Three days pass in a blur of awkward meals and careful distance.

  Charlotte spends most of her time in her room, coming down only when Adelia calls her for food. She can hear the other kids outside, laughing and working in the garden.

  Aki tries. She knocks on Charlotte's door the second morning, asking if she wants to help pick vegetables. Charlotte says no. She tries again that afternoon, offering to show Charlotte her room. Charlotte says she's tired.

  By the third day, Aki has stopped trying.

  Charlotte tells herself it's better this way. Safer. If she keeps her distance, she can't hurt anyone.

  But she's so lonely.

  On the evening of the third day, Adelia knocks on Charlotte's door. "Dinner's ready. And I made something special—Aki's favorite dessert."

  Charlotte follows her downstairs, where the kitchen table is set with plates and forks. Aki, Broc, and Bainto are already seated. Aki doesn't look at Charlotte when she sits down.

  Adelia brings over a beautiful chocolate cake, topped with fresh strawberries and drizzled with sauce. "Canupe. Chocolate cake with fudge and berries."

  Charlotte's mouth waters despite herself. She takes a small bite, and the rich chocolate melts on her tongue—nothing like the boxed cake mix Malina made. It's incredible.

  She must have made a sound, because Aki glances over. Their eyes meet for a second before Aki looks away.

  Charlotte's chest aches. She wants to say something—to apologize for being so distant, to explain that she's not trying to be mean. But before she can find the words, Aki reaches out and touches her arm.

  "Are you—"

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  The shock hits like lightning.

  Blue-white light crackles between them. Aki screams and jerks back, cradling her arm. A red mark spreads across her skin, angry and blistering.

  "Aki!" Adelia is on her feet instantly, rushing to her daughter's side.

  Charlotte stares at her own hands, horror flooding through her. The prickling is gone, replaced by a cold, sick feeling in her stomach. "I didn't—I didn't mean—"

  "What's wrong with you?!" Aki's voice is high and tight with pain. Tears stream down her face. "I was just trying to be nice!"

  "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry—"

  "Stay away from me!" Aki stands up, still holding her arm. "Just stay away!"

  She runs from the kitchen. Charlotte hears her footsteps pounding up the stairs, hears a door slam.

  Silence.

  Broc stares at Charlotte with wide eyes. Bainto has gone very still, fork frozen halfway to his mouth.

  "I didn't mean to." Charlotte's voice cracks. Her vision blurs with tears. "I didn't—she just touched me and I couldn't—"

  "Charlotte." Adelia crosses to her, movements deliberate. "Go to your room. I'll be up in a moment."

  Charlotte flees.

  She collapses onto her bed, face buried in the pillow. The sobs tear out of her—raw, ugly sounds she can't control. Monster. The word echoes in her skull. She'd hurt Aki, sweet Aki who'd only tried to help, and now everyone would hate her and she deserved it, she deserved—

  A knock.

  "Charlotte?" Adelia's voice comes through the door. "May I come in?"

  Charlotte can't answer. The door opens anyway. The mattress dips.

  "Let me see your hands."

  Charlotte holds them out. They tremble. Adelia examines them, turns them over, nods. "No burns on your end. The magic discharged outward, not inward."

  "Is Aki okay?"

  "She will be. I've put salve on the burn. It'll heal in a day or two." Adelia pauses. "Look at me."

  Charlotte forces herself to sit up. Her face burns, swollen from crying.

  "What you did wasn't intentional. I know that. But it happened, and Aki is hurt, and you need to understand why."

  "Because I'm a freak. Because I can't control—"

  "Because you're scared." Adelia's tone cuts through Charlotte's spiral. "Fear makes magic unstable. When you're anxious or upset, your magic looks for an outlet. Today, that outlet was Aki."

  "I don't want to hurt people."

  "I know. But wanting isn't enough. You need to learn control, and that means facing your fear instead of hiding from it." Adelia stands. "Aki is angry right now, and she has a right to be. Give her time. But Charlotte—you can't keep isolating yourself. That will only make things worse."

  After Adelia leaves, Charlotte lies in the darkness. Facing her fear. Learning control.

  She doesn't know how to do either of those things.

  But she knows she can't keep hurting people.