He put his hand on mine. “Look, I’m going to talk to some people and try to find out what’s going on. Don’t lose hope.”
His proximity, the intensity of his dark eyes focused on me, and the touch of his warm hand blocked out the clanking of cutlery and the laughter and noise of the many people surrounding us. For a few blessed seconds, it was only the two of us.
The moment ended too quickly. We had just finished our food when Julian excused himself. My gaze followed him as he returned his tray and walked towards the exit.
Dressed in black jeans and a band T-shirt, he was a picture of geek chic. He would probably fill out a bit more as he grew older, but even now I wouldn’t have minded holding on to those shoulders and kissing the black lipstick off his lips.
11
Elemental Magic 101 was in one of the main classrooms, not far from the infirmary. I was struck once again by the ordinariness of the room. The stairs leading up to the second floor were made of wood rather than concrete like in my old school, but the smell was the same.
A mix of glue, chalk dust, and a chemical lemon scent from the floor cleaning agent permeated the air. Walking up the stairs, I was jostled by other students, chatting animatedly on their way to class.
Their voices echoed from the stairway walls. The floor of the corridor leading to the classroom was covered with the same color cheap flooring. The gray surface was scuffed, and age-old dirt had accumulated along the walls where the cleaning machines didn’t reach.
When I entered the classroom, the noise level increased in the confined space. Three large windows looking out over the central space allowed the fall light to soften the appearance of the chipped tables and damaged chairs.
The teacher was an unassuming middle-aged woman, dressed in sensible trainers, jeans, and a simple shirt with pretty flowers printed along the edge.
I found a seat next to a girl I’d seen around campus. She nodded a greeting before focusing forward to where Mrs. Palmer looked through a leather bag, pulling out a selection of pens and folders. The noise quieted down quickly, and an expectant hush fell over the class. I had no idea what Elemental Magic 101 was about.
Mrs. Palmer straightened up, and I saw her eyes for the first time. An involuntary gasp escaped me. My neighbor chuckled.
“She’s quite something, isn’t she?” she whispered.
I nodded with my mouth dropped open. Mrs. Palmer’s eyes swirled. There was no other way to describe it. Every shade of green, from bottle to emerald, moved in circles around her irises. The effect was hypnotizing.
I didn’t realize how long I’d stared at her, until the teacher stood right in front of me. “Welcome to my class, Amber. I expect you’ll get great benefit from it. I hear your powers are elemental in origin?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer this. Aware that every student in the classroom was staring at me, I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what my powers are.”
Other than calling down lightning. I wasn’t going to say that out loud, though.
Mrs. Palmer nodded. “That’s okay. That’s what this class is for. To help you figure it out, and, more importantly, how to control it.”
Behind me, somebody hissed, “Before she kills us all.”
The teacher looked up sharply and said, “Ah, yes. Sharon. Why don’t you come forward and show us how much control you’ve learned after your first lesson.”
A shocked, “But—” was quickly interrupted by Mrs. Palmer. “No ‘but.’ Come on. Show us.”
Sharon walked past the front row to stand next to the teacher. As she passed, she threw me a nasty glare as if it was my fault the teacher had her up front to demonstrate.
Mrs. Palmer clapped her hands. “Right, class. Pay close attention. Sharon, please create three water bubbles above your head. One large and two slightly smaller. You don’t have to move them in any way. Just keep them in position for thirty seconds.”
Sharon’s face tightened into an expression of pure focus. Clearly, she’d done this before. She closed her eyes and brought her palms together. I stared at them, wondering if I was imagining the light-blue glow around her skin.
But no, the light grew in intensity. Sharon pulled her hands apart, and between her palms, a shimmering bubble grew. When it was the size of a child’s head, she stretched her hands high and released the bubble. It rotated slowly, catching and reflecting the light, creating fantastic reflections on the walls of the classroom.
