Borrowed Words

ROWAN’S POV

“Do you—” I pick at a thread on the blanket, not looking at him. “Do you think I’m strong enough?”

“Strong enough?”

“For my powers. For any of it.” The words come harder than I expect, and my cheeks go hot, almost embarrassed. “Because I don’t think you do. Yesterday, when you got mad, I think that’s the real reason you were so scared I’d die using them. Why you’re so scared. Because,