“No,” Jeane protested. “I want to stay here. I deserve to know everything. You have to promise me that Lew will be okay.” “What about your brother?” Bedřich mocked. “Blood should be thicker than sex, even for a—” He said a word I didn’t understand, but Jeane apparently did. “You Czech pig!” She launched herself at him, her nails poised to rake his thin face. Without thinking, I pushed hard against her unshielded mind, sending a blast of light. At the same time, our guards dived for Jeane, with no chance of separating them in time. Bedřich’s hands started to rise to protect himself; he would also be too late. A half instant before she gouged his eyes, her hands slowed and opened. She ran the inside of her fingers caressingly down his cheeks instead. “Never mind. You’re not worth it.” She gave a seductive laugh before turning docilely toward the door. “Take me back to my room, please.” We all stared at the change in her. Ritter’s brows arched in calculation as he studied not Jeane’s retreating back but my stunned face.
