A Quiet Baby (2)

He glanced at the sleeping child. "She hasn't awakened her ability yet."

People became the Lost when their minds fractured under unbearable pressure, their abilities turning against them like a silent executioner from within.

Most survivors awakened their abilities mere days after exposure to radiation. But children born after the explosion? They took years. 

But because of that, their bodies adapted far better than those who had lived before the apocalypse.

That meant Sierra still had time. Time to heal. Time to be saved from the abyss of her trauma—if someone could reach her in time.

"How long before her ability awakens?" Medeia asked.

Sister Jeanne hesitated. "It varies. Nico took eleven years. But some children… only one."

No guarantees, then.

"Let's assume she has a year," Medeia murmured, tapping her fingers against her arm. "That should be enough."