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handyman skills were more than attractive, since we hadn’t yet found anyone suitably isolated to employ in that role on a permanent basis. That he could handle a gun was an added benefit. The others might have eventually thanked me; one thing I’d learned about Unbounded was that they loved their comfort.
    He’s probably a terrible repairman. The thought made me feel better. Good genes sometimes skipped generations.
    I turned back to Mari. “Where were we?”
    She shook her head, glancing in the direction the man had already disappeared. “Weren’t you scared?”
    “He wasn’t going to shoot.” Except by accident; he was drunk enough for that.
    “How’d you know about his mom and his grandfather?”
    “It’s my gift. Every Unbounded has one. Very similar to talents that mortals have, though rather more unusual.”
    “You read minds?” She sounded horrified.
    I shook my head. “Not exactly. Mostly I see scenes and sense feelings. I can pick up thoughts from some people, though.” Ava and I could hold entire conversations without voicing a word. I could also tell an Unbounded from a mortal by simply looking at them—and detect the life force of everyone in a room, even if I couldn’t see their physical body. There had only been one exception, that of another sensing Unbounded. “But don’t worry. Most Unbounded can block me, and even mortals can if they’re taught how.”
    “How?”
    “Basically, you envision holding your thoughts in a tight ball, while pushing outward with white noise or blank thoughts. Or even a black wall. Whatever feels best. You’ll know it’s working when you hear a kind of rushing in your ears. After a bit of practice, you eventually won’t need to tighten hard enough to hear the noise.” It was something she’d need to learn fast because right now her emotions radiated from her like tangible jabs. Easy for someone like me to pick up and easier still for a sensing Unbounded from the Emporium to manipulate.
    Mari looked like she was going to be sick. I put an arm around her, hurried her to the house, and punched in the code that would open the door and disconnect the alarm long enough for us to go inside. I could smell the roast our cook was making for a dinner most of us would eat but not really need or crave. I could no longer even remember what it was like to be hungry. My body never let me reach that point. Sometimes I actually missed the feeling.
    We were met in a spacious foyer by a joyful bark and the click-clack of toenails on the worn wooden surface as Max, our loyal and quite useless mascot, came bounding down the stairs at the sound of the door. He was a beautiful mix of Collie and Chow, and though I didn’t consider myself a dog person, I tolerated him because once he’d nearly died to save me. You couldn’t fault dedication like that.
    My ten-year-old nephew Spencer hurtled down the stairs in Max’s wake. He had blond hair and a bunch of freckles that had recently surfaced on his baby face, making him look rather spotted.
    “You’re home!” Spencer bounded into my arms as Max pushed into my legs, begging to be touched. “Can we go now?”
    Go see his grandparents, he meant. I’d promised to take him and Kathy tonight. My mother and father—or the man I’d thought was my father—used to live with us here, but I’d convinced them they’d be more comfortable in their own place. What I really meant was safer. I’d hoped the kids would go stay with them, but my brother Chris wouldn’t leave the Renegades and he wanted his kids with him. I didn’t blame him for that, though I hoped his thirst for revenge didn’t affect his children. Truth was, I wanted to save up every precious moment with them. They were eighth generation—which meant next to no chance of being Unbounded. I’d bury first Chris and then the kids before I’d age another two years.
    But there was Jace. I had to remember that.
    “We can’t go see them right now, but maybe in a