by Alana Siegel
“No, not at all. You are kind and patient and observant,” I said. Without looking at him, I added, “Trust me, every girl at the retreat wants to dig their claws into you.” I stopped in the foyer because he wasn’t keeping up.
“It's not that I couldn't imagine myself falling in love with you. I'm damaged goods,” I said, hoping that I didn't hurt his feelings. “Luca, you are a catch. Why don't you get together with Carly? She is already head over heels in love with you. Or you can find another Elste girl and sweep her off her feet.” I dropped my hands, feeling helpless. He continued to stare at me with a grave expression.
He stepped closer. “Olivia, you don’t understand.” Looking into my eyes, he said, “You are the only female Elste in the world.” Then he walked back into the kitchen.
* * * *
Chapter Eighteen: Protection
Luca was an expert at avoiding confrontation. From the moment we stepped out of his car and walked into the retreat, he busied himself by participating in events, coordinating games, and even organizing clean up. When I managed to get close to him, he always found someone to share tips with or laugh about inside jokes.
I had lingering questions about the comments he made, but we were never alone. I wanted to know what he meant when he said I was the only female Elste in the world. Did he mean that figuratively or literally?
He knew I was geared up for an uncomfortable conversation. I hadn’t exactly rejected him, but I had given him the classic “it’s not you, it’s me” response. I cringed at the thought. He was probably upset with me. I hoped he wouldn't stay angry for long. In addition to Cliff and Helen, now I needed to add Luca to the list of friendships to repair.
Now was apparently not the time to do that, so I stood back and watched the activities going on around me. In the morning, we participated in a Gifted share session. Everyone was encouraged to share their story about the first time they figured out they were Gifted. It was comforting to know that there were other people who felt awkward about their Gifted transition and learning process. Even though we were all special, we had all tried to fit in. The stories ranged from multiple home runs hit out of the park caused by newfound extreme force to embarrassing and uncontrollable disappearances during a first dance.
My favorite story was Derek’s. He informed the group that he received his Gifted jewelry last fall, and without guidance, he wasn't sure what he was capable of. He had the whole room mesmerized when he described his attempt to get a cute teaching assistant to ask him out for coffee, and instead he caused his middle aged professor to kiss him. Everyone had been introduced to Derek when we first arrived, and after an hour he had a group of loyal younger boys trying to emulate his moves and a gaggle of girls who hung on his every word.
The morning went fast, and before I knew it, we were congregated in the large meeting hall after lunch.
“Who’s in the mood for some Danger Dash?” Luca asked, throwing his arm around the shoulders of Nicky, the young Ikos. Everyone erupted in cheers. Carly took her spot in the circle and prepared to shoot off her lightning bolts. We watched a couple of quick rounds as the younger kids tried, unsuccessfully, to outwit her.
“What an interesting game,” Derek came up behind me and said. His eyes were wide with awe as he watched the players jump around the circle. I stood nervously on the sidelines, but Derek was itching to join right in the center.
Completing a front flip around Carly’s first lightning bolt and then a back hand spring over the next, Jaime entered the game. She had natural talent, and everyone admired her skill. As she passed by I smelled her lavender Gift following in her wake. She flew through the air with speed and precision and was barely winded when she landed.
It wasn't long before Luca got into the spirit of the game and began dancing around Jaime as she flipped. Luca’s Gift frazzled Carly. Her bolts would lazily jump from her fingers when they were aimed at him, and then she would fight back with fire when Jaime hopped in the way. It heightened the thrill. Luca’s purple haze mixed with the lavender aroma, and the whole crowd was giddy with excitement.
I felt Derek nudge me aside when he finally decided to jump in. Holding the charm of his necklace, he turned around to send me a wink, then he grabbed Chelsea’s hand and pulled her into the circle. I held my breath as I waited to see his Gift.
