Sabriyya Azzi

Exceptional Ability: Proximal (short-range), insinuative visual telepathy. She can project visions of what she’s seen into the minds of other people, including non-telepaths.

Character introduced in Book 1, Chapter 84.

Being part of a Muslim family in the predominantly Christian Kenya wasn’t always easy. Sabriyya’s family navigated the cultural complications well, and her childhood was comfortable and her religion was paramount.

Her parents were aware of her ability when she was young. They believed it to be a “gift from God” and saw it as a miracle. They were concerned that if word spread of this gift, their daughter might be exposed to ideas and influences outside their religious teachings, so they kept this a secret. But a secret like this is hard to contain, especially by Sabriyya who was an extrovert and enjoyed meeting new people.

When she was 14, she shared the visions with a girl from her school, and the girl told her father who was a medical doctor and an instructor at a nearby university. He was skeptical, but asked Sabriyya to share visions with him while she was visiting one day. He was shocked and contacted her parents. They implored him to keep this secret. He agreed not to say who she was, but he began to research and ask around with his colleagues. Soon enough, he was referred to Dr. Morris, and a team of researchers came to visit and eventually they were able to persuade Sabriyya’s parent’s to allow her to speak with them.

Impressed with her ability and enthusiasm, they asked her parents if Sabriyya could come with them to visit Dr. Morris. Her parents forbade it. The researchers left and that seemed to be that. Sabriyya was very upset that she couldn’t learn more about her power, but she wasn’t deterred. For the next four years, she kept bringing up the idea to her parents until, when she was 18 years old, they finally relented. Not only did she have a mental ability, but she had a strong will, too!

Her mother went with her, and they both were amazed by what they saw and experienced at Dr. Morris’ facility. There were other people there with unusual abilities. And then Sabriyya met Gauthier Renne and she didn’t realize it at the time, she had no comparison, but she fell in love with him.

After she returned home, her life settled back into her routine. She helped the family, raised her cousins, but kept dreaming of Gauthier and the beautiful visions he shared with her. Time passed, but her feelings didn’t change. It wasn’t an option — he wasn’t an option. Her only option was to be wed to a Muslim man from her community. Her parents would have it no other way.

She got into the habit of going to the market on Wednesdays and picking up fresh fish and vegetables for her family on those days. She walks through a secluded alley — a shortcut — when a man she didn’t recognize approaches her. He has a rough look. She looks away and he starts to pass her then grabs her from behind and pulls her into a doorway.

It’s dark. She tries to scream but he covers her mouth. He squeezes her throat — she can’t breathe — she tries to scream again and can’t…