about the pressure in my mouth; it’s an almost sticky, crowded feeling, like my gums are stuffed with cotton wool. It’s as if something pushes back against the word itself, stopping it from forming.

And indeed, nothing happens.

As I gaze around in confusion, Ward says, “You have to force the word past the effects of the Karoel. Think of it like obedience training — you have to take command of the words you want to Speak, making them surrender to your will.”