by Lucy Roy
“As long as it doesn’t involve burning the building down,” Yana muttered.
“Isn’t that what I’m here for?” Mary wiggled her fingers. “Water user and all.”
Eric pulled one of the small votive candles closer to him and focused on it. After a few seconds, the flame started growing taller.
And taller.
“Eric!” Mary snapped. “You can be done now.”
He grinned. The flame was now about six inches high. “Anyone wanna toast their bread?”
The flame wavered a bit, and when Eric reached across to grab another roll, the sleeve of his red hoodie came perilously close to catching fire.
“Geez, Eric!” I focused my mind on the flame and batted it back down. “Just because we can’t die doesn’t mean I want to be cleaning soot from my clothes.”
He looked at me wide eyed. “You ruined it!”
I rolled my eyes. “I did not, shut up.”
“Tessa, how did you do that?” Anette was frowning.
“Do what? Put the flame down?” I asked.
“You’re not a pyro. You shouldn’t have been able to do that.” She raised her eyes to mine. “So, Nathaniel—”
“We call him Nate now,” Mary interrupted.
“Oh. Okay, so Nate announced you as a Telekinetic,” she said skeptically, “but you were able to control water at your training? And now you are controlling fire, too? Are you sure he called you right?”
“I mean, yeah, I don’t see how he would’ve screwed it up,” I responded. “He’s probably been doing this forever.”
“That doesn’t mean he didn’t miss something,” Eric muttered.
“I agree with Anette,” Andrei piped up. “You might have multiple affinities.”
“Isn’t it super rare for a person to have Mentalist and Elemental abilities? I thought all the people with more than one affinity fell into the same group?”
“It is incredibly rare, but I believe it has happened once or twice,” Andrei replied.
“Huh. But wouldn’t Nate have seen that?”
“I would think so,” Anette said. “What did he say about the water thing today?”
I shrugged, feeling a bit uncomfortable under their scrutiny. “He seemed a little weirded out, but he didn’t really make a thing of it, so I figured it just meant I could push water with my mind, just like any other physical thing.”
“That is not really how telekinesis works, though.” She sat up a bit straighter in her chair, flushing slightly as all eyes turned toward her. “As a telekinetic, your mind… it’s like another hand, okay? So anything you can manipulate or move with your hands, you can move with your mind.”
She stared at me, waiting for me to respond, then winced when I didn’t answer right away. “Does that not make sense?”
“Um…yes?” I frowned, not quite sure what she was getting at.
“What I mean is, you wouldn’t be able to push a ball of water around with your mind any more than you would be able to push it around with your hands.”
“Nate really didn’t think it was weird?” Mary looked surprised. “He seems like such a stickler for things. You’d think he’d be right on top of something like this.”
“No,” I replied. “Well, I mean, he said some things were worth exploring, but then we just went back to our regular training.”
“You should probably mention the fact that you just put out a candle with your mind when you go to training tomorrow,” Yana said. “If you do have more than one affinity, you want to make sure you’re training in the right areas.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” I took a sip of water. “I’ll see what he has to say.”
“Hey, you guys wanna see a cool trick?” Mary bounced in her seat.
“Probably not, if it’s one of yours,” Eric said, shaking his head.
An evil grin came over Mary’s face, and then suddenly I was drenched. All the water that had just been in my glass was now all over my sweater.
“Shit!” I hissed, grabbing my napkin and attempting to dry myself off. “Mary!”
“Payback’s a bitch.” She blew me a noisy kiss from across the table.
I gave her a scathing look and went back to patting myself dry.
“Here, let me try,” Andrei said. He walked over and stood beside me. “Stand up.”
I narrowed my eyes and paused my blotting. “Why?”
“I can try to use my wind power to dry you off,” he explained.
“Ah, okay. Worth a shot, I guess.” I stood to face him, thankful I hadn’t gone with a white shirt.
He took in my soaked sweater and bit his lip, as though trying not to smile, then threw a glance at Mary.
“Your aim is quite good, I must say.”
She preened. “Why, thank you.”
“Please don’t encourage her,” I groaned. I waved a hand at my soaked clothing. “Go for it, do your thing.”
Andrei made a motion as though he was blowing out a birthday candle in the direction of my torso. I didn’t feel anything at first, but after a few moments, I felt my clothing begin to dry as he slowly blew the water out of my shirt.
“Oh, hey! I think it’s working!”
He paused, then smiled at me.
“That is good.” After another moment, he stepped back and surveyed his work. “Better?”
“Much, thank you.” I stuck my tongue out at Mary.
I sat back down just as Sam delivered our food.
The cheeseburger he placed in front of me was massive. The patty was a good inch thick and loaded with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and barbecue sauce. A heaping pile of curly fries, fried to perfection, shared the plate.
“Gods, this looks delicious.” I looked up at Sam. “Is it as good as it looks?”
“It is,” he said, grinning. “Our chef Stefan learned to cook from his guardian’s father who was a master chef in France. His food is fantastic.”
“France? Why didn’t he open a French restaurant?”
