"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." -Martin Luther King JR.

I stared at the door in bewilderment for a few seconds before turning back to Cohen. "What's his problem?" I asked, crossing the room to plop down on the bed beside him. It felt like I had stumbled into a bizarre dream where everyone had swapped personalities while I was asleep. I had thought the blue-eyed guy was gentle and kind, but I couldn't have been more mistaken.

Cohen avoided my gaze and shrugged. "Like I said, many of the people here will struggle to accept you. Angelus is one of them."

Angelus. The name felt all too fitting for someone with such striking, angelic looks. But given his attitude, I would have guessed he was more of a Cyrus or a Malcolm—names that seemed to fit someone darker and more brooding. I shook my head, realizing that whether this strange guy liked me or not didn't really matter. Honestly, I hadn't wanted to be here in the first place.

"Whatever, I really don't care if you all accept me. I'll meet Saga, figure out what I need to do, and then head right back home where my life is," I declared, trying to inject confidence into my voice even as doubt gnawed at my insides.

Cohen's eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I caught a flicker of concern before he plastered on a grin. "Right! Eat up, and we'll be on our way."

He handed me a plate of food, and I dug in eagerly, grateful for the warmth and comfort it provided amid the confusion swirling around me.

Once I finished and the plate sat empty, Cohen led me down the hallway, which had suddenly come alive with people. Every single person here was stunning—strange yet captivating eyes, perfectly symmetrical features, and all of them tall. Not a single person looked weak or ordinary. As their gazes landed on me, it became painfully clear that when Cohen said many wouldn't accept me, he really meant everyone. Each face we passed regarded me as if I were a nuisance.

Sneers and narrowed gazes met me at every turn, twisting my stomach into knots. I gulped hard, my longing for home intensifying with each step.

I kept my eyes focused on the floor as we walked, feeling like I was navigating a minefield. We descended the stairs to the first floor, moving through a long hallway that felt empty and slightly eerie. At the end of the corridor stood a door with a stained-glass window, its colors shimmering in the light. Cohen knocked, and a strong yet tinkling voice called us in, sounding both inviting and intimidating.

When Cohen opened the door, I was met with an unexpectedly ordinary office space. A large mahogany desk sat before bright stained windows depicting a sun surrounded by unfamiliar planets. In front of the desk was a cozy sitting area with a sizable bookshelf, and on a couch sat a woman no older than forty-five. Her snow-white hair cascaded down to her waist, and her violet eyes seemed clouded yet piercing. Sharp features radiated authority, and she emitted a powerful aura that made me instinctively want to retreat.

Cohen stepped around me and smiled at the woman—Saga. "Good afternoon, Saga. This is Kaelynn. She believes you'll disclose the truth about the Gorge and send her back home. I thought it best to stay with her during this meeting to ensure she feels comfortable." He spoke as if he were reporting a mission, and I bit my lip, feeling small under Saga's scrutinizing gaze.

Saga smiled at Cohen, but it looked forced and rehearsed. "Thank you for your insight, Cohen. While I appreciate your concern for the girl, I'll speak only to her. You may wait in the hall until we're done."

Cohen dipped his head and turned toward me, his eyes flashing with what I assumed was concern before he brushed past me and closed the door behind him. I felt a wave of unease wash over me as silence enveloped the room. Saga turned toward me, closing the distance between us, and I fought the urge to shrink back from her piercing gaze. When she was only inches away, she lifted her hand and touched my cheek. Her fingers were ice cold, and I flinched as tingles shot through my skin like lightning. "Hmm, you're interesting," she said, withdrawing her hand.

I stood frozen, watching as she returned to her desk and settled into a tall chair. "Come sit, dear. We have a few things to discuss before I can determine what to do with you."

I wiped my sweaty palms on my leggings and walked woodenly toward the chair across from her, my posture stiff with nerves.

"Kaelynn Barker. Not a name of my people," she stated once I sat down. How did she know my full name? I hadn't told Cohen that...

