She shook her head and my parents came over immediately.
“What do you mean she’s not on Level Seven?” Dad asked. “She checked it this morning before the assessments at school.”
The nurse shook her head, exasperated.
“I’ve double-checked, Mr. Fitch. Your daughter is not on Level Seven.”
“Then what Level is she on?” the doctor asked.
“Twelve.”
“What?” I demanded. “That’s not possible.”
I immediately dove into that part of my mind that held the knowledge of my Level. That dratted number 12 floated up. This wasn’t possible. My Level— Magical strength and capability—should never have gotten that high. How could it have gotten that high? Only the Queens and Kings and the Council have ever surpassed Level Eleven. This isn’t possible.
“Em?”
I blinked and focused in on Mom’s face.
“It said Twelve,” I said quietly. “I don’t—I haven’t been training near as hard enough as it would’ve taken—”
“Perhaps the fight with Lucas Ad—” started the doctor.
“I barely got two spells out at him before he hit me, then Zach fought him.” But then I remembered that burst of Magic I’d felt when Zach had pulled me out of the way. I felt my skin burn red.
“Em?” Jess asked, standing at the foot of my bed. I shook my head.
“Nothing. Just trying to figure out how this is possible.”
“We’ll run some tests—” started the doctor.
“No. She’s fine,” Dad objected. “Get her release paperwork.”
The doctor looked like she was going to protest, but from the look on his face, her mouth closed and she nodded, hurrying out of the room with the nurse. The four left were watching me, a look on their faces like they were sorry for me, and it made me uncomfortable.
“Erm. . . Bathroom. . .”
I threw my feet over the side of the bed, glad to feel my legs again, and hobbled into the en suite bathroom, pushing the door shut. I looked down at my hands; the scars were still there. No one had said anything about them. . . had they even seen them? Has anyone ever seen them?
Sighing, I moved toward the sink, looking into the mirror.
I looked exhausted: my bright blue eyes seemed to lack their usual tone, as if I was lacking sleep, even though I had gotten plenty the past few nights. I ran the water, splashing my face with it to try and wake myself up, and then I began combing my fingers through my blonde hair to get rid of the minor knots. After another minute of hiding, I Magic-Changed back into normal attire (simple jeans, a tee, and a cardigan) and went back into the room. Jessie and Thalia were gone.
“Where’d they go?”
“Home. They said they’ll see you later,” Mom answered, sitting in a chair against the wall.
I nodded, hopping up onto the bed but staying with my legs dangling over.
“Is Zach still here? I never got the chance to thank him.”
“He just left, I’m afraid.”
I turned around to see a tall, slender man with silver hair and harsh gray eyes come in: Keenan Maripai, Quan’s president. Being the president of the main Magical Galaxy, Keenan had quite a bit of power himself, and I wondered how his demeanor would change when he heard he was no longer stronger than me.
“He did?” I asked, staying where I was; no matter how long I’ve known him, he’s always unnerved me.
I’ve known Keenan my entire life; Dad’s head of Ecerbion, one of the Magical Galaxies’ most important and secretive government facilities.
Dad, however, stood up and shook his hand, then remained standing.
“Yes. He was leaving as I was coming in. Walked right by me without saying a word. . . However, none the matter. Are you feeling all right?”
“Yes, I just want to get out of here.”
“I have to detain you for just a bit longer, Emma. The police were on their way in here to question you, but I took over. They would pester you more than was necessary.” I waited and he moved a chair in front of me. “Please tell me everything that you remember.”
I told Keenan everything that had happened, except for how weird I’d felt with Zach. It took me probably around ten minutes to recount what happened, and Keenan wrote down everything I said on a notepad he had pulled from his coat pocket.
“Is that it?” he questioned.
“Everything I remember, and there are no gaps in my memory except between when I passed out and woke up here.”
He nodded, putting the notepad back in his coat pocket.
“I’ve put security round-the-clock on your house and also on you, Emma, whenever you are out without your parents.”
I groaned, “What? Why?”
“He’s going to go after you again, you know that.”
“I just won’t get distracted again. I was holding him off just fine, Keenan. I don’t want some stiff in a suit to be following me around all the time! Especially when I’m at the library.”
“Speaking of—”
“I’m not quitting. Seriously, Keenan,” I objected, “no security.”
He looked at my parents for backup.
“If she says she doesn’t need it, she doesn’t,” Mom told him, albeit hesitantly. “She’ll be fine. He’s not usually one to attack during broad daylight, and she’s never out at night alone.”
Dad said nothing, just stood with his arms crossed. I knew he didn’t agree with me, but he wasn’t going to argue—at least not yet. Keenan sighed.
“Fine. I’ll be in touch.”
He disappeared and I hopped off the bed.
“Can we go home now?”
Mom nodded, standing up.
“Rebecca is at home with Clara.” I nodded. Clara’s my younger sister, and Rebecca is my aunt. “Are you hungry?”
We started heading out of the hospital, me purposefully ignoring the hospital staff that was staring at me.
“No. We had break during the assessments and I ate then.”
We came up to the dark blue, buggy-like vehicle with white wheels.
