“Sorry! What did you say?”
“You told John that you haven't experienced any more surges of any power. Is that right?”
“No, nothing. I don't feel any different to what I felt before I drank the water. Though I haven't been getting headaches, so if that’s the only thing that happens, I’m still happy with that.” I tried to go for reassurance, but we all know I’m lying. I’m going to be gutted if I don't get at least something. What’s the point of finally having family, of having a legacy, if all I do is let them down?
“Okay, from the looks of what happened the first night, you may have some kind of elemental manipulation, but we might as well start out with the easiest. Let’s try speed.” Eric rubs his hands together and takes a step forward, literally zooming across the arena. His body just becomes a blur of motion that stops on the other side, only needing mere seconds to cross the distance.
“Now, don't be upset if you can’t go that fast,” John cautions me. “Eric is unusually fast. Neither Will nor I can replicate his speed, though we are faster than an average human.”
“Okay, ready, Lila? Go!” William shouts, and I run as fast as I can toward Eric, but before I get far, I slow and stop.
“I know that was no different to how fast I was before,” I complain with frustration, fighting the urge to stomp my foot like a disgruntled little kid.
Both John and William are frowning, and I can hear Eric cackling on the other side, which totally doesn’t help. “No, that really wasn't fast,” John agrees, him and William exchanging a glance.
“Come back, Eric,” William calls. With a blink, Eric is back beside me.
“Never mind, I’m sure it will come.” He pats me on the shoulder, not even breathing heavily. “Let's try some telekinesis. All of us have that one, and it’s strong.”
Eric and John take a seat on a nearby barrel while William steps up in front of me. “I’ve never had to teach this, so it’s going to be a bit of a learning experience for both of us. Skarrian babies just have the instinctual knowledge, so I’m hoping that we can trigger yours. The last time we spoke to your mom and dad, they said that you had been using telekinesis to move your favorite toys around. You also liked to telekinetically throw them when you wanted something.” The grandpas all smile, and a lurch inside my chest triggers a long-hidden memory. A stuffed purple winged animal flying above my head, the sound of echoing laughter in the background.
“I remember something!” The lurch turns to a thrill of excitement, and William latches on to it.
“Remember the feeling.” He grabs a bucket of balls and holds one out in his palm. “Throw this at Eric!”
“Hey!” Eric complains in the background, but I block it out as my focus zeros in on the ball. Practically staring holes in it, I concentrate, desperately trying to move it with my mind. Breathing in and out, I try with everything that I am to move it, but nothing happens. The ball remains stationary in William’s hand.
A feeling of lightheadedness rolls over me, and I stumble. Eric dashes over and catches me before I can fall to the ground.
“Damn it. Why can’t I do it?” I yell to nobody in particular.
“There, there.” Eric pats me on the shoulder. “We knew there was a possibility it would take some time.”
“Come on, princess! Get up. Let's try again,” William says, probably hoping to goad me. Maybe he’s trying to trigger something because I can feel my anger start to rise as I flip him off, though he just chuckles.
“Let’s keep practicing. Something might just happen,” John suggests, trying to ease the tension.
Eric steps away now that I’m stable again, and the three of them line up, facing me. Each holding a ball in their hand. Over and over, I try to make one of them move until sweat is dripping down my face and my hair is plastered to my skin, but nothing happens.
“Okay, let’s take five,” Eric says an hour later. All three had repeatedly demonstrated how to do it, but I picked up on nothing. No tingling feeling, no electricity in the air, nothing to show mehowthey were doing it.
John grabs some bottles of water out of a nearby tub and hands us all one. “Lila, have you ever meditated?”
“I’ve tried, but I always have so much going on in my head that I find it hard to switch off,” I tell him, taking a long sip of my water before holding the cold bottle against my overheated face.
“Why don't you go over there and just take ten minutes to clear your mind?” John points to a spot in the center of the ring. “While you do that, we will discuss our plan of attack.”
Sighing, I do as he asks while the grandpas huddle, whispers floating over the open space but not loudly enough for me to make out the words.
Settling down, I sit cross legged and put my bottle to the side. I close my eyes and try to calm my mind, but it’s virtually impossible. All the details I’d learned about the various planets and races cycle through my mind like a neverending carousel of information. Shaking my head, I take some deep breaths, hoping to slow the flow and help it float away, leaving my mind clear.
Breathe in and out… In and out. Clear my mind of everything.
Oh! I should probably call Susie! But what will I tell her? There’s not much I can share. Maybe I’ll tell her about Dylan and what a great friend he’s been.
Focus, Lila!Breathe in and out.
In and out.
