Elements of Power (Council of the Harvest Moon Book 1)

by Kate Stoessel

“I don’t mind reading,” I responded finally. “These books won’t take me long. Once I finish, we can practice.”

  “Well, I have another round of books for you,” Perry replied quickly, still not meeting my eyes. “When you finish these, I’ll have Madame Spine deliver them. I booked this room for you to work on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next two weeks.”

  “So, you’re not coming to Independent Study at all?”

  “You don’t need me to read,” Perry responded again.

  “No,” I responded. “I don’t.” There was more I wanted to say. However, I was not going to beg him to work with me. “If you figured out how to use your powers all alone, I know I can.” Research was an area in which I excelled. If he believed these books would help, I would figure out how. Resolve coursed through my body and I faced him with a false confidence.

  “You’re not alone, Khlorie,” he responded quietly, meeting my eyes for the first time. I hated myself for the reaction those eyes caused in me. My stomach jumped towards him, and my feet were not far behind. Without my mind realizing what was happening, I took two steps towards him. His eyes never left mine and I could see the tiniest flicker of surprise at my movement. “I mean,” he continued quickly, breaking the eye-contact. “I’m here, at the school, if you have questions or need help.” Running his hand through his dark hair, Perry looked anywhere but at me.

  “What if I have questions while I read?” It made no sense for him to book a partner study room and then leave me in it alone.

  “Write them down in your notes, and I’ll review them,” he replied evenly. “There is no detail too small. If you think it could be related to your powers, write it down.” Without another word, he walked out the door. Alone now and utterly confused, I threw myself into the task of getting through the books Perry assigned. I was not going to let anyone think that I didn’t take my studies seriously. Besides, my powers had already proven themselves dangerous, and I would take any lead when it came to controlling them.

  For the next few hours, I took notes as I re-read “ Grounding with the Element Earth.” I thought about what the Earth element did for witches when casting spells and hypothesized ways that I could make my spells more powerful through my control. I also made a plan to ask Ed and Perry for a second gardening plot. If I could accelerate the growth of those herbs across a classroom, I wondered if I could accelerate the time from seed to harvest. It was a theory worth testing. As I was jotting these thoughts into my summary, the lights flicked on and off. A look at the clock on the mantle told me that it was midnight. The library was closing. Gathering my books and notes in my bag, I made my way into the dark stacks, keeping a careful eye on the shelves as I went. Relief coursed through me when I made it back to the main seating area on the first floor, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the well-lit space. Weaving between empty tables and chairs, I caught a shape in my peripheral vision. The library looked and sounded abandoned, so I was surprised to learn that I was not alone. Sitting at a table near the circulation desk was Perry flipping through a book and taking notes in a small journal.

  So, he was here the whole time? He just didn’t want to sit with me. The realization shook me, and a mixture of anger, frustration, and sadness rose up, tangling together to cause a maelstrom inside my body. Telling myself that the hurt at seeing Perry’s strange behavior was because he was the person assigned to help me better understand my powers, and not for any other reason. I moved to return the key to the circulation desk. Taking a deep breath, I walked past his table, placed the key and the earth element book on Madame Spine’s desk.

  “Finished it already? You do read fast,” the honeyed voice came from behind me. Perry was no longer sitting at his table but returning his own book and collecting his things.

  I reached into my bag and pulled out my notes. “I guess that I don’t have to wait until Monday to give these to you,” I responded coolly.

  Perry took them and glanced over my writing. Surprise flashed across his face. For a moment it looked like he was going to say something but thought better of it and remained silent.

  “Well, have a good night,” I finally said when it was clear that he had no interest in starting a conversation with me. Turning on my heels, I headed out towards the main library doors.

  “Are you ok to get home?” He called tentatively after me. “It’s late,” he added when I turned around surprised. I thought there was a hint of concern on his face, but just as soon as I spotted it, it was replaced with blanket indifference.

