He recoiled, stopping just short of taking a full step back and away from her. though he didn't break the contact on his arm just yet. She knew. How much, he couldn't tell, but she knew some of it. How the hell...?

Not a mind reader. Hopeless would have known it all the instant he'd been within a mile of Erskine, and Erskine had spoken with Dove too many times--albeit never in any great depth--for her to have just now noticed. Was it the touch? Or was she just now concentrating enough to notice?

His mind raced, and he shifted his gaze away, down to the floor. Anywhere that wasn't Dove.

Valdis. Valdis could sense emotions.

"You're an empath?" Erskine croaked, his throat gone dry.