He jerked his head toward the door. “Pierre up the street opened Fleur de Lis about three centuries ago. Stefan’s second favorite cuisine is American, so he opted for that. We opened back in the nineteen-fifties.” He looked up and down the table. “Does anyone need anything?”
We all shook our heads and dove into our food.
“So what do you guys think about the ‘rebel threat’?” Eric spoke around a mouthful of his jalapeño bacon burger.
Mary shook her head. “It’s crazy. Not gonna lie, I’m a little freaked out about it.”
“Yeah,” Eric agreed. He jerked his chin toward Andrei. “This jackass thinks it’s great that we’re going to get ‘real world experience,’ isn’t that right?”
Several pairs of wide eyes turned on Andrei.
Igor snorted. “Is this true, Andrei? You wish to go into a battle so soon after our transformation?”
Andrei’s cheeks flushed, but he tilted his chin up in a defiant gesture. “I do not think it is great, as Eric says. I just think that we will train more effectively if we know there is an imminent threat, that is all.”
“Well, I suppose that makes some sense,” Igor allowed after a moment of silence.
“Seriously?” Mary asked. “You think we’ll be ready to fight witches, demons, freaking Titans, after just one year?” She shook her head incredulously and stuffed a French fry in her mouth. “You’re crazy.”
“I don’t think it’s that crazy,” Yana said, coming to Andrei’s defense. “We are immortal now. It is not like we can be killed easily. And it is likely we will be training with two Titans.”
“Exactly!” Andrei grinned at Yana, then put down his burger and rested his elbows on the table. “If you know that your training today could very well mean your life in one year’s time, do you not think you might train harder if you knew a threat was immediate?”
Mary opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally responding.
“I—I don’t know.” S
he looked around at all of us and shrugged. “I guess I just don’t want to think about it.”
I contemplated Andrei’s sentiment as the others went back and forth about his sanity.
“I don’t know, I think it kind of makes sense,” I said hesitantly. “I mean, I’m not really ready to picture all of us going into war, but since that’s probably going to be the case, shouldn’t we have every advantage possible?”
“Ugh, whatever,” Mary said. “Like I said, I don’t want to think about it right now. Let the gods deal with it for the time being.”
“Agreed,” Eric said as he stuffed the last bite of his burger in his mouth. He glanced around the restaurant. “Where’s our waiter? I want dessert.”
24
Nathaniel
Several hours after I left Apollo’s home, long after the sun had set, I found myself in front of Chiron’s small stone cabin in the woods at the foot of the mountain.
When I was about twenty feet from his door, he appeared from the rear of the cabin in full centaur form. The equine half of his body was covered in dark brown fur with a long black-brown tail that hung to the ground. He stood nearly seven feet tall in human form, but that height, combined with the sheer mass of his centaur body, made him look larger than life.
“Nathaniel! What brings you over so late?”
“I needed to talk to you about one of the recruits, if you’ve got a few minutes.”
“Of course, come in.”
He moved toward the steps leading into his cabin, waving an arm for me to follow. His massive hooves clunked loudly on the wooden boards, echoing through the dark quiet of the forest.
Chiron’s home was small, consisting of one sparsely furnished room. A bed of cushions in varying shades of brown took up about one third of the room, with a red and blue plaid couch resting against the opposite wall. Small, roughhewn end tables stood at either end of the sofa and next to his bed, and a table with two chairs was pushed under a window to the right of the entrance. Shelves lined the wall behind it, filled with jugs of wine, water, and a slew of dried meats and vegetables. As he had yet to adopt Olympia’s solar technology, the only light came from a quiet fire in the hearth.
“I’m going to assume that this ‘recruit’ is Tessa?” He turned toward me and cocked one eyebrow in question. “I’ve seen you with her several times now.”
“Yes, there was a bit of an issue today at training.”
“Hmm.”
He pulled a bottle of dandelion wine and two tumblers from a shelf and poured us each a generous portion. He set my glass down on one of the end tables, then curled up with his own on his bed of cushions, folding his four long legs beneath him.
“Sit,” he commanded, then waited for me to comply before continuing. “Does this happen to have anything to do with that water incident with her friend?” He took a gulp of wine, downing half the glass in one shot.
I sat on the sofa and leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Although I worry about Mary’s desire to prove herself, I also believe she exhibited enough control over her power today to avoid depositing a large amount of water on her own head.”
“Then how did you know it was Tessa?” I picked up my glass and took a slow sip. The wine here was more earthy than Apollo’s, who preferred his wine to be sweet on the verge of cloying.
“Just a hunch. I take it you were working with her at the time?”
“Yes, she and Damien were bickering. He was having trouble linking to her mind and it caused a fight. I sent him away to let off some steam, and when I went to call him back over, Tessa noticed Mary practicing. The next thing I knew, there was a ball of water hovering over her head.”
I twirled my glass back and forth, watching as the pale liquid gently sloshed at the sides. “Tessa just…looked at it and used her mind to send it back.”
He set his glass down and folded his arms across his chest.
“Do you think she’s got dual affinities, then?”
