by K. K. Allen
“Katrina!” Charlotte says with a gasp.
I jump and turn my focus away from the light, but not before the flame blazes back to life so fast and out of control that the glass casing around it explodes.
“Oops.” I cringe and snap my gaze to Charlotte, who stares back at me, appearing mortified.
“What are you doing?”
I sit back in my chair and raise my hands. “I told you, I’m going stir-crazy in here.”
Charlotte frowns before she starts to use her magic to clean up the shards of glass. She doesn’t touch a thing, yet it all sweeps into a nice tidy pile in midair then moves gracefully over to the trash.
“No magic,” she says again, this time looking angry. “You’re lucky this is all the damage you did. You’re only just beginning, Kat, but you should know that every power has a consequence if misused. Solstice law is there for a reason, and there are serious consequences for mishandling the powers you’ve been given.”
Guilt swarms my chest. “I’m sorry. Even before I knew what all of this was, running helped me let off some steam. I think it will help me now too. Please, Charlotte. Give me one hour, then I’ll come right back here and pick up where I left off.”
Her gaze softens, then she lets out a sigh. “Okay, but take your bike, will you? It’s been collecting dust for the past week.”
With a squeal, I jump up and throw my arms around her. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be good, I promise.”
I’m flying down the steps of the library when I hear her yell, “You have one hour, Kat!”
By the time I free my bike from the garage, I can already feel the release from being bottled up for the past week. I don’t have a plan. I don’t know where I want to go. I just want to ride and feel the wind on my face as I expel some of this energy inside me.
I’m struck by an overwhelming sense of fulfillment as I pedal around the neighborhood. As the sun hits my face, a complete sense of euphoria washes over me. A gentle breeze sweeps through my hair, and I giggle.
Late June seems to bring a new world to Apollo Beach. Now that it’s officially summer, the heat is in the high nineties, but I find myself unbothered by what I used to find an intolerable mix of humidity and heat.
After I’ve circled the neighborhood a few times, I come to the entrance of the public beach and head straight toward it. I push through, fighting the sand's resistance and laughing into the wind. Flying by the bay-facing homes, I’m consumed by thoughts of everything I've been through lately.
When I near Alec’s house, I see him sprawled out in a lounge chair on his pool deck. Knowing he hasn’t yet seen me, I slow and hop off my bike as I approach. I’m practically standing beside him when his mouth turns up into a smile.
“Well, there she is. I was wondering if I’d ever see you again.”
I smile back, suddenly feeling shy. His arms are bent and clasped behind his head, and his body wears a natural tan like he’s been sunbathing just like this all week long. Then I look around, half expecting Iris and Ava to pop out from nowhere. “You alone?”
His smile widens. “Not anymore. Sit with me.” He pats the seat beside him.
“Okay,” I say with a slight note of hesitation. “But only for a few minutes. I promised Charlotte I wouldn’t be out long.” I lie back in the chair.
He chuckles. “Ah, now I get why you’ve turned away all my calls and visits. You’re a prisoner.”
If only he knew how close to the truth that was. Heat rises up my neck as a pang hits my chest. “I haven’t been turning you away. That’s all Rose.” I’ve already thought about this lie, but actually letting the words roll off my tongue is harder than I thought. “I told you how I’m finishing up school virtually this summer. Well, the truth is, I didn’t exactly leave my last school on the best note. I got into some trouble, and my mom had pulled me out to homeschool me. She died before we ever got a chance to start, and I have quite a bit of catching up to do.”
Alec reaches out and squeezes my knee. “I’m sorry to hear all that.”
“It’s okay. I’ve already been officially accepted into the School of Gaia in the fall, so it’s not too bad.”
He sits up straight, slipping off his sunglasses, and his face brightens like a ball of sunshine. “Really? So you’re staying in Apollo Beach for good?”
I shrug, not wanting to promise too much when I haven’t even thought it out myself. “I’m staying for now.” I smile. “But it wouldn’t suck hanging out with you while I’m still here.”