This was the first time I’d seen practical magic at play. Sharon had created a water ball out of thin air, right in front of me. The other students were equally spellbound by the beauty of the creation.
But they’d witnessed this before. To me, it was brand-new. Would I be able to do something similar? Could I control lightning the way Sharon seemed to juggle water so effortlessly?
She had created a second, smaller bubble, and was about to finish her task by doing a third one. Soon, all three balls rotated above her head, bathing her in an eerie, blueish light.
That’s when Mrs. Palmer clapped her hands again sharply. “Well done, Sharon.”
My roommate gasped, clearly not expecting the smacking noise. Her concentration broke, and the three bubbles disintegrated above her head into a torrent of water. Her outraged scream was drowned out by howling laughter. Our hysteria increased at Mrs. Palmer’s sheepish, “Oops.”
Sharon’s pretty hair hung around her face like a curtain of beetroot-colored noodles. Her designer top clung to her like a piece of plastic wrap, showing her bra and belly-button piercing. She looked like a drowned rat.
I would have felt sorry for her, had she not acted like such a bitch to me ever since we’d met. Mrs. Palmer rushed to console her, her expression one of concern. Except when she passed me, I could have sworn she winked at me.
My jaw dropped. Had I seen this right? Had my new teacher set this up to embarrass Sharon? Her next words confirmed my suspicion.
“Class. Quiet, please. Before Sharon gets a new change of clothes, I would like you to consider this: You’ve all had several lessons in Elemental 101 already. And yet even a star student like Sharon finds it difficult to control her water powers when distracted.
“I would like you to consider how difficult this is for somebody who’d never had any formal training. If I hear anybody else attempting to make new students feel uncomfortable or bully them, I will not hesitate to bring this to the head witch’s attention. Am I making myself clear?”
And just for one moment, the harmless, middle-aged Mrs. Palmer looked dangerous enough to make us think twice about messing with her.
The rest of the class passed uneventfully. We learned about the history of elemental magic and the five key elements of water, air, fire, earth, and spirit, whatever that was. But then there were variations.
Most students were able to access one or two of the main elements. Some could control the wind, others air temperatures. Some could conjure little flames in the palms of their hands, others were able to control the heat of the flame. Mrs. Palmer promised that with enough focus and practice, we’d all be able to eventually tap into the universal elemental forces.
The class ended way too soon for me. There was so much to learn. While Mrs. Palmer packed her various pens and papers back into her bag, I walked up to her desk.
“Mrs. Palmer? I was wondering… I assume you were talking about me when you mentioned control? But… what if I never learn to control my powers?”
“You will learn control. You’ve got the same elemental powers as all the other students in this class. Except you’re able to weave several of them into a unique bundle. Once you’re able to control the individual elements, you’ll be able to direct and control the lightning. Of course, your magic is more powerful and potentially more destructive than, say, being able to cook marshmallows in the palm of your hand.”
I giggled at the image. It might not have been a very impressive power, but it sure would have been a good party trick. Mrs. Palmer se
emed pleased at my reaction. She reached out and put her hand on my arm.
“Look, I heard what happened before you got here. You need to remember it wasn’t your fault. None of this is. You didn’t ask to be caught up in the fallout. You didn’t ask to develop powers out of the blue. You certainly didn’t intend to cause harm to people. So be kinder to yourself, Amber. Don’t listen to all this nonsense about atonement. That’s for people who’ve done something wrong. You haven’t.”
Goddammit, she was going to make me cry. I closed my eyes, fighting against the emotion choking me.
“Come on, you’ve got one more class to go. Don’t let them win. You’re stronger than that, Amber Whitman.”
I nodded, laughing awkwardly as I rubbed my eyes. One more class to go. And what a class it would be. I didn’t like it in high school, I sure as hell wouldn’t like it here.
12
Oh, how I hated PE. Getting sweaty with their classmates seemed to bring out the worst in bullies. And who better to pick on than the slightly chubby blonde who couldn’t coordinate her legs enough to ever win a race in junior high. Thankfully I’d grown out of my awkward phase two years back.