“I don’t know. It’s possible, although I don’t know why I wouldn’t have seen that when I transitioned her.”
I closed my eyes in an attempt to shut out Apollo’s words, ‘Is it possible your powers aren’t as sharp as they once were?’
“Nathaniel? Are you alright?”
When I opened my eyes, I saw my friend staring at me, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Yeah, sorry.” I let out a heavy breath. “I went to see Apollo before coming here, and he was…less than helpful, to say the least.”
Chiron barked out a laugh. “Why in all the realms would you do that to yourself?” He shook his head, clearly amused at my poor decision making.
I raised my eyes to the ceiling and looked through the large skylight that took up nearly half the roof. “Because I’m a glutton for punishment, clearly.”
“Well, I won’t bother asking what kind words of wisdom he offered you.” He tossed back the rest of his wine and reached for the jug to refill his glass. “What I will remind you of, dear friend, is that you have not made a mistake or missed an affinity in all the years I’ve known you. Maybe there’s something off about this girl, who’s to say? Whatever it is, I don’t think it has anything to do with your ability to guide the gods’ magic. Zeus would not have entrusted you with that duty if he did not believe you were capable.”
I tapped a finger on the side of my glass. “But how can I be sure?”
He shrugged. “Go see her. Look into her mind and see if there’s anything lurking in the background.”
I was shaking my head before he’d even finished his sentence. “No, me digging through her mind is the last thing she needs. I think I nearly pushed her over the edge today when I was trying to help her learn to let down her mental walls with Damien. Besides, if there was something there, I’m sure I would have seen it today.”
“How did she react when you entered her mind today?”
“Not well. She couldn’t open her mind. It was as though her power was protecting her from outside invasion, regardless of what my—or her—intentions were.”
A frown flickered across Chiron’s face as he took a contemplative sip of wine. “Her power seemed sentient?”
I thought back, remembering that Damien had used the same word when they were arguing.
“Yes, but not in the way it normally is for recruits. I’ve seen recruits whose powers were more alert, for lack of a better term. But hers seems like it’s taken up residence in her mind, sharing the space with her like an additional consciousness.”
“Does it seem hostile in any way?”
“Not at all. If anything, it seems protective of her, if that were possible.”
Chiron leaned back against the window. “Why wouldn’t it be? An Ischyra’s affinity is a part of them, and some are more powerful than others. It would stand to reason that those with stronger powers might struggle to control them. It wouldn’t be the first time we had a recruit who had to work harder to subdue their abilities.”
I contemplated what he was saying. “That makes sense, I suppose, but it doesn’t explain why she was exhibiting both Mentalist and Elemental abilities when the only power I’d seen in her mind was for telekinesis.”
“That is a bit of a mystery, isn’t it?” He gazed up through the skylight at the stars littering the darkness.
“It is.”
“I wouldn’t worry, Nathaniel.” Chiron’s eyes met mine. “If her powers are strong enough to fight both her and you, then they could be strong enough to subdue other aspects of her psyche, including other affinities. Once she gets ahold of her power, you’ll be able to work out what else she has going on in that pretty head of hers.”
“I suppose. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“You do that.”
I downed the rest of my wine and stood. “I’ll let you get your rest.”
“Yes, those recruits were a tough bunch today,” he said, yawning.
I grinned. “I don’t see that getting easier any time soon.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Goodnight, Nathaniel. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I debated whether or not to go see Tessa after I left Chiron’s. I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. I’d promised her, though, and I didn’t want to go back on that.
When I reached the large wrought iron gate that led into the courtyard, I glanced down at my watch. It was nearly nine. Tessa had said she was going to dinner with her friends, so I took a gamble on her still being awake.
I’d just put my hand on the gate to push it open when I hesitated.
I really, truly, did not feel like dealing with Mary or the other girls asking questions, and I would have to pass the men’s dormitories on my way. I was fairly certain I’d run into at least one person, and I was not in the mood for questions or speculation.
Grumbling to myself, I made my way around the building until I found Tessa’s window. Keeping my eyes averted in case anyone was changing, I knocked quietly.
I saw movement in my periphery, and when I looked up, I saw Yana’s face frowning at me. She opened the window, which was just the right height for me to rest my arms.
“Well, hello there,” she said, giving me a lazy smile. “May I help you?”
“Hey, Yana. Is Tessa here?”
“Of course.” Her smile turned mischievous as she turned and called to her roommate. “Tessa?” Her voice dripped with faux innocence. “What do you Americans call someone who shows up at your window at night unannounced? I forget the term.”
“Uh, I don’t know.” Tessa’s muffled response came from the bathroom. “Creeper? Stalker? Weirdo? Why?”
I covered my face with my hand and let out an annoyed breath.
“Ah, okay. Well, there is a creeper stalker weirdo at our window, and I believe he is looking for you?”
I arched a brow at Yana. “Really?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and fell back on her bed, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“What are you—” Tessa walked out of the bathroom with a brush in her hand, wearing black pajama pants and a pink tank top, her long blond hair tumbling over her shoulder.
