Chapter Twenty Four
I knew Ember would crash on me as soon as she closed her eyes. I probably could have told her that would happen. But I had finally run out of steam myself. I had been terrified that she had been robbed of her soul again. Then I had wrestled for hours with trying to figure out a solution. I was spent.
Our abilities are not diminished in any way, even when we’re tired. The human side of us demands rest when we are emotionally and physically drained, like everyone else on this planet. I was exhausted from worry and struggling to maintain my focus. I needed to stop the car until I could safely drive again. Parking beside the lake, I rubbed my aching temples and took a deep breath.
My lower lip only throbbed a little from where I had bitten into it earlier. My head was about to explode from using my persuasion ability on that many people and in such a short time span. I looked over at Ember and my head pounded with more concern.
She would have questions, and not just any questions. These would be mind-blowing and all be directed at me. Normally, this wouldn’t be such an issue. Issues at school, at home, the weather – I have those answers. These questions she would definitely ask, well they don’t have answers. Or, if they do, I don’t know what they are and I have no idea where to find them.
I didn’t know much about my ability – now abilities, I suppose. I had discovered my first ability by accident a few days after we were on our own. I assumed it had always been there, but I just had not needed it until then. Even that was only my best guess though. I had obtained housing rental agreements, my driver’s license and even got the car registered (with liability insurance) before I turned fourteen.
Although I hated to admit this fact, I owed a small part of our survival to our dad. He had spent my life teaching me how to pull a perfect con. Mostly though, it was my gift that had saved our hides, time and again. I had prayed every night and thanked the Creator for my ability. I’m not sure how I knew I needed to do that because I had never set foot inside a church of any kind. Yet somehow I have always understood, since the first day I used my ability, that it was given to me by the Creator.
Even the most devout atheist would fall to their knees, pray and believe if they had witnessed what I had seen and could use the ability I use. This ability could destroy me as easily as it could benefit me, and I somehow knew that it would be taken away if I didn’t act responsibly.
I spent my time carefully utilizing my gift to keep Ember safe from – well, everything. I have never used it for anything beyond her protection until tonight. My sorely aching head was proof enough for me that it shouldn’t be used for anything more, if I could possibly help it.
So, I considered what I should reveal to her tomorrow and what to hold off on. I also thought about where I might be able to find some answers. Nothing came to mind though.
In terms of details, I don’t know what my sister’s true abilities are. Although she definitely has more than one, I have only gotten a few glimpses at best. And those peeks were frightening.
I had never connected the dots between the celestial storm on the day I found her alone in the house on Big Whiskey Lane and her abilities. Given that I had never experienced my own gifts before we ran away, that’s no real shocker. The events since moving back to North Carolina should have at least given me a hint.
It annoyed me when I realized that it was all the happy stuff that had blinded me. It was like I had been hypnotized by a beautiful snowstorm and then, when I awoke at the end, I was frozen and numb. I had been so pleased because Ember had real friends now. I have a job I love with a boss I respect. I had even felt a little bit safe leaving her at school alone, for a few hours each day.
That tiny bit of security I had just felt this morning was gone. I briefly considered changing my school schedule and looking for another job. I instantly felt overwhelmed by sickness when I thought about making those choices. I had learned from an early age to trust my instincts and that meant making those changes would be the wrong decision.
I finally drove home once my headache settled into a semi-tolerable low roar. I needed to get a few things done before morning.
As I drove, I considered all the facts I knew. Fact one, I have no idea how to answer most of her questions. Fact two, we can’t leave our current school. Fact three, I can’t use my persuasion ability to switch my schedules around because the consequences will likely prove to be disastrous. I have no clue why the Creator wants it this way, but I plan to follow his direction. Fact four, and the reality that fills me with terror…I can’t teach my sister how to control her gifts.
How can I teach her about something I don’t know anything about?
Ember Rising Light (Book One) Page 28