He scoots off his seat and onto mine, then he cups my chin between his fingers and tilts his head. “There’s something different about you.” His head is so close to mine, I can smell his minty breath. “I can’t figure out what, but I like it.”
I look down, wondering if he’s referring to what my Enchantment did for me. As Rose and Charlotte explained, there’s a new type of energy running through my veins, one that supplies me with the best source of nourishment my body needs to survive in its healthiest state. That’s why my hair and eyelashes have grown longer. Even my skin is blemish free, and my eyes appear brighter.
“Never mind,” Alec says. “I figured it out.”
I look back up at him, catching his gaze dipping down to my lips then back up to my face.
“It’s your confidence. You’ve come a long way from the new girl who ran away from me on the beach a month ago.”
I laugh, but something in his expression makes me stop—a seriousness in his eyes I can’t quite escape. Then he’s leaning in and pressing his mouth to mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Go out with me,” he murmurs against my lips. “Tonight.”
I pull back slightly to see his face. “Like a date?”
He raises his brows. “Yes, like a date. Just you and me this time.”
My chest aches just at the thought of telling him no, but there’s no doubt Rose will throw a fit if I even try to step foot outside of the house again. “I can’t. Not tonight.”
He frowns. “Then when?”
“You’re still having that Fourth of July party, right?”
“Yeah, but that’s a week from now. Seriously, Kat? It’s summer. It’s time to get out of that old manor and see the town. And whatever happened to that job you were going to get at Island Grille.”
I cringe just thinking about the reason I never got past my audition. Johnny. I’ve tried to push all thoughts of him away since my party. “It doesn’t matter. I’m busy now anyway. Maybe I’ll try to talk to Roy when I’m done with school.”
“Fine,” Alec says. “Fourth of July, it is. And then I can take you on a real date.”
I lean in, brushing my lips across his. “Deal.” I pull myself away and stand. “I need to get back.”
“I’ll walk you.”
He starts to stand, but I panic and put my hand out to stop him. I don't touch him, but he’s flying back down onto the lounge chair.
“Whoa, that was weird.” He laughs. “I swear I haven’t had a thing to drink.”
My heart starts to triple its speed. This is exactly why Rose and Charlotte wanted me to stay home. I have no idea what I even did to cause Alec to fly backward like that.
“Maybe it’s the sun,” I say, hoping my voice doesn’t give away my rattling nerves. “Don’t worry about it. I brought my bike here, anyway.”
He nods. “All right. Seven o’clock on the Fourth. Don’t be late, Summer Girl.”
Of course Rose doesn’t agree with my wish to go to Alec’s Fourth of July party. We’ve been arguing about it ever since I got home from my bike ride an hour ago.
“Rose, it’s the Fourth of July. Everyone will be there. I really want to go. You don’t think I’ll have learned a thing or two in the past week?”
Rose sighs. “You’ll learn a great deal by then, but we can’t be sure how much control you have over your powers. It’s just not safe.”
“What could happen?”
“A lot could happe
n.”
“Like what? Tell me. Help me understand.” I cross my arms.
“I don’t know. Maybe you’ll accidentally use your powers like you did back in Silver Lake. Accidents can happen when you’re being reckless.”
“Reckless? Maybe if you’d actually teach me something instead of forcing me to read all about it, then my magic wouldn’t seem so reckless.”
Rose lets out a breath. “Maybe so. But even then, you are a rare Solstice. Your powers are sure to grow more powerful than anything we’ve ever seen. It’s best to take it slow and play it safe for now.”
A new sensation overtakes me—a determination stemming from a lifetime of untold truths. “I’m going to the party, Rose. While I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and all that you’re teaching me, I don’t need your permission.”
Charlotte looks at Rose while placing a gentle hand on her arm. “She will only be a minute away. If something were to happen, we could step in. Until then, we teach her all that we can.”
