“Maybe now you can start to put this behind you,” Donavon mentally sent. He made his way to my side. His hand hovered over my shoulder for a brief moment before falling to his side. Instead of touching me, he busied his hands placing several pairs of black pants into my bag.
“I hope so,” I sent back, refusing to meet his eyes. If I saw the concerned expression that he surely wore, the waterworks would be unavoidable. Since Penny’s sentencing, Donavon became a constant fixture in my life. He was one of the only people that saw me every day, and despite his valiant effort to keep his worried thoughts to himself, I knew my increasing instability vexed him.
“Maybe going with my father isn’t such a good idea,” he suggested, gently tucking loose curls behind my ear so that he could better read my expression.
After Penny’s sentencing, Mac asked me to accompany him to Washington, D.C. to help administer the annual Talent Aptitude Test. Every summer, all of the five-year-olds in the nation were summoned to one of five testing centers and tested to determine whether they possessed unique abilities. The children who tested positive were offered a spot at the McDonough School for the Talented, where they would learn to use their Talents for the greater good. The job wasn’t exciting or glamorous like my previous assignment with the Hunters, but it was something. The only other option I had was sitting in my bedroom waiting for Medical to find a cure to my condition. Until that happened, the Placement Committee considered me too much of a liability in the field to return to the Hunters.
“It’s for the best. I can’t stay here any longer. It reminds me too much of her,” I replied bitterly. “Besides, I don’t really have anywhere else to go. Medical still hasn’t cleared me and school is no longer in session, so I can’t even help with classes.”
“You could stay and finish helping Kenly get ready for her Placement Exams,” Donavon said. He no longer tried to reassure me that the doctors would find a cure for my seizures. Dr. Thistler had finally managed to get them under control – I was three weeks seizure-free – but until I was actually cured, I was stuck living in a state of perpetual limbo.
“I could......But honestly I think it’s better if I just get away from here for a while,” I sent back, zipping the larger of my two suitcases shut. Then I turned to my vanity and began packing my toiletries. “Besides, she has you.”
Donavon used to be a Hunter too. After he’d broken protocol by insisting on giving me a transfusion of his unfiltered blood, his father had him suspended from active duty and brought to the McDonough School. Like me, he’d been undercover, posing as an instructor at the school for the past couple of months, trying to flush out the traitor. Since we found the spy and Mac thought Donavon had learned his lesson, he was technically allowed to return to the Hunters. But he liked being an instructor and asked to stay at the school instead. I envied him the choice.
He made an unpleasant noise deep in his throat. “Spending time with Erik is more important than Kenly’s future?”
My nerves were already frayed, and Donavon’s hostility caused several to snap. Rounding to face him, I shot Donavon an icy glare. Granted, the best part of the assignment was that Erik had been selected, as well, but I didn’t like the accusatory tone in Donavon’s voice.
When I met his pained eyes, my anger dimmed slightly. Donavon had been my boyfriend for most of my adolescence until he cheated on me. At the time, I’d thought his betrayal was the worst pain that I’d ever experience, save the night I’d witnessed my parents’ murders. Then I felt the sharp bite of real treachery when I’d learned that Penny was a traitor.
Eventually, I forgave Donavon’s infidelity, but I was no longer in love with him. He took the rejection better than I could have hoped, but his voice dripped loathing whenever he spoke Erik’s name. While the dislike was genuine, he used it to mask his hurt feelings. Over the past couple of weeks, Donavon had tried to keep his biting comments to a minimum, but sometimes – like now – he let them slip.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Erik,” I answered honestly. “But you know that is not the only reason I’m going.” While I wanted to spare Donavon’s feelings, I also wasn’t going to hide my relationship from him.
The very thought of Erik made my heart lift and my pulse quicken. I pulled my gaze from Donavon before the grin could spread across my lips. We’d last seen each other three weeks before, and I missed him terribly. We talked every day and had seen each other once, but Mac wouldn’t authorize more than a weekend visit. He hadn’t wanted me leaving school grounds and said that Erik needed to focus on his duties since he would be leaving to help with the aptitude testing for several weeks. I couldn’t wait to see him. The hologram Erik had nothing on the real thing.
“Yeah, I know,” Donavon said aloud. Abruptly, he turned, shielded his hurt eyes, and walked over to grab the dresses that Kenly had selected for my trip. “I’ll get all your bags. Why don’t you go eat?” he continued, keeping his back to me.
“Donavon,” I began, my voice trailing off, not quite sure what to say. Thanking him for being there for me after everything with Penny seemed inadequate. Apologizing for choosing Erik would only open his newly healed wounds and, worse, it would be a lie.
“I know, Tal,” he said heavily, glancing over his shoulder. Shaggy blonde hair hung low on his forehead, nearly masking the conflicted expression in his slightly watery eyes. “I know.”
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to thank Baehr, for her willingness to share in the great journey of writing the Talented series. She took on the tedious task of editing Caged, and without her incredible attention to detail and inquisitive nature, this book wouldn’t make much sense. Between the late-night phone calls and marathon texting sessions, she has spent as much time in Talia’s world as I have. Her constructive criticism, heartfelt advice, and never-ending encouragement are invaluable.
I would like to thank Irish, for all of her patience, and for indulging me when I asked her questions that likely made little sense to someone who doesn’t know how the series ends. A big thank you to my parents, Esther and Henry, for all of their love and support while I pursue my dream of becoming an author. Thank you to Laurel Dabbs, for her wonderful, hand-painted cover art. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to all of the readers who have shared, and will continue to share, in Talia’s adventures.
For more information on Sophie Davis and the Talented Series, visit Sophie’s website, www.sophiedavisbooks.com
To contact Sophie directly, email her at
[email protected].
You can also follow Sophie on twitter, @sophiedavisbook.
Thank you for taking the time to read Caged. Sophie loves feedback, and any reviews posted to goodreads.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, ibooks.com, or any other retail site where Caged is sold, are greatly appreciated.
Want to continue Talia’s journey? Use the links below to snag your copies today!
Hunted, Talented Saga #3
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Captivated, A Talented Novella
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Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290441
Check out the first book, Pawn, in Sophie’s Nightmares Trilogy!
Pawn, Nightmares Trilogy #1
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Pawn-Nightmares-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00CJV1T4Y/ref=pd_sim_kstore_5
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Sophie Davis, Caged (Talented Saga)
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