Grace and Shadow by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

were just gearing up to leave school and set off on their own.
    “What is her talent?”
    Link nodded, “She can allow one of our people to use their talent in space. With Grace added to the team, we now have a way to reach the stars at full power.”
    The crowd murmured in shock. Grace was a little surprised herself. She thought her talent was a secret.
    Link fielded a few questions about the opening in the Guardians not being posted. He answered quietly. “We add folk to the Guardians when they have displayed unending loyalty to Jremat, and Grace qualifies.”
    One of the young men at the back of the gathering stood up and raised his hand. With her nerves already jangled, Grace watched the hand burst into flame. The young man’s gaze was focused on her, and his face was blank.
    She kept her aspect calm and didn’t alert anyone until the fireball was hurtling toward her.
    She stepped past Shadow’s protective wave of darkness, stood at the edge of the stage and lifted her batons swiftly, charging them up for impact.
    The fireball struck them, and she swiftly pulled the energy out of it. It disappeared, and she holstered her batons.
    Peacekeepers were surging to grip the shocked pyro, but Grace moved over to the mic and she nodded. “You might have better success with the woman to his left who was controlling him. He was completely unaware of his actions. You can run the scans, and I am sure that the little pusher will admit to her culpability.”
    The girl didn’t react with fear when she was grabbed; she reacted with anger.
    A peacekeeper clipped her into a headset, and she stopped fighting.
    Grace kept the mic, and she asked. “Any other questions?”
    A young man with huge blue eyes asked her, “When did you know you were a powerful talent?”
    She looked around the room at all the happy faces who had bright futures ahead of them.
    “Frankly, it was when everything I could have had was taken from me and everything I was, was gone. I would not recommend it.”
    The gathering chuckled, coming back to their normal senses of being entertained and informed by the speakers in front of them.
    “Who made your suit?”
    She grinned. It was a young woman who was looking at her wistfully. “A designer and a seamstress worked to see what would work for my duties and this environment. This is the result.”
    “Is it comfortable?” Another young woman asked.
    “Very.”
    The rest of the questions were about her uniform and her batons. The guys got to sit back while she performed for the crowd with her lens across her eyes.
     
    Two hours later, she smiled all the way back to the base.
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    The moment they were off their cycles, Shadow pulled her to him for a hug, and he didn’t seem inclined to let her go.
    Shatter and Link were snickering.
    She gave into the impulse and held him just as tightly.
    Finally, he lifted his head and smiled. “Where did you end up?”
    “Citadel Lerat.” She smirked. “I am sure you did just fine without me.”
    “It was a little unsettling when you left.”
    She linked her arm through his. “I am sure it was. Fortunately, Link got me up and out before I could wake up. I slept through most of the trip.”
    Shatter settled on her the other side, and he linked his arm through hers as they headed into the base.
    Link was grinning from ear to ear. “It seems your time away did you good.”
    “It did. I know what I am, and I know what I can do. I have also learned a few things that are extrapolated from our own history, but put in a new light, they are completely understandable.”
    The bots had dinner waiting for them, and they had set the table for four.
    “Did they bring my bags in?”
    Link held her chair, and he nodded. “They are in your new quarters. The bots had their orders.”
    Out of habit, she pulled her batons out and put them across her knees.
    Shadow asked, “So what is it with the batons?”
    “They are the least threatening of the weapons I