I hesitated, fear curling through me like a shadow. I knew what I was capable of—I’d seen glimpses of it, had felt the weight of my power, raw and untamed. “Aren’t you afraid?” I asked, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Afraid I might be just as dangerous, or worse, than Warren?”

Smooth didn’t flinch. “We’ve weighed that possibility. But we’re placing our faith in your light, in the parts of you that hold onto life rather than death.” He lifted his chin, his confidence ...