Prologue

Tina

Jeez. Giving birth is hard. No. That's not the right word. It's brutal. And it's taking forever. I've been pushing for so long that I'm starting to wonder if this baby has decided she likes it in there. “Can't this go any faster?” I gasp. The nurse beside me gives me the same frightened expression she's been wearing for the past hour. She always looks like she's about to cry. “Just keep pushing,” she says in that tiny, trembling voice. I glare at her. “What exactly do you think I've been doing?” My voice comes out higher than I intend, but I don't care. I want this over. I want to leave this hospital. I want my baby in my arms. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I hear the words I've been waiting for. She's here. My baby is born. I expect congratulations. A smile. Something. Instead, the room goes strangely quiet. The doctor looks at the nurses. One of them takes my baby, quickly wrapping her in a blanket. “Wait,” I say. “Where are you taking her?” Nobody answers. Then they rush out. Just like that. The door swings shut, leaving me staring at it. My heart starts pounding. A few seconds later, the nurse returns. “Um... madam?” She looks pale. “There's a little problem with your baby.” I push myself up despite the pain. “What problem?” She opens her mouth. Nothing comes out. “What happened?” I demand. “The doctor will explain. I'll be back.” Then she disappears.

I sit there, completely confused. Something is wrong. I know it. The room suddenly feels too quiet. Then the door opens again. The doctor walks in with Livien behind him. My husband looks terrified. His glasses are crooked, and he keeps pushing them up his nose. He looks at me, then quickly looks away. “What is going on?” I ask. The doctor doesn't answer immediately. That makes it worse. “Your baby's powers are unstable,” he finally says. I stare at him. “What?” “They're putting her life at risk. We believe the safest option is to remove them.” For a second, I don't understand what he's saying. Then I do. “Remove them?” “Yes.” He pauses. “We need your consent.” He glances toward Livien. “Your husband has already given his.” I turn to Livien. “You did what?” “Tina—” “No. Seriously? You gave your consent?” My voice breaks. “You agreed to them taking our baby's powers?” Livien's face changes. “What was I supposed to do?” “Say no!” “And then what?” he snaps. “Watch her die?” The room goes silent. I stare at him. He looks exhausted. Frightened. Nothing like the calm, controlled man I know. “We don't have time,” he says quietly. “They need an answer now.”

A doctor places a form in front of me. A pen rests on top of it. I stare at them. My hands begin to shake. “No,” I whisper. “I can't.” But the doctor doesn't move the paper away. Livien doesn't say anything either. He just looks at me. And suddenly I realize what they're asking me to choose. My daughter's powers—or my daughter. There is no good answer. If I refuse, she could die. If I agree, I could be taking away something she was born with. Something that belongs to her. My eyes fill with tears. “Bu... but...” I can't finish the sentence. My mind is moving too quickly and not quickly enough at the same time. I pick up the pen. My hand trembles so badly that I almost drop it. I look at Livien one last time. He doesn't stop me. So I sign. One simple movement. My name on a piece of paper. That's all it takes. I push the form back to the doctor and immediately regret it. Tears roll down my face as I stare at my signature. I have no idea whether I've just saved my daughter's life. Or whether I've just made the biggest mistake of mine.