Still, I’d never met a PE teacher that didn’t get a kick out of embarrassing weaker students. So I wasn’t at all surprised that Mr. Castle was a six-foot sculpted rock of athletic sadism. As soon as I entered the gym behind the main building, I knew I was doomed.
“Howdy, folks. I met most of you last week, so let’s skip the introductions.”
Awesome. At least he wouldn’t focus on me. Maybe if I hid behind a couple of taller students, he wouldn’t see me.
“New girl. Yes, you. Hiding behind Tom.”
Tom grinned sheepishly as he stepped aside. Traitor. I was left exposed with everybody in the hall staring at me with a mixture of suspicion and glee.
“What’s your name, new girl?”
Seriously? Is he the only teacher on campus who hasn’t heard of me?
“Amber?” I hated the hesitancy in my answer. The jerk picked up on it immediately.
“Are you asking me? Don’t you know your own name?”
Asshole. “My name is Amber.”
“Great. Amber, since you joined us over a week late, why don’t you come forward and help with our first exercise?”
I’d have rather jumped into a lake full of man-eating slugs, but I didn’t have a choice.
“Amber is now going to demonstrate what a simple magical attack looks like. Ready?”
Before I could react, he waved his fingers at me. A split-second later, a cold, slimy mass made contact with my cheek and bounced off. When it hit the ground, it dissolved into a puddle of gray goo before disappearing.
I wiped my cheek. “Gross. What was that?”
“That was a small projectile made of ectoplasm. At this size, it’s harmless, but humans can’t breathe through it. You can use a large enough ball to cover your opponent’s face and suffocate them. Today we’re going to learn how to defend against these kinds of attacks. Your defense will depend on what powers you possess. Let’s begin with water. Luke, please.”
A skinny, nervous boy stepped forward, muttering, “I’m much better with fire, actually.”
Mr. Castle took no notice of the protest. Instead, he showed him how to use water to create a shield to protect his nose and mouth. Luke did quite well, although he was covered in gray goo by the end of the demonstration.
“Remember, ectoplasm is impervious to water. Once it coats your skin, it won’t come off easily. You’ll need to add a special magically enhanced solvent to get rid of it.”
Luke glared daggers as he tried to rub the stuff off his clothes and his skin. For the rest of the class, Mr. Castle demonstrated how to use all elemental powers to avoid being smothered by ectoplasm. Five minutes before the end, I raised my hand.
“Mr. Castle, how do I use my power to defend myself?”
“Oh, yes. Your power is raising lightning, isn’t it?”
Hmm. So he does know who I am.
“I’m afraid you’re far too dangerous to be let loose without any further training. For now, I think it’ll be better if you just watch. Of course, I won’t be able to grade you until you actively participate.”
My eyebrows drew together as I digested what he’d said. “How long would that take?”
“That’s really up to you.”
PE was mandatory. I now understood why. It went far beyond keeping us fit. Part of it seemed to be gaining control of our powers and defending against magical attacks. But wasn’t that exactly why I’d been sent here? To learn control?
Luke asked from the back, “What about the dampeners?”
Mr. Castle turned towards him. “What about them?”
“Well, they prevent us from doing real harm to each other while on campus. What about Amber? Wouldn’t they do the same for her?”
The PE teacher tapped his teeth with his fingernail. Then he shrugged. “Sure, they should. Let’s give it a try. Amber, stand in front of me. I’m going to throw a ball of ectoplasm, and I want you to strike it with lightning.”
What? How am I supposed to do this?
I opened my mouth to ask for some instruction, but already a gray lump streaked past me and splattered against the gym wall.
“That wasn’t very impressive, was it? Try again, and this time, be ready.”
He’s setting me up. I don’t know what to do.
