I said that before you tried to stab Sveta, I thought.

One by one, the limbs receded, pulling into the ground, leaving ruined road and buildings in their wake. The front of the station had broken away due to one power use.

She hadn’t even used her army. She’d made them back off.

This wasn’t the Amy I’d known. This was the Amy who had spent years with Marquis.

“I can’t even talk to her without her getting upset,” Amy said.

“Obviously not,” Sveta said.

The first thing she’d said that wasn’t in the script.

“What’s the point, then?” Amy asked.

I typed. Kenzie gave Sveta the words.

“The point is you realize nothing you’re doing is making things better or happier. You realize you’ve been hearing people say you need to talk to a therapist or reach out and you have a gut reaction not to. Maybe you stop listening to that gut reaction. Victoria’s willing to concede the idea it might be your power. Your agent, nudging you. Let’s take that concession, let’s fight past it.”

“Did she ever think that maybe, just maybe, my being around someone who has an aura that makes you think she’s the best thing ever or the scariest thing ever might mess with someone like me? Like maybe it’s like an abusive relationship, yanking me this way and that, and that’s why I’m so screwed up?” Amy asked.

I froze.

The statement felt heavy. Like it took something for her to voice it.

How long? How long had Amy been holding onto that?

I typed.

Sveta said my words. “You never went out into the field, Amy. You hated caping. She used her power around her mom and her dad, around Crystal, around Shielder, and even her boyfriend more than she used it around you. At higher and lower intensities. If it had that effect, it wouldn’t have been you.”

It was Amy’s time to freeze, to consider.

“I’m vulnerable. Weak. Pliable. I was alone. They were actual family, and Gallant was emotion-resistant.”

I typed.

“Family doesn’t mean anything to the agents, Amy. Second triggers don’t follow family lines. They go by association. Who’s closest and who’s most convenient. Do you think Crystal and Eric weren’t vulnerable in the years around their triggers? They triggered too. They were second triggers like you. They had their bad moments. They felt alienated, capes among regular citizens. They had trouble making real friendships. Mark—you know Mark had his own struggles, weaknesses.”

I watched Amy’s expression through Sveta’s eye.

I watched her turn.

Had she been blaming me? For how long?

I typed.

“Talk to someone,” Sveta called out. “Victoria knows someone. She can set you up with an appointment. Tonight. Ignore that little voice that says no or wants to resist. Because it might not be your voice.”

Amy didn’t respond, instead pointing at Seir, at other capes. Directing them back to the station. They obeyed.

Sveta took a few steps to get closer.