There’s a dark cloud over Rose’s expression, one she doesn’t even attempt to hide. And after a simple nod of agreement, she stands and gives us both one final look.
But when she turns and begins the retreat to her quarters, the words she speaks so faintly ring loudly between my ears. “You’ve been warned.”
Three more days of “lockdown” have passed, and I’m itching to get out of the house for another accidental run-in with Alec, even though I know it’s out of the question. Rose promised to stop screening my calls if I would heed her warnings and not leave the house again until Alec’s party—after I’ve had some hands-on training. I agreed. So tonight is the night—my first true lesson. And I can’t shake the nervous flutters from my belly.
“Hey, Kat, you ready?” Charlotte asks from the hallway outside the open doors of my bedroom.
I stare up at her from where I sit at my vanity and suck in a deep breath before smiling. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” I reach for my emerald necklace and place it around my neck, nearly missing the concerned look Charlotte gives me.
“Do you take your necklace off often?”
I look at it in the mirror then shrug. “Every night before bed and before I shower. I don’t want to ruin it.”
Charlotte stands behind me, staring back at our reflection. “This stone isn’t what gives you powers, but it’s the best tool you have when it comes to controlling what’s inside you.” She reaches out and lifts the stone from my neck, causing it to glow a vibrant shade of green. “Your emerald is like your wand. You don’t need to wave it around, but it circulates energy the way your veins recycle blood. Its power is only useful to whom it is designated, and it works with your natural energy. The power it emits will balance you in a way that is most useful to your mind. Take your dreams, for example—the fire, the drowning. You’re still having them, yes?”
I swallow then nod.
"Wear this tonight. You’ll see that your dreams won’t come.”
“But what if my dreams are trying to tell me something? Maybe I should be learning from them. Everything else I envisioned seems to be coming true.”
Charlotte nods. “Perhaps. But if your dreams are premonitions, then those events are set in stone. Is it possible to alter the chain of events to prevent certain things from happening? Sure, but that is extremely hard to do. We don’t know what triggers one thing to lead to another. The only way you can truly prepare is by learning to harness what’s inside you.” Charlotte smiles. “Come. Let’s eat, and then we’ll get back to work, shall we?"
Rose is already in the dining room when we enter. “Pizza’s here,” she says with a lift of her hand. Two greasy pizza boxes float in midair. Their lids open just as a paper plate flies toward me like a saucer. I’m laughing as I catch it.
I love watching Rose like this—playful and freely using her magic. From what she told me before, she doesn’t use it often. “You’re using magic,” I say as I take a seat. “I thought it made you tired.”
Rose nods. “Yes, well, it depends on my mood. That’s the best way to explain it. Under true strains of stress, magic takes much more energy to release. But on pizza night”—she winks as a slice with pepperoni floats to her plate—“it’s as easy as breathing.”
I don’t know why this simple fact relaxes me greatly, but it does. I start to reach for the pizza box floating nearest to me when Charlotte cuts in.
“Wait.” She looks at Rose. “Should we show Katrina how we eat pizza?”
Rose smirks. “No need to get your hands dirty, dear.” She nods. “I think you’re ready for your first hands-on lesson.”
My eyes grow wide with excitement.
“Now, Kat, pay close attention. This is how Enchanters eat pizza.” Charlotte looks to be showing off as she places her hands behind her back and a slice of pizza rises from the box and makes its way to her mouth. After she takes a bite, it drops onto her plate, and she grins. “And that’s how it’s done.”
Rose claps her hands in glee, and I can’t help but smile too. “You try now, Katrina. Take a bite.”
I concentrate. Luckily, levitation is something I already know how to do, but controlling it has me working harder than I expected. After it hits my cheek, my forehead, and my chest, I get frustrated. “What am I doing wrong?”
“It’s a balance thing, dear.” Rose nods, signaling for me to try it again. “Imagine your mind is your hand.”
The hint Rose gives me helps tremendously. I finally get the slice to my mouth so I can take my first bite. Heaven.
