Inescapable (Talented Saga #7) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Kenly’s freedom for my own.
At the time, I didn’t know that was the choice I was making.
Nonetheless, even with the added advantage of hindsight, I didn’t
regret letting her go instead of turning Kenly over to UNITED.
    “ Talia?” Victoria snapped
again, looking slightly concerned by my prolonged
silence.
    I quirked an eyebrow. “The
purpose of your visit? You mean you’re not here solely to amuse me?
Prison life is so dull.”
    She didn’t laugh.
    “ As we speak, Agent Kelley
is en route to a peace rally in New York City.” Victoria’s tone was
measured, though I detected the faintest trace of sympathy in her
steely gaze. “Though he has one more scheduled appearance after
this one, the night before the vote, the council has decided that
it would be best for him to return to the islands until
then.”
    That got my attention. Victoria never shared
news of Erik aloud. Even mentally, she rarely did more than assure
me that he was okay. It took all of my willpower to keep my
excitement visibly contained. But if Erik was returning to the Isle
of Exile, I would finally be able to communicate with him.
    While he was traveling around, acting as
UNITED’s poster boy for the Created, he was out of the range that
my mental abilities could reach. Erik’s own abilities were strong
enough to reach me no matter his geographical location, but I’d
blocked him from entering my headspace when I was first
imprisoned.
    Initially, I didn’t want him to see how bad
Vault truly was; I didn’t want him to see the miserable conditions
I was living in, day in and day out. Because I didn’t want Erik to
feel guilty about my current predicament. Rescuing Anya, his
ex-girlfriend, from the Poachers was one of several contributing
factors to my incarceration, and Erik was the type to feel
responsible, even when it came to my own rash actions.
    Blocking him was a decision I regretted
every day. By the time I was ready to swallow my pride and let him
in—truly, when my loneliness and longing for him had overcome the
fear of making him feel guilty—Erik had stopped reaching out, and I
couldn’t reach him.
    Thankfully, I would finally be able to when
he was back on the islands. I missed Erik so much that it
physically hurt. Hearing his voice inside my head would be like a
soothing balm on my singed soul.
    “ I’m glad he’ll be back;
Erik will be much safer on Eden,” I said to Victoria. With some
effort, I’d managed to make my tone as calm and controlled as
hers.
    “ I have petitioned the
council on your behalf for a visitation exception,” she announced,
surprising the hell out of me. Victoria’s level gaze never wavered
as she studied me for a reaction.
    “ And?” I prompted, voice
barely above a whisper. Hope was a luxury I no longer allowed
myself. Disappointment too often followed.
    “ It was a battle. One that
became rather ugly, if I am being honest,” Victoria continued.
“However, because Agent Kelley is vital to this organization, his
continued devotion to our cause is imperative. No one wants him
unhappy, and we are all painfully aware that nothing would make him
happier than seeing you.”
    “ So…” I ventured. “Is that
a yes?”
    Victoria’s smile was uncharacteristically
warm. “It is.”
    “ Seriously?” I blurted the
word before I could stop myself.
    “ Seriously,” she answered,
the corners of her mouth quirking up even farther. “You have been
granted one hour of supervised visitation tomorrow morning.”
Victoria turned to the man standing silently on the other side of
the bars of the exercise cell. “Agent Yocum will play
chaperone.”
    Agent Niccoli Yocum gave a small nod of
affirmation. Though his body was angled slightly towards Victoria,
my guard’s dark sunglasses—yes, he wore them inside—made it
difficult to tell where he was actually looking.
    “ Unless, of course, you
have an objection?” Victoria raised one perfectly groomed eyebrow
in question.
    “ I don’t suppose a