Susanna: That burn was shaped…weirdly. Where did you get it?

  Venessa: Annelise.

  Susanna: Were you helping her cook or something?

  Venessa: No, she burned me with her bare hands.

  Susanna: But Annelise doesn’t have temperature abilities of any kind. How did she burn you?

  Dortor: I don’t think even she knows…

  Cassandra walks by singing the refrain of Sunburn by Muse.

  Susanna: Cass, when are you gonna learn that life isn’t a musical?

  Cassandra: When life stops involving fighting off super-powered beings from a place outside of the multiverse. *she continues singing*

  Dortor: Did you overhear our conversation?

  Cassandra: Of course I did! How do you think I picked the song? Oh, and I know nothing about Annelise’s powers or how they work, so I’m not sure if I’d be any help.

  Dortor sighs: I think we’re at the mercy of the Vast now.

  Venessa: You mean that big storm-thing outside the Bridge that may or may not want to hurt us? I sure hope it has mercy.

  Dortor: You condemn because you fail to understand. One day, the ways of the Vast will be clearer to you.

  Venessa: Yeah. One day far away in the future.

  Cassandra: You don’t know that.

  Venessa pales: What?

  Cassandra: You’re in the Flame Sector like me. We tend to become Keepers sooner than other Keepers-in-training.

  Venessa: But how will that help me understand the Vast?

  Cassandra smiles: You’ll see when you become a Keeper.

  She walks away. Venessa sits down on the floor against the wall and puts her face in her hands.

  Susanna: What’s wrong? Are you worried about becoming a Keeper?

  Venessa shakes her head: No. If that’s my destiny or whatever, it’ll probably work itself out somehow. I…I think I caused this.

  Susanna: Caused what?

  Venessa: I think Annelise might be upset with me. I heard her and Cory talking to each other last night about how it hurts her to hold in her love. She’s had to do that for me. I wanna trust her, trust somebody, but I can’t. I don’t know how. Maybe…that love that she’s been holding back is turning into anger at me. And she’s been trying to hold that back, but she couldn’t. And…

  Susanna: Whoa, whoa, whoa! You’re jumping to conclusions way too fast, Venessa! None of us knows how Annelise’s power works, and I don’t think you do either.

  Dortor: Have you ever heard a character in a piece of literature or drama say, “I hate you with a burning passion”?

  Venessa: Of course I have. Who hasn’t?

  Dortor: I think that could be applied to any complex emotion. Perhaps it could be applied to Annelise’s love, except it's real instead of being a literary device. Her love literally burns.

  Susanna: Wow! Dortor, I never would’ve thought of that! And I’ve read Shakespeare in high school!

  Dortor: I don’t know if that’s the correct conclusion or not. It may well be what Venessa was suggesting.

  Annelise emerges from down the hallway.

  Annelise:(to Venessa) I thought we’d head home a bit early so you can rest for a bit.

  Venessa stands up. Annelise appears to be thanking Dortor in Cyclonese and then thanks Susanna. Both of them head out of the Keeper headquarters and into the car.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  Venessa: I’m sorry.

  Annelise: For what?

  Venessa: For being a little demon-child.

  Annelise: You’re not a demon-child, Venessa. Whoever told you that you were was wrong. You have such a caring heart, even though you try to hide it. Underneath your tough exterior, I know there’s a gentle, funny, free-spirited little girl. You don’t have to be sorry for anything. Well, except what happened yesterday.

  Venessa smiles, but it quickly fades: You’re not mad at me? I mean, other than what happened yesterday?

  Annelise shakes her head: Of course not. I love you, and every emotion I feel for you comes from that. Even if I was angry with you, it would come from a good place. Don’t worry.

  Venessa sighs: Why did you burn me?

  A tear falls down Annelise’s face: I didn’t mean to hurt you. I…

  Venessa: I know. Last night,...I woke up and heard you and Cory talking about me.

  Annelise nods: I’m sorry about that. I knew you were out there, I just…I kinda broke down for a second. I didn’t care who was listening at that moment. It felt like my heart and blood were on fire.

