Desa was halfway up the stairs when Anna came running up behind her. The other woman grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. “Hold on. If you go out there without me, there’s gonna be trouble.”
Lifting her chin, Desa arched an inquisitive eyebrow. “Trouble?” she said. “Are the people of this world fearful of strangers?”
Anna shut her eyes, breathing slowly as she tried to collect herself. “They don’t know what to make of you,” she explained. “You showed up randomly in a high-security area. And then you displayed powers that they’ve never seen before.”
“Only after they started shooting at me.”
“Which is why I should be with you when you come out. They trust me. If I tell them that you’re a friend, they’ll believe me.”
“As you say.”
Desa continued to the upper level. This unde