“Do you want to get something on the way home? His curse took a lot out of you.”
“I’m fine, Dad.”
With a sigh, Dad shot a dash of Magic into the vehicle, and it started up, running the rest of the way off of the Magic in our atmosphere, of which there is plenty.
We drove home in silence, and I ran the events of today over in my head. At least now I know why Lucas Adler attacked me, but how he knew what Level I am on is still a mystery. I also couldn’t get Zach out of my head. Whatever I felt when he had pulled me out of the way was more than anything I’ve ever felt for him, much more. It was a significantly stronger feeling than simply liking him, especially with my Magic racing. There has to be some other reason why I felt the way I did. . .
“Em?”
I looked up, having been staring at the back of Mom’s seat. She and Dad were staring at me worriedly from outside the buggy and I realized we were home. I hadn’t even noticed that we had driven past Capitol City Park and into the Park District.
“Oh—sorry. I was thinking.”
I slipped off the seat and stood next to Mom.
“You have to be careful,” Dad said, sounding frustrated as we walked around the driveway and up the path to the front door.
“I am careful, Dad. It’s just that I have a lot on my mind right now.”
He opened the door for Mom and I, and the moment I got in, a blonde rush of hair was smothering me with a hug.
“Emma! Are you okay? It’s on the news! What really happened? Did he hurt you? Is the news right?”
“Wait, slow down. What’re you talking about, Clara? What’s on the news?”
My little sister stood with her hands on her hips, looking even more like Mom.
“The name Lucas Adler ring a bell? Geesh, Em! It’s all over the news that he tried to kill you and some guy named Zach Stone saved you. What’s that all about?”
&nbs
p; “I don’t know, Clara. I didn’t exactly ask him what his problem was.”
I side-stepped her to get to the staircase, only to find Aunt Rebecca standing there. She had her arms crossed and she was frowning at me—or at the situation.
“I’m fine, Auntie Becca.”
I moved past her and swept up the stairs, hearing my aunt ask Mom if I really was okay. I scowled, finishing the steps and turning right down the hallway. I went into my room, shutting the door behind me.
I pulled the curtains shut, darkening my usually bright room against the rainstorm that was picking up again. I fidgeted, moving to sit on the couch that rested near the fireplace, and picked up one of my many trinkets, turning it over in my hands. Tears welled in my eyes in frustration and I dropped the trinket back onto the table before me. Being home was failing to calm me.
I started pacing, trying to figure out what had happened. I played the scene over and over again in my head, only to come to the same dead end. After nearly half an hour of it, I realized that I couldn’t figure this out on my own—not what had happened with Zach. I’d sort out the whole Lucas mess later.
With a determined huff, I went back downstairs. I almost got out the door before Dad appeared behind me.
“Where d’you think you’re going?”
I turned around. His arms were crossed, but I could see past the disapproval in his eyes: He was worried.
“I need to see Zach. I never got to thank him.”
“It’s pouring rain outside. You’re not walking.”
“I like the rain. Dad, I’ll be fine. I’ll focus on my surroundings, promise.”
He shook his head, pulling his keys out of his pocket and tossing them to me.
“Drive safe and pay attention to what’s around you, Em.” He pulled me to his chest, hugging me tight. “I don’t want to lose you. Especially not to him.”
“You’re not going to lose me, Dad. I’ll be extra stubborn in this case, yeah?”
I smiled up at him and then headed outside, hurrying to Dad’s buggy. I climbed in and pulled out of the driveway, heading off of Heath Drive and out of the Park District. It took me five minutes to get to Zach’s house. I’d only been here once before, dropping off a book for Mrs. Stone from the library, and I was glad I remembered where it was. I saw lights on in the house, and so I parked on the empty driveway, hastening up the steps and knocking three times on the front door. I slipped the buggy’s keys into my sweater pocket and waited.
The door opened to reveal a man who looked extraordinarily like Zach, only much older. He looked startled at my presence on his doorstep.
“Is Zach home?”
He watched me tentatively for a moment, but then Zach came out from behind him, his eyes widening. A very uncomfortable knot twisted in my stomach at the sight of him.
“Emma—what’re you doing here?”
“I want to talk to you. . . and thank you. I never had the chance.”
He had the same look as the man then, only a bit ill, and then stepped past him.
“I’ll be right back in, Dad.”
“Keep your eyes open.”
Mr. Stone’s voice made him much less intimidating.
Zach shut the front door behind him and looked at me.
“How’re you feeling? And shouldn’t you be in the hospital?”
“I’m fine. They got the curse out and let me go home. But I needed to thank you for saving me back there.”
He shook his head.
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, really. I’d be dead or worse if you hadn’t shown up. I owe you.”
“I didn’t save you so you’d owe me,” he said, sounding a bit shocked.
“But I do owe you. Life debts, you know.” I shrugged, sticking my hands in my sweater pockets.
He hesitated.
“Have you seen the news?”
“No. I’ve been avoiding it. My sister Clara jumped at me the moment I walked in the house, though.”
“They’re not getting many things right. Twisting it to sound like it was a hundred times worse.”
“Of course. They’re their own sort of government. Corrupt.”