I tried desperately to remember how the kids had controlled their elemental powers in Mrs. Palmer’s class. She’d kept telling them to concentrate and focus their mind. So when Mr. Castle waved his fingers, I clenched my fists, thinking as hard as I could about lightning. Nothing. This time, the ectoplasm exploded when it hit the ground behind me.
“Not good enough, Amber. Maybe a little bit of danger to yourself might help you focus.”
Alarmed by his words, I bent my knees, bracing for impact. The sticky lump Mr. Castle conjured was much larger than the previous ones. He hit my chin, and the slimy mass expanded on impact to cover my mouth. It tasted like salt and sulfur. Toxic and disgusting.
Spitting and spluttering, I pulled at the goo. Even though only the edges of the ball had reached my top lip, it sealed my mouth tightly. Glaring at Castle, I used my fingernails to tear at the seal until it finally broke.
He watched my efforts with a smirk. “That was pathetic. I’d expected more from a girl who killed seven people.”
The class gasped. Apparently most hadn’t heard what a vicious killer I was. And also, every time the story was told, the death toll increased. My face grew hot with anger. A headache was announcing itself, adding to my irritation. My hands tingled, and as I looked down, a vibrant web of purple seemed to grow between my fingers.
“Watch out, Amber!”
Luke’s voice tore me out of my fascination. I looked up just in time to see a ball of ectoplasm the size of a football heading straight for my head. If that hit me, I would be unable to breathe until somebody pulled the stuff off me.
Instinctively, I ducked while throwing my hands up. Jagged streaks of lightning tore from my fingertips, heading straight for the teacher. The recoil was intense, throwing me backward with enormous force. As my back hit the ground, I thought I heard the impact of lightning striking the gym wall behind the teacher.
I tried to get up, but something constricted my chest, making it harder and harder to breathe. As I writhed on the ground, I gasped desperately for air. My heartbeat sounded faster and louder in my ears. And then—suddenly—it stopped.
I stared at the ceiling, my eyes wide open, still gasping for breath that wouldn’t come. Inside of me, where there should have been the reassuring thump-thump of my heart, there was nothing. Only a deadly quiet. Concerned faces appeared in my field of vision. Their mouths moved, but I couldn’t hear a word. I lay on the ground, staring at them, until my vision faded.
13
“It must have been the dampeners. What else would cause a healthy heart
to stop?”
Mr. Strickland. Ms. Farkas answered his question calmly. “It can’t be. They have never affected any student like this. There’s got to be another reason.”
I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the bright light of the infirmary wing yet again.
“You’re back with us. Thank goodness. You gave us quite a fright, young lady.”
The worry in Ms. Farkas’s eyes gave lie to her stern tone of voice.
“What happened?” I sounded weak and rough as I tried to remember how the hell I’d ended up in here again. But my thoughts were unfocused and scattered. I coughed to clear my throat, and Ms. Farkas handed me a full water glass.
While I sipped the cool liquid, Mr. Strickland lowered himself to sit on the side of my bed.
“Apparently you were in the middle of an exercise in Mr. Castle’s class. Then your heart stopped.”
My eyes widened with alarm. “Am I going to be okay?”
Mr. Strickland nodded. “Yes. One of our healers ran a scan on you. There is no damage, and we have no explanation as to why you suffered a cardiac arrest. Can you tell us what you were doing before you passed out?”
I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could. Things were coming into focus. I’d been in class, and Mr. Castle had thrown a huge ball of gray stuff at me.
“The teacher taught us how to deflect ectoplasm. He said something that made me angry, and that’s when it happened.”
I cringed. “Is he okay? I think I shot lightning out of my fingertips at him. I didn’t mean to, I swear. It was an accident. But the ectoplasm ball was huge, and I didn’t want it to wrap around my head.”
Ms. Farkas’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. “Ectoplasm big enough to wrap around your head? Are you sure? That’s highly unusual and very dangerous. If the magic user is powerful enough, the material could be impervious to counterspells and even mechanical manipulation.”
Second Chance Fate Page 6