Alien Me by Emma Accola

Have maids and footmen been assigned? Lady Darcy is in dire need of at least two lady’s maids.”
    “If I were the sensitive type, I might take offense at that,” I snapped.
    Judah dragged his eyes off of me. “I’ve already informed the housekeeper to choose the maids and footmen, my lord. Word has reached my ears that some of the Discards became ill from terror when they learned that Lady Darcy is a missusan. Three have released their energy to the universe. One asked to meet the lava.”
    “Discards are so fragile,” Sylvan said with a sigh. “Tell the housekeeper to create a list of maids and footmen to replace the ones that Lady Darcy releases to the universe.”
    “Hopefully the lady’s maid should be able to do something lovely with Darcy’s hair,” Naomi said. “At least it’s long, not cropped off.”
    “If Lady Darcy doesn’t extinguish her first,” Sylvan said.
    “Are you really saying that you think I will be killing the maids?” I asked coldly.
    “My dear lady, there’s been precedent,” Naomi said. “On Earth you extinguished three missusans who were armed and ready for your touch. Another body has been found on the battlefield and that’s been attributed to you. There’s no telling what you will do to the Discards.”
    “I don’t hurt random people.”
    “Don’t you?” Naomi’s voice changed. Clearly she wasn’t used to people talking back to her. “Then maybe you will show us how well controlled you are. Touch your betrothed—your bare flesh on his. Lord Judah, take Lady Darcy’s hand so she may demonstrate how she doesn’t kill random people.”
    “Yes, do,” Sylvan said. “The staff will be much comforted.”
    My heart sank. I could see Judah’s fixed expression, the movement of his throat muscles as he swallowed hard. As if from a distance, I could hear Sean saying that this wasn’t necessary, that I had never hurt him, that my touch healed not harmed. The lord and lady were unmoved. Slowly Judah made his way toward me, one step in front of the other. Each foot seemed to weigh twenty pounds. When he finally reached me, his face set and diamond pupils dilated with fear, he held out a trembling hand. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the lords and ladies looking away from him, their bodies stiff with fear. One pretty young lady in particular trembled in dread.
    “Lady Darcy hasn’t had the benefit of the training a shaman would give her,” Sean was saying. “She’s too powerful. This places Lord Judah at an unacceptable risk.”
    Naomi gave a thin smile and tipped her head to the side, as if puzzled. “But the Lady Darcy seems so sure.”
    “Judah, you don’t have to do this,” Sean cried.
    “Actually, he does,” Sylvan said with a nod to his wife.
    Sean made a sound of exasperation before turning to me and grabbing my arm. A jolt of energy buzzed through my veins. The sensation reminded me of a powerful engine, low but full of potential.
    “Look into my eyes,” Sean said. “Feel what is coming through your fingers. You have to feel it before you can control it. Judah here is just an ordinary guy. Command your energy not to hurt him. He’s not trying to hurt you. He’s just a guy.”
    Sean released me and I took a deep breath to steady myself. When I looked at Judah, the terror showed only in the tight corners of his mouth. As Judah’s fingers moved within inches of mine, I felt the panicked pulsing of his heart, as if he were reaching into open flame. I could hear Sean’s voice urging me on. I marshaled all my concentration on energy that felt cool and pink, the color of growth and beauty. I felt the tingling energy surging through my fingers toward Judah and fought to drag it back. I willed my fingers to be gentle, as if I were touching the fragile wings of a butterfly.
    Ever so tenderly Judah set his fingers in my palm. I felt the slightest pressure of his flesh and my heart tumbled in my chest. His fear was a wild animal trying to claw its way out