Chapter 57

• Kat's anger swirled around her like a tempest, cutting through the air with invisible shards that seemed to scratch at my skin. I reached out tentatively, trying to grasp onto the turbulent emotions, but they slipped through my fingers like sand. An unseen barrier erected itself between us, severing my connection to her feelings. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and decided to approach this differently.
• Instead of forcing it, I allowed each emotion to wash over me, observing without trying to control. Kat's anger resumed its whirlwind, brushing against my hair and fingertips. As I delved deeper, beneath the anger I sensed a sharp sting of hurt. I chastised myself for causing her pain—leaving without a word, abandoning the phone she had given me on the bed. Kat had been my first true friend in ages, and I had repeatedly failed to trust her. Deeper still, unexpectedly, was an emotion I hadn't anticipated: understanding. While her anger burned hot like fire, her understanding flowed cool and steady like the ocean, tempering the flames.
• She halted a few feet in front of me, chest heaving with emotion. I could see each feeling flickering in her eyes, and I gritted my teeth against the wave of exhaustion that settled into my bones. Ethan and Kieran stepped back, silently allowing Kat to speak her mind. Her face matched her flaming hair in color, and her mouth opened and closed as words struggled to form.