Everyone oohed and ahhed as the air around him burst into a gold flame. His Gift was strong and yellow as it burned. It expanded to the edge of the group, dulling my inhibitions. He moved with an ease and confidence, and expertly danced around the floor with Chelsea in his arms, all the while confusing Carly’s lightning bolts.
Luca grabbed Jaime’s hands and together they joined the dance. The smells of vanilla and lavender mixed beautifully with the purple and yellow colors. The energy was at an all-time high, and the whole crowd was sucked into the eloquent and festive show. They clapped their hands and cheered along.
Jaime had just completed a split jump off Luca's shoulders when a lightning bolt much stronger and brighter cut through the air and pierced the ceiling. More frightening than any of Carly’s sparklers, the bolt collided with the ceiling and caused the lights in the room to flicker once and then die out, leaving us in utter darkness. The group stopped cheering, and the game came to a halt. We were stunned into silence. The power behind this bolt could only have come from one person.
“Stop it!” Max shouted at the group. I squinted my eyes as they adjusted to the darkness. With the small amount of light from the skylights, I could see his right hand was still raised in the air, threatening to release another deadly bolt. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed like he was preparing for a fight. Even standing ten feet away, I felt the tension of his Gift rolling off of him.
The redness that surrounded him was thick. It reminded me of gym class last fall when he lost a simple race to Jaime, and I couldn’t turn away from his wild command over the lightning. It was the first time I saw Max as both hypnotizing and lethal.
“We’re just having a little fun,” Derek said, trying to ease the tension. I could make out Derek’s shape from the yellow glow of his Gift. He held up both hands as if to prove it was an innocent game.
“We didn’t come here for fun. We came here for answers,” Max said in a deep, low voice. The words echoed off the walls. His red glow looked eerie in contrast to the blackness that surrounded him. “We wanted to know who passed us their Gifts and learn about the Gifted people,” Max continued.
“You are learning about the Gifted people,” Luca cut in. He was usually easygoing and good-humored, and I hadn’t seen his aura such a rich purple before. Max had crossed the line by lashing out. This was Luca’s home, and he would defend it, no matter who walked in his way.
I understood why Luca was getting worked up, but that was not the best way to calm Max down. Max’s Gift caused rain clouds to build overhead, and the wind began to pick up. It howled as it whipped through the banquet hall. My teeth were chattering, and I didn’t know if it was from the chill or my nerves. I instinctively wrapped my arms around my body.
“I’m not learning how to protect myself,” Max said and the power of his words reverberated off the walls. “There may be another surprise attack by the Meta like what happened to Aunt Ev. People we love could be hauled away while you play a silly kids’ game,” he said with passion and worry.
He turned to Derek, hoping he would hit a personal note. “Prometheus may come looking for Olivia again.” He said the words with fury, and kept his eyes level with Derek. “. If I could do something to protect my own sister, I would,” Max added with an edge to his voice.
Derek lit up like a golden sun and closed in on Max. Max reacted the best way he knew how. The air burned with electricity. Thundered rolled and the rain cloud that was lingering above opened up. Rain poured down.
I saw Derek reach his hands out to grab Max. I had to do something. No one should be fighting because of me. I gathered up my energy and felt my Gift build. The
rain dripped into my eyes, blurring my vision, but my Gift was strong and powerful from months of practice. I could sense Derek and Max’s presence, and I threw everything I had into sending my Gift towards them.
Illuminated by their Gifted glow, I watched their eyes widen in fear and their jaws clench in pain. Derek held his head in his hands, and Max dropped to his knees. I looked around. Everyone was writhing in agony, clutching their heads and wincing in pain. I wasn't sure what I was doing to them, but at least they weren't at each other's throats.
I grabbed Derek and pulled him away from Max. The smell of roses filled the area, and the rain was only trickling down now.
I sat Derek in a chair and knelt down on my knees to check on him. The intensity of my Gift died down as I reined it in. Derek’s chest heaved as he stared at me. His eyes reflected his disappointment because I kept secrets from him.
