The Council Read online

  “And?”

  “He thinks you’re confused about what you can do. Being Equipped is a challenging thing to get a handle on from everything we’ve heard,” she admits, clasping her hands together in front of her.

  “Tell him to come talk to me. I can prove that’s a bunch of bullshit.” I lift my chin high to glare at her, a surge of anger running through me at his blatant disregard. Apparently, both of my parents are uncomfortable with the idea of me being Equipped—who knew?

  “Power surges aren’t uncommon.”

  “D-did-I mean was I ever capable of other powers?” I ask, feeling the fire inside of me go out as I pinch my eyebrows together in thought.

  “You started fires a lot when you were little. You know that’s how you burned your leg,” Mother says quickly, almost mechanically as if she’s rehearsed it.

  I frown. My parents always feed me that same line, but I’m not convinced—never have been. If I’m not capable of pyrokinetic powers now, I never have been.

  She takes my silence for acceptance. “Let me help you get this on.”

  “I can do it myself,” I snap, balling my hands into fists as I look down at the dress.

  “Come get me when you’re done.”

  I don’t say anything, only wait for the sound of the door before I let the anger dissolve away. My attention goes to the dress she made, and I stare at it, thinking of how content she had seemed with everything last night—before I told her the truth, of course. Odd, how defensive she became when the subject of my past came up.

  My parents can’t have chosen a worse time to show their true colors. It makes me think maybe switching Covens wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

  I strip my clothes down to my undergarments before I stare at the dress, using my powers to lift it into the air. I struggle to get it on, admiring the way it fits my body when it finally rests in place. What my parents lack in powers, they make up for in talent. I smooth the black collar against the porcelain skin on my neck before I run the brush through my hair again. I look in the mirror and my crystal-blue eyes look back at me—I can see the stress in them. I resist the urge to punch the mirror and leave the bathroom to go my room to pick up the remaining bit of salve I had left on my bookshelf. I want to be ready in the off-chance that Clio gets hurt during his presentation at the ceremony.

  Mother is waiting for me in the kitchen, talking with my father, Howard. At the sound of my footsteps, he looks up. A receding hairline marks the top of his unhappy face as he peers at me through emotionless eyes.

  “You look beautiful!” he gushes as soon as I hobble into the room.

  I put a smile on my face and vaguely wonder if they can tell it’s forced. “Thanks.”

  “Nervous?” he asks, his tone light.

  “Among other things,” I reply, limping past them. I turn, noting the concern in their eyes mixed with the same odd emotion I had seen in Mother’s eyes the night before. I want to ask them about my powers—to gauge their opinion on what I can do—but it seems suddenly pointless; they’ll shut down again, I’m sure. “Are you ready to go?” For some reason, it seems too hard to be in the same room, and I head out the door before they answer.

  I hear their footsteps behind me as we leave the house, and that’s enough to reassure me they’re on their way. It’s a bit of a walk to the Ceremony Grounds on the edge of the Grove, but I’m determined not to show any weaknesses along the way. I straighten my cloak on my shoulders and make sure to stay a few steps ahead of my parents at all times.

  A few times they try to engage me in conversation, but I don’t listen. After the confrontation last night, I’m in no mood for anything trivial; I’m focused on the task at hand. I let out the breath I’m holding—breaking my concentration—only to realize a large part of my mind has been using my powers to manage the trip with seeming ease. I release the hold and instantly stumble.

  I curse as I feel someone’s hands grip me under my armpits. I look up and catch Clio’s eyes. As soon as I feel balanced, I shrug him off, and he winks at me in response, taking his place at my side. His Ceremony attires is far fancier than mine with silver pants and a matching cloak.

  “You’ve got to be sorted into Ignis—there’s such fire in you!” he jokes.

  I look at him, warning in my gaze. My sour disposition must be rooted deep if even Clio can’t cure it.

  “Thought you’d be traveling this way. Mind if I tag along?” he asks, tipping his head in the direction of the path ahead.

  “That’s fine.” I glance over my shoulder.