  “Reading and walking home are both things that I am capable of doing alone,” I responded, irritation clear in my voice. With that, I walked out into the Maine night.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Of course, you are coming out with me,” Itzel said as she flipped through all of the clothes in my closet. “You made it through your first week of Spindlewick, just like everyone else. That’s what this party is about.”

  “It’s a bonfire,” I began, like my reason for not wanting to go should be obvious. “I haven’t triggered my fire power yet. That just feels like I’m asking for trouble.”

  “No, chica. It is Saturday and we are going out. Besides, if you hide in here, the legend of Tsunami Girl will only grow, and people will be more scared. They need to get to know you, preferably in a cute outfit.” She paused. “Do you own something besides black maxi skirts and blouses?”

  I laughed. “My mom is pretty strict about clothing. She thinks witches should always look the part.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “It means black maxi skirt, boots, specialty colored blouse, top knot.”

  “Ahh, that explains your closet,” Itzel replied, shoving a large group of skirts aside. “Jackpot,” she exclaimed,” finding one of the few dresses I owned. It was a velvet skater dress with a scoop neck in deep green. Brigid insisted I get it on a shopping trip. “This is perfect. Put it on.”

  “Itzel,” I began to protest.

  “Put. It. On!” She commanded as she left the room to get ready. “And don’t even think about putting your hair in a top knot. Branch out.”

  Following orders, I slipped on the dress, used styling spells for my hair and make-up and checked my reflection in the mirror.

  This is why I love this dress , I thought while staring at my reflection. It hugged my curves in all of the right places and accentuated the green in my eyes.

  Itzel danced back into my room, her navy, fringe top swaying above her light blue cigarette pants as she moved. “Yay! We look great! Let’s go.”

  Stepping out of the cottage into the night air, I realized that summer evenings in Maine were something that I was thoroughly enjoying. The balmy weather got just brisk enough for it to be refreshing, but not cold enough for more than a light sweater. It was already dark out, but Cottage Row was well lit by lamps. Itzel walked happily along next to me.

  “It looks like most people are already there,” She said looking at the deserted lane. Her pace picked up and I quickened my steps to stay with her. “Anubis says that they do this bonfire every year after the first week of classes. I’m so happy that you are coming. Traditions are important in college.” I gave her a look. “Ok, so we may not have a traditional college experience, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t try to enjoy ourselves.”

  Reaching the end of Cottage Row, the resonant sounds of music surrounded us, letting us know that we were close. As the small beach came into view, so did the entire student body of Spindlewick. Surrounding a large bonfire were students in all stages of activity. Itzel squealed with excitement and pulled me along to join the festivities.

  “Look, the chanters are putting on a show!” Itzel pointed to a makeshift stage upon which a trio of blue clad performers were jamming out to an upbeat song I recognized from Itzel’s collections. Picnic blankets and chairs lined the beach. Students sat in large groups drinking, chatting, dancing, and playing games. Excitement was palpable in the air and it struck me that l
ife at Spindlewick had some potential for normalcy. Maybe.

  The glow of the fire cast a flickering light over the festivities, and I followed Itzel towards the center of the action. By the water’s edge, students were daring each other to jump into the chilly depths. I spotted a couple of Animal Magic students transforming into dolphins and taking kids on rides. Nearer to the bonfire, a guy was showing off by throwing a frisbee around and then teleporting to different parts of the beach to catch it. Hoots and hollers sounded around me as he caught them one after another.

  “Itzel!” A voice called from over on our left side. Grabbing my hand, my roommate pulled me towards the sound. Over by the stage were a few of the girls from Itzel’s chanting class.

  “We are so happy that you could make it,” said a petite witch with dark hair and skin.

  “I’m happy to be here,” Itzel responded congenially. “This is my roommate, Khlorie.”

  “Hi there, I’m Ariel. Nice to meet you. This is Arya and Anita,” she added, pointing to the girls at her side. All three were wearing denim mini-skirts and matching blue sequin tops. I recognized them as the trio who were singing as we walked in.

  “Nice to meet you all! You all sounded great.”