  Venessa: On fire?

  Annelise: Yes.

  Venessa: Was that what caused the burning?

  Annelise nods: I think it was.

  Venessa: Will it happen again?

  Annelise shakes her head: No. I’ll find other ways to release it.

  Venessa: Maybe…you won’t have to.

  Annelise looks over at Venessa: What?

  Venessa: You wanted to release your powers on me, right? Why can’t you do that?

  Annelise: You’re going through so much, and you’re scared of everyone, including yourself. I couldn’t do that to you.

  Venessa’s face falls: I…I’m not scared of anything. I just…

  Annelise: You don’t know how to love, and you feel like the only people who haven’t hurt you are the people you haven’t met yet.

  Venessa: Stop…please.

  Annelise pauses: I just want you to know that I understand.

  The two are silent until they reach home. When they enter the house, Cory walks up to hug Annelise, but she pushes him away.

  Cory: What’s wrong?

  Annelise: You can’t touch me right now. I could hurt you.

  Cory: Are you sure?

  Annelise nods: I spoke with Beyond about it.

  Venessa perks up from the couch where she was sitting.

  Cory: What did he say?

  Annelise: I can find other outlets for this fire, but until…*she glances at Venessa* until I can express my feelings properly, it’s gonna slowly get worse.

  Cory sighs and puts his face in his hands: What’s happening to you, Annelise?

  Annelise: I don’t know! I don’t even see it coming, it just happens!

  Cory: Is there anything that helps you release this energy?

  Annelise: Caring for Venessa. I felt a bit of release in the car when we talked.

  Cory smiles: Well, caring seems like what you do best. Maybe this problem has an easy fix after all.

  Annelise: But…

  Venessa: You were right, Annelise.

  Cory grins: What did you just say?

  Venessa winces: Annelise was…not wrong.

  Cory: About what?

  Venessa: I…I think I might be scared of the stuff that’s happening. I…I’ve never had parents before. I mean, I think I have real parents out there, but I’ve never met them. And people don’t like the idea of a neurodivergent kid who can break stuff with their mind. People usually hate me. Every government-run place I’ve been in…It seems like they’re getting paid to hate children.

  Cory: That’s because they want to make you feel ashamed or scared of your powers, so you’ll give them up. But we’re not like that.

  Venessa smirks: That’s pretty dang obvious.

  Annelise: It seems like a ‘danger’ switch turns on in your brain every time you enter this house. It may take a while, but hopefully that alarm will stop going off once you get used to how things work around here. You’re safe here, always.

  Venessa: What about when I’m fighting Hostilities?

  Annelise: We’ll always be there in case something goes wrong, even if it’s from far away.

  Cory: If you get in a stitch with the Hostilities, call me or Annie. We’ll probably both come get you, though. No Hostility can stand confidently in a five-mile radius of Overprotective Mom Annelise.

  Annelise laughs: Cory!

  Cory shrugs: It’s true. You don’t want to get on her bad side, which is pretty much guaranteed if you hurt her kids.

  Annelise: Can I hug you, Venessa? It can be hard to understand familial love if you haven’t hugged anyone. It’s okay if you’re not ready yet.

  Venessa pauses: Will you hurt me by hugging me?

  Annelise pauses for a second: No, I won’t.

  Venessa: Uuum…okay, sure.

  Annelise hugs Venessa, and Venessa feels a calming warmth envelop her. She isn’t sure why she ever avoided being hugged during this moment. It’s so strange and new to her.

  Annelise: How are you feeling?

  Venessa: I don’t know…uuum…is this how being calm feels? I mean, I feel a bunch of other stuff…like happiness maybe.

  Annelise nods: This reminds me of my first child. He was still learning about normal feelings. Do you remember, Cory?

  Cory smiles and nods: How could I forget?

  Venessa: When am I supposed to let go?

  Annelise: Whenever you want.

  Venessa lets go of Annelise: Thanks.

  Annelise nods: Of course.

  Venessa: Can I go see Avonari?

  Annelise laughs: Yes, go.

  Venessa runs into Cory’s office, where Avonari is still sorting files.