I halted, heart skipping a beat or two. “Wait. Someone’s in there, Hayden.”

“I know.” Hayden stepped in front of me.

“But someone’s in there.” Wasn’t he getting that?

“I wanted to try something different tonight. After our conversation in the diner, I think I know what’s holding you back.”

I shivered and huddled further down in my hoodie. “Okay. Then why can’t you just tell me what you think it is?”

“I can’t be sure.” Hayden gave a soft shake of his head. “And I have a feeling you won’t just agree with me unless you realize it, too. Sometimes it’s hard to be aware of your own thoughts.”

Suspicion sent me a step back from Hayden. “Who’s in there?”

“Parker.”

“What?” I nearly screeched. “What if he tells Cromwell what we’re doing? Dammit, Hayden! You’re going to get in trouble.”

A strange look crossed Hayden’s face. “Parker won’t say anything, Ember. Of all people, he knows how important controlling a gift is. He won’t tell a soul.”

“Parker can keep this a secret until he diesI don’t care. He’s not digging around in my head.”

“He won’t dig around. Parker will just be listening to your thoughts while you use your gift.”

“That’s digging around.”

Hayden got the wide-legged stancemeaning he was in it for the long haul. “Ember, this is going to help you. If Parker can pick out what you’re really thinking, then we can find out what’s triggering your gift.”

The idea of sharing my shame with someone else didn’t tempt me. None of them knew how mortifying it felt not being able to touch something without killing it.

“Yeah, I’m not down for this,” I said. “I’ve already told you what I’m thinking. It’s not my fault it isn’t working.”

“I’m not saying it’s your fault. I know it’s not.”

I shook my head. There was no way I was letting anyone in my head. That was too freaky, even for me. “No. I’m not doing this.”

Hayden placed his hand on my arm and squeezed gently. “Em?”

No one called me thatno one but Adam. I started to tell him to never call me that again, that he didn’t have the right, but the words died inside me. His gaze, so dark and intense captured mine. Everything else faded.

“I know you’re scared. I know you think this is a huge invasion, and isn’t right,” he said. “But we have to find out what triggers your gift. He’ll be in and out.”

“It’s not a damn gift.” Didn’t he understand that?

Exasperation twisted his lips, but his voice remained soft, understanding. “Don’t you want to be able to touch people? Don’t you want to have some sort of normal life?”

“Yes, but not this”