Chapter Eighty-one

As I walked away from Xavier’s cell, something inside me wouldn’t let go. His words kept echoing in my mind, twisting around my thoughts, feeding my doubts. But I knew better than to let them fester. I had to silence that voice, the one he’d planted in my head, before it took root.

I turned on my heel and marched back to Xavier’s cell, determined to confront him again. The guard at the entrance gave me a questioning look but didn’t try to stop me. They were used to my back-and-forth by now, and I wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.

As I approached, Xavier looked up, his...