  Mother looks between me and Clio, but it’s hard to tell what she thinks. She suspects there’s something deeper with our relationship than I’m willing to say, but she’s wrong—as she always is. Father doesn’t seem to notice Clio’s appearance. His eyes stay fixed on the path ahead as we walk, and I guess he’s deep in thought.

  I assume it’s about my powers.

  Clio leans toward me. “Are you okay?”

  “I will be,” I assure him, not wanting to go into detail.

  He stares at the back of my head, and I know he’s guessed the talk didn’t go well just as he knows better than to bring it up with my parents in hearing range. “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know anymore.” I look up at him through wide eyes.

  “You’ll figure out something,” he assures me, draping his arm over my shoulders to pull me in for a quick hug.

  I offer him a reassuring smile in response, but I don’t feel any better. He reaches out to grasp my hand, giving me a squeeze before pulling it back. I wish I could help, the gesture tells me.

  Between the thought of Clio and my parents, I’m once again torn over which Coven I should choose. How could I ever give up a friendship as strong as the one Clio and I share?

  About three-fourths of the way to the Grove, Helena and her parents join in. She wears a beautiful blue gown that compliments her eyes, and her wild orange hair has been carefully groomed into a long braid down her back. I look at her thinking it odd that only Unequipped parents make the trip to the Arcane Ceremony. For a moment, I find myself wondering what it’s like to grow up in an Equipped house with parents stoking your powers from early on.

  I have only been given mysteries.

  I let out a sigh and look to the sky as if I can find the answers to my problems there. For a moment, I think of the bird I had held captive the day before and envy its ability to fly away from all earthly troubles.

  “Hello, Clio, Li,” Helena says.

  Clio and I dip our heads in acknowledgement, but I don’t meet her gaze.

  “You’re nervous too, I take it?” Helena questions.

  I hate that question; it’s all anyone seems to ask me anymore. I don’t answer her, and Clio steps between us before shooting her a look that says, Don’t ask.

  “I fell asleep seeing if there was a way to change it,” I admit.

  Both Clio and Helena turn at the sound of my voice.

  Helena sighs. “I fell asleep studying too.”

  “Angel let me go early yesterday.” I thread my hands together nervously. “She thought my time would be better spent studying, but I still put it off.”

  “You didn’t tell her about your powers?” Clio asks, raising his eyebrows.

  I shake my head. “I didn’t see much point in it.”

  “I don’t either. I skipped my Coven duties yesterday. I figure they can live one day without me.” Helena shrugs.

  I bite my tongue to keep myself from saying a word. Skipping Coven duties could not only get her in trouble with her mentor but also with The Council. The thought she would put herself on the line for something that isn’t going to happen makes me worry for her future. What lengths will she go through to get powers. Does she have a limit?

  Clio shoots me a look that seems to reflect my thoughts. In some odd way, it reassures me to know I’m not the only one going through hard times. I’m a terrible friend, I think as soon as the other t
hought has passed through my mind.

  “How did Adept training go?” Helena directs her question to Clio.

  “Simple. We’ve got some sort of demonstration for the ceremony.”

  “Good luck,” I state.

  “Who needs luck? You know I’m prepared.”

  I smile at him, thinking back to how easily I had disarmed him with my telekinesis.

  “That doesn’t count,” he says quickly, catching the look on my face. Then he turns back to Helena. “I can’t wait to see the other Adepts.”

  “It’ll be entertaining,” Helena agrees.

  I stay silent as we close the last of the distance to the edge of the Grove. Half of the grounds are covered in shade from the trees growing across the border. In the middle of the grassy patch of land stands a rise with a stone-lined path running up the length of it. At the top of the hill, the path evens out, and five large goblets sit in a wide circle—color-coordinated to match their corresponding Covens.

  Even though The Council prefers the Covens to stay separated, most people are gathered together on the shaded side of the grounds to keep out of the heat, and somehow, the crowd seems bigger than what I expected. My heart pounds in my chest as we approach them. The place is filled with the sounds of hundreds of conversations across all five Covens—the ones to be involved in the Ceremony riddled with excitement.