  “I like her,” Ariel replied to Itzel with a dramatic flourish. “It’s important to have people around you who recognize real talent. How was your first week at SW?” Ariel swayed a little as she spoke, taking a sip from the cup in her hand. Itzel started to respond to her but was almost immediately cut off. “I remember my first week. I was absolutely terrified. So, I totally empathize with what you are going through.” Itzel gave me a look and I smiled, both of us knowing that Ariel just wanted to talk about herself and had no real interest in how our years were going. “I mean, finding out that I could breathe underwater without shifting or casting a spell was a bit of a shock. At first, I was like, ‘eewww, fish much.’ Then, when I realized that I wasn’t going to grow external gills, I calmed down. It does come in handy sometimes.” I laughed to myself. Breathing underwater sounded like a lovely, manageable extra power.

  “It is so useful, Ariel. If that crazy Tsunami kid hadn’t been stopped by Orpheus, you definitely would have survived,” Anita assured her.

  “Yeah, you are so lucky,” Arya added like a little sycophant.

  “I would have saved you both,” Ariel replied in a tone of drunk-seriousness. The two friends plied her with gratitude, and I started to inch away. “You two must be terr-i-fied after that. Don’t worry. Not everyone here is murderous. I don’t know what that girl was thinking.” Feeling disgusted with both myself and her, I started backing away. Itzel’s hand grabbed mine and kept me firmly in place.

  “I don’t feel terrified. Everyone is here to learn their powers. I think it is amazing to have someone so powerful as a classmate. If anything, it makes me feel safer.” I squeezed Itzel’s hand in gratitude. I could tell by the looks on Ariel, Anita, and Arya’s faces that they were not used to having someone disagree with them.

  “Ok, whatever. I was just looking out for you,” Ariel said with mock sincerity. “We chanters need to stick together when things get tough.” Anita and Arya nodded with such vigor that they needed to use each other to steady themselves. A laugh escaped my lips at the display. Ariel narrowed her eyes at me. “What specialty are you working towards?” She added coolly.

  “You know, I’m not sure,” I began, feeling rebellious. “I have to get the whole crazy Tsunami thing out of my system first. Then, I’m thinking of Spell Writing.” Itzel laughed as the chanters’ eyes grew wide, staring at me. They stuttered a few sounds, but were unable to assemble a full response, before staggering off in another direction. “Was it something I said?” I asked with a chuckle.

  “People like that are what give chanters a bad reputation,” my friend responded, squeezing my hand. “She found out that she had an extra power and all she was worried about was how it would affect how she looked in a bathing suit.”

  “Must be nice.”

  “Yep,” Itzel responded. We both carried a huge weight of responsibility with our gifts.

  “Hey, the study group is meeting over here,” came a voice from across the bonfire. Squinting to see past the fire, I made out the figure of Orpheus.

  “Come on,” Itzel added. “Anubis and Orpheus are over there. I told them I would find them and say hi.”

  Stopping to slip off my shoes, I followed Itzel across the beach, squishing my toes into the sand as I went. Despite the reaction of the “Triple A Trio,” I was happy to be out having a normal college experience. When we got to Orpheus and Anubis’ spot, however, I noticed that they were not alone. Perry was sitting next to his friend on an oversized rock. In the flicker of the bonfire, I could see his eyes take me in and I was glad that Itzel had taken the time to help me find something appropriate. Forcing myself to look away, I noticed my roommate was talking animatedly to Anubis and Orpheus.

  “Spell yourself a seat,” Orpheus told my friend, “We were just deciding if we wanted to play vanish ball or some human game Anubis brought. What’s it called?”

  “Cornhole,” replied the second year brandishing a set of bean bags.

  Reaching down, I grabbed two shells from the beach. “Thakos,” I commanded, and the two shells grew into decorative seats.

  “Damn, my roommate is awesome.” Itzel said as she examined her seat. “It’s like a small shell throne.”

  “My Dad would love you!” Orpheus said laughing. “I’ve always been exceedingly mediocre at transformation.”

  “Mediocrity is a capital crime to my mother,” I added with a smile. Perry walked over, eyeing the shell seats.