He shrugged now.
“Yeah, I guess. So. . . you said you needed to talk to me?”
“Erm—yeah, I did.” Now that I was here, everything seemed really quite crazy. “Um, when you pulled me out of the way, I felt—”
“Yeah, I felt it, too.”
I stared up at him, stunned.
“You did? You felt the Magic?”
He nodded, looking as embarrassed as I felt. I could hardly imagine what I looked like right now. “Still do,” he said lowly.
I felt my face burn.
“I, umm. . .” I trailed off. “Do you have any idea what it is?”
“No. I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I haven’t been able to yet. I thought I’d lost my mind.”
“I still think I’ve lost mine. I’m usually rather quick at figuring things out, but this. . . you. . .” I shook my head. “I can’t think of anything.”
“There has to be someone we could talk to.”
I shook my head again.
“I haven’t told anyone. Not Jessica or the doctors or my parents. . . I left it out of my statement to Keenan, too. They’d ask too many questions, trying to make us tell them what it meant even when we don’t know.”
“I didn’t tell them, either. I was trying to figure it out first, and then talk to you to make sure it was real.”
“I’m going to figure it out. I work in the library, so on break I’ll look some things up if I can.”
He nodded.
“Yeah, okay,” he breathed. “Let me know?”
I nodded.
“Yes, of course.” I bit my lower lip. “I—I have to go. Um, I’ll see you later?”
He nodded. I wondered if it was getting stronger for him, too.
“Yeah.”
I stepped toward the stairs.
“Thanks again, Zach.”
He sighed.
“You’re welcome. I-I’ll walk you to your car.”
I nodded, that odd current moving against us again. We headed out to the drive, and (of course!) reached for the door handle at the same time. My Magic sped up, as did my heart, causing my skin to flush. Zach had removed his hand from mine immediately, but his face was still as red as I imagined mine to be.
We both stuttered apologies, and I flushed deeper.
I got in without another word and Zach shut the door behind me. I had to take extra care in pulling away, for I wanted nothing more than to speed away, but knew that would be cause for further embarrassment.
I forced myself not to look back as I headed down his street. My heart was still racing, that current refusing to die down.
I had been perfectly comfortable with Zach’s arms around me. Pleased. What I felt when Zach had pulled me out of the way, when he had merely touched my hand. . . it had aroused something I had not wanted. It had aroused a searing passion for Zach that was never going to die.
Hey, Sparky
I got home and went back up to my room without saying a word to anyone other than that I was back. I sank onto the couch, still unable to shake off that feeling.
Whatever was going on between Zach and I had dangerously escalated on my half. I liked feeling what I did when we happened to bump into each other. Hated it, but still liked it. My heart was exceptionally fond of how it felt; now singing whenever the memories were strong enough that I felt it again. But I couldn’t like Zach; it was much too dangerous for me and especially for him. I would have to avoid any physical contact with him until this died down. I now know he can feel what I do, though maybe not the desire to stay where we were. However, if he did. . . I hope he doesn’t do anything. I care too much about him now to let him be hurt, and regardless of what he said, I owe him for saving my life.
“Em?”
I looked over to my door to see Mom standing there with our cat, W
innie, in her arms.
“Yeah?”
Mom came in and shut the door behind her, sitting next to me on the couch. Winnie (who was gray and fluffy and had a flat face) came and climbed onto my lap. I scratched her behind her ears, and Winnie immediately started purring.
“Do you want to talk?”
“I’m fine, Mom, really I am.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
I looked at the floor.
“It’s not going to make any difference.”
“You don’t know that. Sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything. I know you’re stressed; I can tell. We all can.” She paused. “Please tell me.”
“I feel like something’s wrong. Ever since Lucas Adler, something’s wrong.” I still refused to mention what happened with Zach. “I just don’t—feel right.”
“Like his jinx wasn’t taken all the way out?” She was trying to be brave, but I can still hear her worry.
“No, not that. I don’t feel that anymore; it’s different now.”
“Emma, don’t lie to me.”
I looked at her.
“I’m not. Mom, I don’t know what’s wrong. Just something feels off and I can’t place it.” That was the only lie. “I need to figure this out but so far it’s been impossible.”
Mom watched me silently.
“Is that it?” she asked.
I looked away.
“I’m scared,” I admitted, speaking even quieter than she.
Mom’s arms found their way around me and pulled me into a hug.
“You don’t have anything to be afraid of, Emma. You’re safe.”
****
I didn’t eat dinner due to my increasingly
heightened nerves, but sat down with my family anyway. Uncle Walt, Aunt Becca’s husband, came by to eat with us and after tea they left. I went to bed at nine, the exhaustion taking over me.
When my subconscious mind cleared an image, I found myself in my Dream-World. I am only here when I am fully asleep, here in my own personal Eden. My Dream-World most closely resembles a forest, with a large meadow clearing that is speckled with tiny flowers.
As I moved through the grass, heading toward the small lake as always, my Eden was disrupted. Everything got darker, as if the sun had gone away, and I froze, straining to hear any sound of movement.
Starlight (The Lightning Strike Trilogy Book 1) Page 2
