I ignore the look Kael sends me and concentrate harder, berating myself for my lack of focus that’s messing with my Speaking ability. I know I’m not exhausted; I know I can do this.

“Wake,” I command, and this time, light flares from me into Ward.

One moment he’s as still as death, the next his eyes are shooting open and he’s arching up from the mattress, contained only by the shackles holding his limbs down.

His violent awakening catches me off guard and I skitter backward, startled. Then I get a grip of myself and look at Kael, seeing his expressionless face as he stares at Ward.

“Release me!” Ward demands, fighting against his bonds. “Now!”

“As you wish,” I tell him. Only then does Kael look up at me, giving a nod to indicate he’s ready.

I think back to how I freed Cami from Manning, how I focused on her and only her. This time, I do the same with Ward.

I think about that first day I met him in the library, how he smiled at me with his dimpled grin. I think about when I awoke in his room—in his bed—and he cared for me, making sure I was warm and fed. I think about how he carried me to the bathroom and held me tight when I spiraled into an anxiety attack. I think about how he acted around Abby, Ethan, and Isaac, doting on them, loving them. I think about the way his eyes would linger on me, even when he was playing the role of uncaring evaluator, even when he wanted me to think he had betrayed me. I think of the final words he said to me before sacrificing himself to Vanik:

… no matter how I acted after you started Speaking, every second, every moment I spent with you before that was real. Don’t ever doubt that, Chip.

I hold tight to the memories, to the promise of who Ward is, as I stare straight into his green eyes and say, “Be free.”

Light shoots out of me, hitting him square in the chest.

I’m holding my breath, waiting, waiting.

With Cami, the change happened instantly.

But Ward … he’s just looking at me.

His gaze flicks to Kael, then back to me, before a smug expression overtakes his features. “You’re going to have to try harder than that, Six-Eight-Four.”

My stomach hollows out.

“Be free!” I cry again, and light flares around us once more, blinding in its intensity.

A low, dark laugh comes from Ward, humor splashed across his features as he turns to Kael and arches a golden eyebrow. “Seems you’ve dodged a bullet, Roscave.”

My panicked gaze lands on Kael as I ask, “Why won’t it work?”

He runs a hand through his dark hair and admits, “I don’t know. He’s strong—too strong. Strong enough to protect against both of us.”