CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Summary

• The chapter begins with the protagonist reflecting on the month of November and her growing frustration at not being able to channel like her peers.
• During a sparring practice, she narrowly escapes a hit and is advised to focus more on channeling. She's also asked by her friend Rhiannon to focus more on her training instead of being distracted by her feelings for Liam, another character.
• Xaden interrupts her session, asking her why she isn't wearing her armor. He warns her about the importance of wearing it. Despite her anger, he advised her to start practising with a dagger as it's less likely to be knocked out of her hands.
• A confrontation with a character named Jack happens, who mockingly insults the protagonist. Instead of engaging, she chooses to return to her training, ignoring him.
• She experiences a sudden surge of power and realizes she is ready to start channeling. However, she doesn't tell anyone about this discovery just yet.
• Shortly after, she experiences another intense, yet unfamiliar, sensation that floods her body, leaving her breathless. She realizes that this is Tairn's emotions, not her own.
• She encounters Xaden outside the training grounds, who offers her a smoke. She declines and they share a moment of tension, where she admits her growing feelings for him.
• The chapter ends with a sense of confusion, and the protagonist is overwhelmed by her new ability to channel, as well as her complicated feelings for Xaden.

• The chapter is set around an emotionally charged confrontation between the protagonist, who is code-named Violence, and a man named Xaden.
• Violence is struggling with overwhelming emotions and sensations that are not her own but posessed by another man named Liam. This exchange of emotions transpires due to their shared powers.
• Xaden is aware of her struggle and but expresses surprise when she mentions Liam. He advises Violence to learn to shield herself from such emotions.
• Xaden offers to teach Violence how to ground herself and control her powers, even though she initially denies his help foregrounding his selfishly motivated actions in the past.
• In the process of the lesson, Violence successfully visualizes and builds a mental shield, impressing Xaden with her rapid progress.
• Physical closeness during their lesson sparks mutual romantic tension and desire. Despite knowing the consequences of their actions, they share a heated kiss.
• However, Xaden abruptly breaks off the encounter saying that the desire isn't truly Violence's own but probably a consequence of her shared emotions. He firmly tells her to leave.
• Violence leaves the scene, feeling confused and regretful about her actions, ruminating on the encounter, and dreading the implications it will have on their future relationship.