  As we join our classmates—along with the other classes from our school—my parents as well as Helena’s part from us to find the other adults in Ignis. I hardly notice as I scan the sea of younger faces for the ones from Mentis.

  “There’s a lot of them,” Clio mutters, standing as straight as he can manage to peer at everyone. He bends his neck enough to throw a shadow across his face. He doesn’t trust the other Covens, but his reasoning behind it is beyond me.

  I nod and limp away, scanning for the group of Mentis again, but Helena follows me.

  “I’m gonna fail, Li,” she whispers.

  I frown at the sadness in her voice, only feeling sympathetic for a moment before it changes to jealousy. If possible, I would give her all my powers if it meant life would go back to normal. I don’t want to face a life-altering decision today. I want to be happy like everyone else in our class. Instead of saying a word, I pull her into a hug. It’s a far better gesture than any words I could possibly conjure up. After a minute, I don’t want to let go, but I have to.

  Clio stands beside me once more as he watches the exchange. I wonder if he’s eyeing my limp again, but I don’t mention it. We gather by the rest of the people from Ignis, the ones I’ve only seen a handful of times during class, but I have a feeling most of them have been Equipped with pyrokinetic powers. At the sight of Clio, many of them call greetings, but he doesn’t seem in the mood for their affections. He nods and waves in return but stays stubbornly beside me.

  After a while, a tall, lean man of about thirty years of age breaks from the crowd. His ceremonial cloak glows in the sunlight as he starts up the rise. The sunlight reflects off his silvery hair, contrasting to his caramel-colored skin.

  “My name is Tarj, and let me be the first to say, welcome to this year’s Arcane Ceremony!” he announces as he stares down at us through tawny eyes set in a menacing face.

  A ripple of applause goes through the crowd.

  “Let’s start off this ceremony by welcoming this year’s Adepts! First, I’d like to welcome Clio Brawn!”

  The applause starts again as I watch Clio make his way up the rise. In the sunlight, his skin seems unreasonably pale. Clio looks proud as he stands at the center of the mound. Being the first Adept called, he seems even haughtier as he glares down at the crowd amassed at the bottom of the hill. Even though I had beaten him in our duel, I know he’s powerful, and I shiver at the thought of the damage he could’ve done if I hadn’t been able to create a shield in time.

  “Next, I’d like to welcome Flora Noble from the Alchemist Coven!” Tarj calls.

  I watch as a small girl parts from the crowd to take her place beside Clio. Her short brown hair curls around the back of her head, gaze at the ground. Nervously, she pushes a small pair of glasses back into place. The contrast between her personality and Clio’s makes me chuckle.

  The Aquais Adept is called next—Grail Rose, he’s called—a large young man with a broad-chest and square jaw. After him comes Leo Brand, the Aens Adept. He stares at everyone through deep-set gray eyes with a permanent scowl etched on his face.

  Beside Clio, the other three Adepts don’t seem very impressive. It’s the Mentis Adept I’m most interested in—whoever they are, they may become a big part of my life if I switch Covens.

  “Last but not least, let’s give a shout out for Dawn Grimoire!”

  I scan the line of Mentis just as Dawn breaks free. Her flowing golden hair is the first part of her I see. She walks with a bounce and stares straight ahead with dead amber eyes that make her seem more serious than her walk does. She climbs the rise, sky blue robes flowing, and when she focuses on the top of the hill, I see the birthmark on her cheek.

  “Time for the demonstration by the Adepts!” Tarj says. “First up, Clio and Grail!”

  Flora, Dawn, and Leo back away to give the pair room. Clio and Grail stare each other down, standing a few meters apart. I reach into my pocket, running my fingers along Ambrossi’s amulet as my heart pounds in my chest. Clio is more than qualified for the fight, but I worry about him anyway.

  “Go!” Tarj orders.

  Clio shoots a blast of fire toward Grail who dodges and shoots ice back. The beam brushes Clio’s arm, freezing the sleeve of his robe down to his skin. He shakes the frozen limb, but it doesn’t dislodge the ice. I see the frustration on his face as he rushes forward, blasting fire from his free hand and from the one that had been frozen. He seems desperate to prove his worth up there, and I’m sure it has to do with the fact I beat him.

