"What, that was just a tap," I said sweetly.
"Yeah, you always just tap, uh-huh," Emrys replied, raising his eyebrows at me as he perched on the edge of the sofa, rubbing his abdomen.
"Don't be a sissy," I said, sinking down next to him.
"Sissy?" he asked.
"I wouldn't take it offensively. She calls us all sissies," Mark reassured him. "So, Emrys, what exactly are your intentions with our girl here?" he asked, all humor gone from his voice as he sat forward in his chair.
"Uncle Mark!" I hissed, shooting an apologetic look at Emrys.
"Don't 'Uncle Mark' me. I think we have a right to know exactly what his plans are," Mark said, not bothering to look at me.
"Well, my immediate plans are to get to know her better. She intrigues me, much as I'm sure she intrigues all of you," he answered like I wasn't even there.
"Yes, Jordyn is very special. We don't want her to feel like she is caged in, but we also want to protect her," Mark said. "We are strong believers in freewill, and that everyone should always have control over their thoughts and actions. Do you understand what I'm saying?" he continued with a hard edge in his voice.
I stifled a groan, knowing where the conversation was going, but didn't have a clue on how to stop the runaway train.
"No, sir, I don't," Emrys answered.
"Imeanwe can all appreciate the fact that Jordyn intrigues you, but we'd like it if you allowed her to see if you hold the same appeal to her without manipulation."
"Oh, I see," Emrys said, shooting me a devilish grin. "You haven't told them?" he asked, looking amused.
"The time never seemed right," I answered lamely.
"Riiiiiight," he answered in his typical way. "Well, this ought to be cute."
"Told us what?" Krista asked as her eyes darted back and forth between us.
"It's really no big deal," I said, making the mistake of looking at Haniel. I could see by the look on his face that he'd figured it out. "It's just that Emrys's skills really don't work on me," I added.
"What do you mean they don't work on you?" Krista demanded.
"I mean he can't bend my mind with his mumbo jumbo," I answered carelessly like it wasn't the big deal I knew it was.
"How do you know?" Krista asked, skeptically.
"Because he tried and it was a no-go. My mind is unbendable."
"That doesn't make sense though. He's bent your mind plenty of times since he met you…" she trailed off as understanding dawned on her. "You went with him willingly," she finally shrieked when she put all the puzzle pieces together.
"Um, yeah, I guess you could say that," I said uncomfortably. I looked to Emrys for some kind of help, but he sat there, almost gleefully, soaking it all in.
"Why? Why would you put us through that hell? We have been worried sick that he's been bending your mind. Why else would you run off irresponsibly with him and get a tattoo if he wasn't bending your mind?" she asked, shaking with uncharacteristic anger.
"Because I wanted a break," I finally answered as my own anger rose to the surface. "I needed a break. All of you are always watching me, expecting things from me. You make me feel like I'm a robot or an alien from another planet with all your expectations of my every action. I get it, I'm 'special,' as you've all pointed out a million times, but you could at least treat me like a person. I like hanging out with Emrys because he makes me feel normal," I said. "I'm sorry you've been worried, but I'm not sorry that I went with him."
"You should have asked us," Krista said quietly, calmer than she was a moment before.
"And that would have worked? You would have let me go with him? I doubt it." I said, sarcastically.
"We would have taken it under advisement," Mark answered. "By not trusting us, you took the matter out of our capable hands," he continued, looking more disappointed than mad.
His disappointment deflated my anger like a balloon that had sprung a leak. Yelling I could handle, since it usually sparked my own defense mechanism. Disappointment, though, had a way of seeping through my shield.
"Hey, it's all good now," Emrys answered, holding up his hands as he took in my defeat.