"Again."
Leo's voice was firm.
No hesitation.
No softness.
I exhaled slowly.
"I just almost attacked you."
Kai leaned against the tree. "Almost."
Evan added calmly, "Which means you stopped."
Leo's gaze stayed on me.
"That's improvement."
I rolled my eyes slightly.
"Your standards are low."
"Your control is lower," Kai shot back.
I ignored him.
Barely.
"Focus," Evan said.
"Same process."
I closed my eyes again.
This time…
I didn't fight it.
The bond responded instantly.
Stronger than before.
But steadier.
Like it recognized what I was trying to do.
My breathing slowed.
In.
Out.
I felt them.
All three.
Not just physically.
Something deeper.
Closer.
"That's it," Evan's voice came faintly.
"Stay there."
The connection tightened.
Not painful.
Not overwhelming.
Just…
Clear.
And then—
Something shifted.
It wasn't in my body.
It was in my mind.
A sudden flash—
Not mine.
A memory.
I gasped.
My eyes flew open.
—but I wasn't looking at them anymore.
I was somewhere else.
Dark.
Rain falling hard against the ground.
The smell of blood thick in the air.
My heart started racing.
"What is this—"
A voice.
Not mine.
Leo.
"You shouldn't have come here."
I froze.
That was his voice.
But…
He wasn't in front of me.
He was standing a few feet away.
In the rain.
Facing someone I couldn't see clearly.
"I warned you," he continued.
Cold.
Dangerous.
My chest tightened.
This wasn't my memory.
It was his.
The realization hit hard.
I stumbled back—
And everything snapped.
I was back.
Breathing hard.
Heart racing.
"What just happened?" I gasped.
All three of them were staring at me.
Different reactions.
Kai—confused.
Leo—sharp. Alert.
Evan—
Interested.
"You tell us," Kai said.
I shook my head quickly.
"I saw something."
Leo's expression tightened. "What?"
I hesitated.
Then—
"Rain," I said slowly.
"Blood… and you."
Silence.
Leo went completely still.
Kai frowned. "What do you mean, him?"
I looked directly at Leo.
"You said… 'You shouldn't have come here.'"
The tension snapped instantly.
Kai's head turned sharply to Leo.
Evan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That's not possible," Kai said.
Leo didn't speak.
Which was worse.
"Say something," I pushed.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then—
"That memory…"
He paused.
"…was mine."
My stomach dropped.
Evan stepped forward slightly.
"Describe the rest."
"I couldn't see clearly," I admitted.
"But it felt real."
"It was," Leo said.
Kai stared at me now.
"Okay… that's new."
I let out a shaky breath.
"I was inside your head."
Silence.
Heavy.
Evan broke it.
"Not exactly."
I looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
He stepped closer.
Focused.
"You didn't enter his mind."
A pause.
"You connected to it."
That didn't make it better.
Kai shook his head once.
"That's not normal."
Evan nodded slightly.
"No. It's not."
I crossed my arms slightly.
"Can we stop saying that like it helps?"
Leo finally moved again.
Closer.
"Do it again."
I blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Try it again," he repeated.
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because," Evan said calmly,
"if you can access one of us…"
He glanced briefly at Kai.
"…you might access all of us."
My heart skipped.
Kai straightened slightly.
"Hold on."
"You're saying she can read our minds now?"
Evan shook his head.
"Not read."
A pause.
"Link."
The bond pulsed.
Strong.
Responsive.
I swallowed.
"That doesn't sound safe."
Leo's gaze didn't soften.
"It's not."
Great.
"But it's power," he added.
And that…
That changed something.
I exhaled slowly.
"Fine."
Kai muttered under his breath, "This is about to go wrong."
I ignored that too.
I closed my eyes again.
Focused.
The bond came back.
Faster this time.
Easier.
I reached for it.
Not just the feeling—
But them.
Leo.
Kai.
Evan.
The connection snapped into place.
And then—
Everything went quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
Voices.
Not spoken.
Thoughts.
Kai: This is a bad idea.
Leo: Stay focused.
Evan: Interesting…
My eyes snapped open.
"I heard that."
All three of them froze.
Kai blinked. "Heard what?"
I looked straight at him.
"You said this is a bad idea."
His expression changed instantly.
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
Silence.
Evan smiled slightly.
Not amused.
Intrigued.
"She didn't just connect," he said quietly.
My chest tightened.
Leo finished it.
"She synchronized."
The bond pulsed again.
Stronger than ever.
And this time—
It didn't feel unstable.
It felt…
Controlled.
But something told me—
This ability?
It wasn't just for connection.
It could be used for much more.
And somehow…
I had just unlocked something none of us were ready for.