  Grail’s eyes grow wide, and he attempts to rush backward when he stumbles over his feet and falls to the ground. The fire catches Grail’s robes, and Flora rushes in to put it out and demonstrate her healing powers on both Clio and Grail.

  “Clio wins!” Tarj declares.

  A smirk lights up Clio’s features as he glances down, at Ignis in particular, and bows slightly. There’s a challenge in that look.

  “Next up is Dawn and Leo!”

  Clio steps away to stand beside Grail and Flora. The new pair stands in the same formation Clio and Grail had a few minutes before. Leo moves first, sending a blast of wind that moves Dawn backwards a few feet. Dawn doesn’t seem fazed; she folds her arms across her chest and stares back at him. Those dead amber eyes glow, and Leo is picked up before being thrown a few feet away.

  He gasps as he lands on the ground and lies there, stunned. After he doesn’t get up, Dawn is named the winner, and Flora rushes in to fix any of Leo’s potential wounds.

  “Final battle—Clio and Dawn!” Tarj announces.

  “This is bound to be a nail biter,” Helena breathes, eyes stretched wide as she stands on her tiptoes to better see over the crowd.

  I nod in agreement, eyes flicking between Clio and Dawn. The fight seems too perfect for my liking—a fight between my home Coven and my potential new Coven—just like in my mind.

  Clio shoots fire at Dawn, and she’s quick to block it as I had also done to him. When her eyes light up in the beginning of her telekinesis, Clio sends another blast of fire that catches the edge of her sleeve. She panics and goes to pat it out, breaking her focus. Clio takes the opportunity to send another surge of fire her way. Dawn isn’t as distracted as she appears. She sends up a shield of energy along with a wave of energy that sends Clio off his feet just as his last attack hits Dawn in the chest.

  “Draw!” Tarj yowls as Flora runs in for the last time.

  My shoulders droop, and I stare up the hill in disappointment. Why do I feel like this? I wonder. Had I really thought the answer to my problem would be solved if a winner had been declared? I let out a
breath, unaware I had been holding it.

  “Wasn’t that something?” Helena gasps.

  As soon as Clio is healed, he stands to his feet, smiling as Dawn comes back to health as well. After a few moments, the Adepts stand in a line and take a bow.

  “Let’s hear it for this years’ Adepts!” Tarj cheers, and they each break away to head to their own Covenmates.

  The haughty look reappears on Clio’s face as he approaches us. “I almost had her,” he pouts. “I did so much better this time against someone with telekinesis.”

  “You tied. That’s the first time that’s happened during an Arcane Ceremony in twenty-something years,” Helena says.

  “That’s an accomplishment on its own accord,” I assure him.

  He smiles at me and sets a hand on my shoulder before squeezing it gently. “It’s nothing a little training can’t improve, I suppose.”

  Tarj shuffles the papers in his hands and calls the other members of The Council to attention. They go to work separating the Covens, then the Ceremony begins. One by one, Tarj calls the crowd to take their turn on the rise. This year, there are slightly more Unequipped to Equipped, much to my surprise. I hope that fact makes Helena feel better about what’s to come.

  “Helena Gram!”

  Helena swallows and glances at me before she climbs the hill to stand in the center of the five goblets. Tarj dips his head to her and backs away as Helena freezes between the five points. I can nearly feel her anxiety, but after a full moment, none of the goblets light, and she hangs her head to walk back down the path. I want to run to her and tell her everything will be alright, but I can’t.

  We both knew this was coming.

  Clio pats her on the shoulder as she takes her place beside us, but her gaze doesn’t lift from the ground.

  A handful more of our class is called before Tarj says, “Lilith Lace!”

  My heart flutters painfully in my chest at the sound. Clio looks at me through wide green eyes, and Helena offers me an emotionless, “Good luck.” I take a breath and begin to climb the rise. I stumble and from the corner of my eye I see Clio take a step forward, but he pauses when Tarj begins to travel down the slope to help me.