Chapter 4

The next morning in the war room, Adrienne leads Wren through a disclosure and skills assessment while Kallister, Fiona, Teriq, and Gray observe. Determined to prove her value and secure sanctuary, Wren opens a telepathic path to Fiona with unusual speed, then links to Teriq. Fiona notes Wren’s veins show no silver reaction, marking her as a rare anomaly.

Questioned on proficiency, Wren states mind reading comes easily with unshielded minds and that she can break shields, having pierced Julian’s at age nine. Kallister records this and plans future shield training. Wren also demonstrates projection from a live visual, while Adrienne probes whether stored images are possible, hinting at advanced techniques for later training.

Pressed for her fourth ability, Wren admits she can incite, explaining it usually triggers under extreme emotion. She recounts mass incitement at Julian’s execution—compelling eight riflemen—and an earlier accident with Jim while driving. Adrienne queries sensory phenomena during incitement; Fiona pushes to keep to disclosure. Wren then confesses a deliberate incitement at the Silver Jubilee, forcing precog Jayde Valence to shoot herself to preserve the mission.

Silence follows, and Wren fears exile, but Adrienne declares the Uprising will not send her away. With Kallister, Teriq, and Gray agreeing—and Fiona reluctantly nodding—Wren is allowed to remain. The decision comes with constraint: the Dagger will be her home, effectively keeping an inciter under close control, which Wren interprets as both protection and threat.