I felt Luca’s presence as he approached me. “Your Gift is unbelievable, Olivia. I’ve never felt anything like that,” he said. The incredulity in his voice was obvious. I was glad he was finally speaking to me again, but at that moment I was only worried about Derek. Without taking my eyes off Derek’s somber expression, I replied to Luca, “I’m sure your Gift works the same way.”
“No, it doesn’t. I’ve never felt such immense sadness. You sent the entire room spiraling into a depression,” Luca said. A depression? Usually my Gift made people happy or at least lovesick.
Derek looked at me. His lips were drawn into a tight line and his eyebrows furrowed close together. “Who is Prometheus? What happened to you, and why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. I sighed.
For the rest of the afternoon, Max was the center of attention. He told the story of how Prometheus’s crew tried to bribe me into joining them. Derek buzzed with anxiety, but listened thoughtfully. He only interrupted Max a few times to clarify details. I worried that he felt guilty for being unable to protect me.
Jaime put her arm around him to calm him, and he seemed to relax a little. “We should continue the activities planned for the retreat. Personally, I find it helpful to learn about other descendants of the Ikos family. Maybe we can teach each other a few things for protection,” Jamie said. She was right. If we wanted to improve our Gifts, we had to practice.
Jaime jumped to action. Protecting people in time of need was her expertise. She took the lead directing people where to go. It seemed natural to everyone. Placated by the fact that he had scared everyone into action, Max went along with the plan.
Luca never took his eyes off me. I was exhausted. He watched every aching breath I took until he couldn’t stand by any longer. “Let’s go outside,” he said and tucked my arm in the nook of his own.
We sat down on the steps. It was still cold, and I crossed my arms over my chest to hold onto the warmth. Luca moved in closer so that our legs were touching. Perhaps his plan was to pretend this morning’s conversation never happened. He sent me a sideways glance to see if I would tell him to back off, but I decided not to. Fighting Luca’s advances was low on my list of things to think about.
Talking about Prometheus brought up terrible memories, and I was once again wondering why he insisted that I join his crew. In addition to feeling sad and lonely, I was now scared.
As if he read my mind, Luca said, “Don’t be frightened, Olivia. You have a powerful weapon to protect yourself… your Gift.” Powerful weapon? Elstes were supposed to be captivating and magnetic, not dangerous. It was added proof that I should never have received a Gift.
My Gift didn’t work properly and that scared me. The truth was that I had felt the rush from sending someone into distress before, and I liked it. I could feel the hysteria bubbling to the surface. I turned to Luca and asked, “As an Elste, do you ever catch the eye of someone who is passing on the street? You let your gaze linger for an extra second, let them think you're interested in talking to them, and then walk away like nothing happened at all?” He gave me a questioning look from the corner of his eye.
I was starting to think that by having this Gift, I was going against the greater good. How did I know where to draw the line? The frustration started boiling.
“Did you ever realize you were causing them to look?” I asked, continuing with my train of thought. “Pulling them in with your Gifted charm. Did you ever realize they didn't have a choice but to return your gaze? To get sucked into your overwhelming power,” I continued. Luca had turned to me with both of his eyebrows raised, curious as to what I would say next. I was on the verge of madness.
“And when you look away, you aren't just showing disinterest, you are destroying their hopes, their dreams. You built them up only to let them tumble from terrifying heights into a lonely abyss!” I shouted, unable to hide my panic. Luca didn’t say a word. He waited for the frenzy to subside. I wasn’t sure if it was over.
“No? Never happens to you?” I said. I already knew the answer because Luca was meant to be an Elste. He never caused anyone pain with his Gift.
“I just wish there was some way to control my Gift,” I whispered into my hands that were now covering my face.
“Isn’t that what your ring is for?” Luca asked. I removed my hands from my face and inspected Justin’s ring. It was magenta, a color I had never seen it before.
“It was maroon when you used your Gift to separate Derek and Max,” Luca said.
