Freedom to use her power has finally come, but the ball of mist Kiiki is partnered with causes a riot in her new reality.

Kiiki has spent ten years in the Dome, the first to be dumped there when she was fourteen. Now, the Citadel is offering her a chance to get out and she is not hesitating. Her family will keep, she needs out NOW.

Harken is a cloud-formed Nishan and Kiiki’s new partner. How can she trust a man who can choose any shape he wishes on a world where they want her to use her power talent for hours a day?

Her attraction to her strange companion grows with his appreciation of her skills. By the end of the assignment, she is incomplete without him, and he is obsessed with protecting her. Her injuries have occurred because of the nature of her talent, and there is nothing more frustrating than a protector who cannot protect his charge from herself.

Excerpt:

Kiiki waited, watching the skies for any trace of members of the Citadel. Her meetings with the council grew more intense as time moved on. The numbers in the Dome were growing daily—the laws forbidding physical aspects of a talent to be used were causing a rush of neighbours turning in trusted friends.

She grimaced. When she had been caught, it had been after a ten-day hunt, three crashed skimmers and a pleasant cruise through the marketplace at midnight. She had time to speak with her parents twice and set their minds at ease as to her state before the guard had taken her in.

It was a personal joke to her that the restrictor suit that was supposed to bind her talent merely provided insulation for her. She left the suit’s capabilities for insulation and bodily control intact but channelled her power around the fabric that touched her skin.

She could and did remove the suit when she felt like it, but it was simply easier to wear it and blend in with the other talents in the Dome.

A flaring light on the ground got her attention. With light ease, she dropped from her watchtower and glided to the ground.

“Yes, Urik, what do you want?” She stood before the hulk of the strongest man in the Dome and blinked curiously.

“Togger believes he has regained some of his accelerated movement. We wish to test him. Will you help?” The grin on his dark features had a hint of cruelty, and the rest was amused anticipation.

Kiiki chuckled and walked into the council chambers with him. “Of course I will help.”

It was traditional to use one working talent to test the ability of the new ones. Togger had been in the Dome for two weeks and chafed at his assigned chores. If he wanted a new assignment beyond delivering meals to the domiciles, he was going to have to prove himself.

Kiiki took the seat that allowed the light of the moons and stars to come to her. No one sat near her—they knew better. “Put the lines down, Urik. Let’s see if Togger is as fast as he says.”

Togger was shifting nervously, his weight rocking from foot to foot. He was twenty-five, but in the light of evening, he looked to be about fourteen.

Urik and a few of the others rolled out strands of wire. They were insulated, but they would allow Togger a measure of safety.

From her seat, Kiiki eyed Togger. “So, how do you want to do this?”

He blushed furiously, and with a sigh, Kiiki realised that she was still younger than this fool. “I will start with an arc ball, and all you have to do is ground it to have it dissipate.”

She concentrated and held her hand out, watching a mild dose of energy form a ball in her palm.

He swallowed, “Will it hurt?”

She released it, and it struck out at him with a bolt of energy before whizzing around behind him. “Only if you don’t catch it.”