Saga's lips twitched, as if she were trying to suppress a grin. "I know your full name, and I know that you attend Covecrest University. I know you believe you're dreaming and that you're struggling to grasp the past few days of your life. I know all of this because it's been on your mind since coming here. Your thoughts are quite easy to read."

My heart raced, and I leaned back in the chair, instinctively wanting to create distance. God, she can read my thoughts? How is this possible? First monsters, now strange people with supermodel looks and abilities? Did I fall into some sort of Marvel movie?

Saga let out a melodic laugh, and for the first time since meeting her, emotion flashed in her pale violet eyes. She looked amused, and somehow that allowed my racing mind to settle, my body beginning to relax.

"How?" I croaked, knowing she would understand my question.

Her grin widened. "I'll give you those answers shortly. First, I have a few of my own. While I appreciate your understanding of my abilities—which is quite peculiar for a child of the surface—I'd like to hear you voice the full answer so I can determine whether or not you're lying. Would that be okay with you?"

I wasn't sure why she asked; it felt like I had no real choice. She'd hear my answer regardless. "Good. Now, I apologize if my questions bring up any unsavory memories, but it's essential. Do you remember your parents? Your birth parents?"

I frowned, unsure where this was leading. "No, I was found in a forest by a hitchhiker not long after my birth. I was abandoned, left to die." The bitterness in my voice surprised me, and I clenched my hands into fists. Control your emotions, Kaelynn; don't succumb.

Saga didn't react to my answer but swiftly continued, "And how old are you, dear?"

"Nineteen."

"When will you turn twenty?" she pressed, her brows twitching as if refusing to let them furrow.

"December thirtieth. Or at least that's when I was found. They weren't completely sure when I was actually born."

Saga nodded and closed her eyes. I sat there, unsure what to do with myself as long seconds passed. After what felt like an eternity, her eyes snapped open, and her mouth turned down in a frown. "You've passed the culling; you're over the age of twenty." She stated this with finality. "I have one more question for you, and I ask that you take your time to respond. In the last few months, have you noticed any strange talents? A connection to the elements, the ability to connect with someone emotionally, or even feel the life force in a person? Anything abnormal?"

I gulped, my heart racing as I realized I knew my answer right away. But it wasn't just in the last few months; I had that ability since I was twelve. I instinctively tried to suppress the thoughts in my head, my reaction to clear my mind. Saga tutted, her eyes narrowing. "Child, don't do that. I have ways of getting the information I want that don't involve a pleasant conversation. So, if you'd like to avoid me forcing myself into your memories, it would be wise to answer my question."

My body trembled at the threat. "Yes, I—I have an abnormal ability. It's more of a curse, though. But it wasn't something that appeared over the last few months. I've been able to feel a person's pain and, for lack of a better term, suck it away since I was twelve."

Saga stood suddenly and walked around the desk. I followed her every movement, fearful of her reaction. She stepped into my personal space again, grabbing my cheeks with both hands. Her eyes glazed over completely, and a sharp ache began to overtake my head. I tried to escape her hold, but her grip only tightened, trapping me. I whimpered as the pain grew, shaking and sucking in rapid breaths.

Suddenly, Saga was thrown across the room, her back slamming onto the floor just before the window. She let out a choked sound, then burst into laughter that seemed almost manic. "You, my dear, are an enigma. From what I can gather, you are half human, with an ability that is rare and from a family line that is coveted. You should not exist. And yet, here you are, with a strong block in your head, repressing your genes." She stood up, still laughing. "Twelve..."

She pulled open a drawer in the desk and withdrew an amber-colored liquid. Swiftly removing the top, she chugged down the contents. After a few gulps, she set the glass down and looked at me. "The council would eat you alive. But the question is, should I keep you, or should I send you back to the wolves? Decisions... decisions."

Saga plopped back into her chair, glancing out the window. I was shaking uncontrollably, my anxiety spiraling into a full-fledged panic attack. Half-human? She said I was half-human. But what the hell was the other half?