“Do you think it works like a mood ring?” I asked Luca. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I assumed you would know, since it’s your ring,” Luca said with surprise. I rolled my eyes at him. “I think it’s gauging the strength of your Gift, which is related to your mood. The gem has oscillated between blue and purple since you arrived,” Luca concluded.
Had Justin created the ring to help me control my Gift? I thought he wanted to pretend like we never received our Gifts. I sat there in silence as I tossed this new information into the repeating questions that were unanswered in my head.
Luca leaned over and put his arm around me. His presence was reassuring in a different way than Derek’s. I didn’t feel like Luca looked after me like an overprotective older brother. We were equals, a team.
Although it only took one look from Justin to excite the butterflies in my stomach, Luca’s outright affection always made my knees weak. Maybe it was his Gift, or maybe Aunt Ev is right about falling for someone from the same Gifted family.
* * * *
Chapter Nineteen: Crescents
“This is absurd, and I don’t agree!” Chelsea squared off against Helen from the middle of Aunt Ev’s living room.
“This isn’t a democracy, Chelsea. You don’t have to agree,” Helen shouted back. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She eyed Chelsea with a confidence I wouldn’t have been able to muster if I were facing her.
“You want to willingly drag Cliff into this Gifted mess instead of letting him live blissfully unaware? I thought the whole point of keeping it a secret was to protect the ones we care about. Or does that only apply to my little sister?” Chelsea accused. Cliff was standing off to the side, trying not to upset either girl.
“Of course I am concerned with protecting the people I care about, and this has nothing to do with your sister. Just like me, Cliff was already dragged into this by being Justin’s best friend,” Helen tried to reason.
“How could you say that? You were physically forced into this group, not cheerfully invited along. Don’t you remember being bound and gagged?! Besides, Justin didn’t want Cliff to find out. That’s why he never told him about his Gift in the first place!” Chelsea argued.
Derek jumped in between the girls. He had to shout to get their attention. “Ok, fighting isn’t going to help! What’s done is done. We should focus our energy on coming up with a plan,” he said.
He scanned the room. “First things first: we need to educate ourselves.” He motioned to Aunt Ev sitting on the love seat. Her small body sunk into the old fabric. “Aunt Ev, that’s where you come in.”
I sa
t down on the floor with my back against the couch and pulled one of Aunt Ev’s flowery pillows into my lap.
“Then, we need to practice our Gifts and become experts at the three Cs,” Derek continued, putting up three fingers to indicate what he meant. Everyone was nodding their heads and mumbling in agreement.
“Lastly, we will need leadership. Someone who will call the shots when trouble comes our way,” he concluded.
“It looks like you already have a leader,” Aunt Ev spoke up. She was smiling at Derek.
I looked around the room. Chelsea and Max had reluctantly taken a seat on the couch. Luca was perched on the piano bench, and Helen, Jaime, and Cliff took up residency on the floor on either sides of the coffee table. No one disagreed that Derek could command an audience; what was so different about a battlefield?
Helen leaned over to whisper something in Jaime's ear. They both glanced over at me, and then quickly looked away. They never did fill me in on their secrets this morning. I was starting to think they didn't plan on it.
“I nominate Olivia to join her brother,” Luca said defiantly from the piano. I stared at him. My eyes were wide with disbelief. Me? He thought I would make a good leader?
“Why?” I asked, wrinkling my nose.
“Yeah, why?” Max echoed me.
“You are clearly the most powerful of us,” Luca said looking into my eyes as if he was only answering me.
“Which is exactly why she needs to be protected. Once people see how powerful she is, they will go after her. Just like Prometheus did,” Max added.
“I second that. Putting Olivia out front would be the worst plan,” Derek said. Although Luca looked like he wanted to say something, he kept his mouth shut.
Chelsea sat up on the couch. “I think we should vote on it,” she said, eying Helen and emphasizing the importance of democracy in the Gifted Program.