  “That’s impressive,” he said finally. I nodded, happy that he could see me in my element. I may be a hot mess when it came to my new powers, but I am a good witch.

  “So, what happened with Ariel and her cronies?” Anubis finally asked as Itzel and I got comfortable in our chairs. “They look like they saw a hellhound or something.”

  “Just a tsunami-girl,” I replied, and Itzel rolled her eyes.

  “You have to learn to ignore the basics,” Anubis said finally.

  “Basics?” Itzel asked. “What do you mean?”

  “There are two kinds of powers at Spindlewick,” Anubis began. “There are the people like us with super-scary control powers and then there are the people with basic extra abilities.”

  “Like breathing underwater?” I asked.

  “Exactly,” he responded. “The basics have an easier road, overall. They are just different enough to be here, but not so different that they understand or can empathize with accidents like what happened to you.” His bronze skin glowed as the firelight danced nearby and he sat back in his folding chair, signaling that he was done talking.

  “We don’t all actually call them ‘basics,’” Orpheus added finally. “That is just Anubis’ invention.”

  “I like it!” Itzel laughed. “Although, we need a shorter name. ‘Super-scary control kids’ just doesn’t roll off the tongue.” Laughing, I looked for Perry as Anubis and Itzel took turns explaining cornhole to Orpheus. It took me a minute, but I spotted him down by the water’s edge by himself. He seemingly wanted nothing to do with me. How I could have offended him in one short week, I didn’t know. Whatever his problem was, I couldn’t own it on top of everything else. He needs to figure it out. As if he could feel my eyes on the back of his head, Perry turned around towards where we were sitting. In the dim light, it became clear to me why he felt so familiar. Sucking in a sharp breath, I took in the air elemental’s face, making sure that my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. Lady Apollonia’s vision. The dark-haired boy with blue eyes. It was Perry. I stood up abruptly at the realization.

  “See, Khlorie wants to play,” Anubis said in response to my reaction. Neither Orpheus or Itzel believed that was the case, and they both looked at me with concern.

  What was Perry doing in Apollonia’s vision?

  Orpheus looked a
t the water where his best friend stood alone and then back at me. His empath powers letting him know that something was up. Anubis and Itzel started setting up the cornhole game while Orpheus came to stand next to me.

  Thinking about that night stirred something inside. Down the beach, the waves landed, sliding across the sand before getting pulled back into the ocean’s depths. Perry should have been well out of its reach for this time of day. However, as I studied my trainer, it became clear that the ocean water was no longer maintaining its natural rhythm. It rushed all the way up to kiss his feet and ankles, before retreating back into the darkness. The unexpected splash of cold water startled Perry and his eyes sought mine across the beach.

  “Everything ok?” Orpheus asked in a whisper voice, snapping my attention from the air elemental.

  “I just had a weird realization,” I answered honestly.

  “About what?” The question took me aback since we didn’t know each other, but Orpheus’s ability to feel my emotions meant he knew more about me in that moment than almost anyone.

  “Just remembering something a Divination Witch I once knew told me.” Taking a deep breath, I pasted a smile on my face. “Forget it. Let’s play cornhose!”

  “It’s cornhole,” Anubis shouted impatiently.

  Joining my roommate, we started playing the beanbag toss game. For an activity with no magic, it was really fun. A few rounds in, however, I couldn’t resist bewitching the raised platform to be animated and help catch the bean bags as we tossed them. The board moved from side to side and the hole got bigger as the bean bag approached, like a mouth seeking food. In my opinion, this version was vastly superior.

  “This is cheating,” Anubis complained.

  “Actually, it is only cheating if it helps one person win,” Itzel replied laughing. “Khlorie’s spell helps all of us equally.”

  “She’s got you there,” Orpheus added with a chuckle.

  Quickly we began testing the range of my spell, trying to throw the bean bag as far away as possible to watch the board (which I now had given reptilian legs) scramble to catch it. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time. Perry remained away from our group, chatting with different people at the water’s edge, occasionally coming up to get a drink. Orpheus kept obvious tabs on him.