Saga whipped her head back to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes, half-human, half Aetherian. I've never met one of your kind before today. Aetherians do not mate with humans." She spat the word "humans" as if it were distasteful. "But times are changing, so I shouldn't be surprised. Never mind that. I'm sure you want to know what Aetherians are. We are a humanoid race from a different solar system that came to Earth for refuge. We are stronger, smarter, possess better senses, and have abilities passed through our bloodline. We are made to last hundreds of years. My child, I'm just not sure where you fall in with our kind versus human traits, and that block doesn't help. Although it seems to have been damaged, so thank Vexis for that."

I tried to grasp what she was saying, willing my brain to understand, but I felt lost. She was an alien? Like a real alien? But she looked so human. Well, obviously, they looked like the perfect version of us, with no outward flaws. But still, I would have assumed aliens looked like they did in the movies—green, short, and large-headed.

I shook my head, coming to the decision that I didn't care what was going on. I just wanted to go home. As I voiced this, Saga's eyes darkened. She rested her forearms on the desk as she leaned toward me. "So, you would rather be sent back to the wolves to die? Interesting. I would have thought you to be smarter than that. I guess you may have more human traits than I originally thought."

I scoffed, unable to hide my distaste for her words. Was everyone in this place racist toward humans? Cohen seemed to be the only genuine person here, and that's saying something considering how we met.

"No, you will not be sent home. You will stay here and train. If you value your life, you will do this without complaint. The monsters, as you call them, are nothing compared to the evils you can face without proper protection. I refuse to let a gift like yours be wasted just because you're idiotic." Her face was set into a hard mask of indifference, but her eyes flared with anger.

I wanted to scoff again; the audacity of these people was outrageous. But instead, I clenched my jaw and forced myself not to snap at her. She didn't seem like the type to accept back-talk. She also didn't seem like she would oppose physical violence to get what she wanted, considering she laughed at being thrown across the room—which I still had no idea how that happened.

She took my silence as acceptance, or she must have read my thoughts and decided that they were close enough to acceptance. "Good. You will shadow Cohen tomorrow. We follow strict schedules. After a week of shadowing, you will get your own schedule. You will stay at the Gorge until you pass the proper testing, and from what I can tell about your strength, that will take years. So don't expect to go back 'home' anytime soon. Now, I would love to answer all of those tantalizing questions you have circling your brain, but I no longer have the patience for that." Saga stood and walked to the bookshelf, pulling out a large tome labeled 'The Histories of Aetheris.' She dropped the book in my lap, then walked toward the door. "Cohen, please escort the girl back to room 235; that will be her permanent room. Do not let her leave her room until tomorrow. She will shadow you for a week. Make sure she doesn't distract you from your learning."

Cohen respectfully accepted, then walked up to me, grabbed my arm rather tightly, and dragged me out of the room. The door slammed shut behind us the second I passed the threshold.

I let out a shaky breath and stared at Cohen with wide eyes. He was an alien too. I pulled his hand from mine and took a few steps back, my chest heaving. I felt sick to my stomach.

Cohen let out a long breath and shook his head, his eyes darting back toward Saga's office, a flash of anger darkening his emerald green eyes. "I knew she would do this," he whispered before placing his hand on my lower back. "Come on, I'll take you back to your room. Keep your eyes down and try to control your heart rate. You smell weak; I would rather not have to deal with anyone trying something."

At this point, I was on the verge of fainting, so I didn't struggle as he pushed me forward. I kept my eyes on my feet, allowing my hair to cover my face. As we walked, I could practically feel the disgust wafting off the people around us. Their hatred seemed to press on my skin, stinging my nerves. Thankfully, with Cohen by my side, we made it to my room without being stopped. He practically pushed me inside before closing the door behind me. I heard the distinct sound of a lock clicking and knew I was stuck in here, trapped.

I wanted to pound on the door and demand to be let out. I wanted to run far away from here and never look back. I wanted to pretend this was all just some sick nightmare. But I knew that this was real, and if I learned anything so far, it was that I was enemy number one here, and this room was probably the only safe place for me.

I flung myself onto the bed, threw the book across the room, and hugged my legs as tears burned my eyes.

I didn't think I'd ever be able to go home. I didn't think I'd ever be able to escape these people. I just wished I knew how they found me and why being able to feel people's pain warranted kidnapping.