Doren was born with a powerful gift -- a gift he's managed to use to put him well on his way to becoming a star. But there is more to that gift than just musical talent, and as careful as Doren is to hide that fact, there are some who know of the power behind the sound, and all the ways they could abuse it.<br><br>August's goal in life is simple: make an impact in the music industry. An opportunity to work as the personal assistant to Doren seems to be exactly the kind of break he needs to accomplish that goal.<br><br>But all too often in life, simple becomes just another complication, especially when there are people whose goal is even simpler: destroy and dominate.

The Gift

“I know, I know! It’s hard to believe. But Auggie, honestly? I think he could even put Anton to shame. He hears everything. That’s why he does what he does, the rock music and weed, to drown it all out. He’s never figured out how to filter it.”


Doren’s hands went right back to August’s hair, spinning and twisting tight curls from loose ones as he thought. “Daws is a little harder to explain. I’m not even sure I understand it myself. He’s a problem solver. When I listened to him, the idea he was floating was that he could ‘see around corners.’ And he did, Aug. He saw all the way to the end. It wasn’t pretty.”


His fingers wandered over August’s scalp, tightening, twisting, rolling, and all the while August couldn’t stop thinking how an entire group—a gathering of six souls with unimaginable, unheard of abilities—had found themselves brought together. That was no happenstance.


“Doren,” August asked, a sudden thought grabbing him, “who hired the musicians?”


Chapter 75