“So, how does all of this work in the day-to-day? Are we supposed to chant? And what about spells? Do I have to learn any new languages?” I make a face. “Latin seems as if it would be difficult to master, but I haven’t read about anything like that in the Solstice law book.”
Rose gives a simple shake of her head. “There are no magic potions or cauldrons. We do not cast spells or speak Latin. We are descendants of gods who call upon and manipulate nature with our minds. You asked me about Wiccans before, and now I can fully answer you. Wiccans believe in many of the same things we do. We both celebrate the gods. The one main difference between Wiccans and Enchanters is that Wiccans call upon their gods to fulfill their requests, while we simply are that magic. You see, our ancestors have given us power to use at our own free will.”
“So we’re like witches.”
Rose shrugs like the term doesn’t bother her in the least. “That’s just a term, though often not the most appropriate one. We are magical beings who possess power and supernatural abilities, but over time, the term witch has come to mean something much more negative than how it originated. I prefer the terms Solstice or Enchanter.”
I’m still processing Rose’s words when we’ve finished dinner and she proclaims that we’re ready for the second lesson. She takes us out to the pool deck, where slow-moving clouds shield the night sky. We make our way around the giraffe-tiled deck to the balcony that faces our private beachfront. I look to my left and right at the proud faces of Rose and Charlotte as they smile out into the bay breeze. It’s contagious. I’m smiling now too.
Rose places her hand in mine, and I’m shocked by the touch. Rose and I don’t touch like this. Her fingers feel long and smooth, but her grip is tight. I can sense our powers connect, from the palm of my hand to my inner core. Solstice to Solstice. Energy surges through me, and I grow stronger and stronger as the seconds pass. The tingling sensation at the tips of my fingers and toes go away, but the energy in me continues to run through my nerves like an electric current. My mind and body are ignited.
As our energy unites, I’m aware of a drastic change in the sky. The dark looming clouds pick up pace and part as thunder claps, and rain starts to fall. My first instinct is to run, but Rose’s grip on my hand is locked tight.
Her smile grows into jubilant laughter as the rain soaks through our clothes, and I can’t help but wonder if she’s causing it. My hair thrashes around me in response to the wind,
but I don’t care. Our energy is impenetrable. The power surging through me awakens something new in me—something that hints at unbelievable things to come.
“Take Charlotte’s hand,” Rose shouts over the wind.
I look at Charlotte. Her hand is extended toward me, but her eyes are closed, and she looks as if she’s experiencing something profound. Her chin is raised to the sky as she soaks in the night’s energy. I take her hand and face forward, eager to know what Rose will do next. I’ve never seen her so carefree, so spontaneous.
“Our earth’s elements energize us and stimulate our power,” she yells over the wind. “We have power without it, but with it, we are that much stronger and that much more in control.” Rose continues to shout, raising her voice over the vicious wind.
“Are you doing this?” I shout back, nervousness creeping into my voice. The wind is strong enough to carry us away, but I feel rooted to my spot.
Rose chuckles. “We are doing this, Katrina. Together, our power is stronger. It’s time you see what we can really do.” She pauses for a second then lets out a sound like she’s hushing the wind. “Shhh.”
In that moment, all grows silent. I look toward the sky. The clouds have vanished. I look out at the calm bay waters, then the moon glows, as if someone is playing with the brightness control. The loudest sound comes from the confines of my ribcage, where my heart still thunders.
Amazing.
“What was that?” I ask, still searching for a hint of the magic I just experienced.
“Environmental manipulation,” Charlotte says. They are the first words she’s spoken since we’ve been out here. I’d almost forgotten she was with us.
“I want to show you one more thing.” Rose lets go of my hand and steps aside a little. “Energy sourcing is how we reenergize. Just us being out here and taking in all the earth offers is filling our needs as Enchanters, but it’s more than that.” She looks to Charlotte. “Show her, dear.”
