His words were meant to comfort her, but Kaia still felt the sting of failure. She had started to believe in her abilities, to trust that she could control them when needed. But now, when it mattered most, nothing had happened. The feeling of disappointment engulfed her, and she couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy. She dropped into Councilman Carter's seat, annoyed and discouraged, wondering why her gift had suddenly failed her.
But then, as soon as her body sank into the chair, something shifted. Her fingers gripped the armrests as if on instinct, and without warning, a powerful wave of images assaulted her mind. It was overwhelming, like a flood of memories not her own, pouring into her consciousness with such intensity that she almost cried out. The surrounding room faded away, re
