Flashback ( PDFDrive )

could talk more freely. Elwin didn’t know that Magnate Leto was one
of Mr. Forkle’s alternate identities, and he might guess the secret if he
heard Sophie telling him too much—or if he saw Magnate Leto
searching her memories, since only Mr. Forkle and Fitz could sneak
past her mental blocking.
Sure enough, as soon as Grady and Elwin had left the room,
Magnate Leto asked permission to slip into her consciousness.
“Is it okay if I watch what you show him?” Alden asked.
“Sure, but . . . some of it isn’t pretty,” Sophie warned.
Alden took a long look at his son. “I have no doubt of that.”
He reached for Magnate Leto’s temples, and Magnate Leto reached
for Sophie’s, and both of them closed their eyes as Sophie replayed the
attack. Halfway through, their hands were shaking. Then their
breathing turned ragged. And when they finally pulled away, their
eyes were wet.
Alden stumbled away, and Sophie figured he was heading back to
his son. Instead he threw his arms around Dex, and Sophie wanted to
laugh at the stunned look on Dex’s face. But it felt a lot less funny
when Alden kept whispering, “Thank you for saving my son.”
He pulled Tam into the hug too.
“Well,” Magnate Leto said, clearing the catch from his throat,
“obviously there is much to say. This was . . . a far closer call than I
realized. But for now, it’s probably best if we try to focus on what we
can learn. For instance, it appears they know you’re an Enhancer—or
they suspect it, anyway. I’m surprised Gethen didn’t pry your gloves
off and test his theory.”
“That could mean he’s assuming the ability is something else,”
Alden suggested, finally letting Tam and Dex go. “He might think