Gawd.
Like a Padawan!
“I would be honored.” I bowed my head again to hide my ridiculous excitement. “When do we begin?”
The Eki in charge gestured at the Lodger. “Gather what you need, and we will show you to your rooms. We can begin your training after you are settled in and ready.”
I was born ready.
With that, they turned to their companions and began discussing something in hushed tones again, but I wasn’t even offended by the blatant dismissal. I was pumped for this opportunity, practically vibrating out of my skin with unhinged excitement for what lay ahead.
Ya boy is gonna be a space wizard!
25
MICAH
An hour later, I was pacing the small space while Ziggy lounged on the bed and Pedro pounced on invisible dust mites.
They kind ofarea space cat.
The building we were staying in was unsurprisingly created from lava rock—from the ceiling to the floor, and including the furniture. The beds were covered in various furs for comfort, like those ice hotels back on Earth, but the temperature was pleasantly warm beneath the surface of Ekistron.
Must be all that lava…
The Ekicontrollinglava was blowing my mind, even if it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility for someone like me. It was more that I’d just never used my powers in that way before.
Never beenasked,more like it…
You would think having a kid who could control inorganic components—which were found everywhere on Earth, including within organic matter—would be seen as a valuable asset in a supe family. Itwas,but only for utilitarian things, like fixing the crumbling foundation of my parents’ estate or creating handy tools to enhance my siblings’ more badass powers.
I remembered the time my mother was hosting a superhero dignitary who asked about the stone walkway they were strolling down. Not only had she referred to the person who created it—me—as “the hired help,” she’d completely missed the opportunity to point out how the design was based on chemical compounds found in the human body.
All that star stuff we’re made of.
Despite how impressive—ornotimpressive, depending on who you asked—my powers were, I’d only ever used them on material I was in direct contact with. In theory, lava’s inorganic makeup meant Ishouldbe able to manipulate it, but I wasn’t understandinghow.
“Why are you worried about this, Micah?” Ziggy murmured, effortlessly picking up on my nerves, even with his eyes on Pedro. “You were born with these powers. The Eki are simply showing you how to better utilize them.”
“But what if Ican’t?”I whined, dramatically flopping onto the bed next to him as another wave of self-doubt washed over me. “Yeah, my powers arevaguelysimilar to theirs, but that doesn’t mean?—”
“I have no doubt you can,” Ziggy interrupted, gaze shifting to me even as he dangled a random piece of rope over the side of the bed for Pedro to play with.
That looks like “enrichment” to me, Space Daddy.
“Uhh…” I eloquently replied. “You seem pretty sure of yourself, Zig.”
“I am,” he fired back,patting his lapuntil Pedro hopped up to join him with a ferocious little yowl.
So cute!
Both of them.
“Okay, fine, fine,” I chuckled, basking in the confidence he had in me before a new thought floated to the surface. “Maybe that’s why they’re agreeing to train me—because they recognize I have the matter manipulator Force or something?”
Like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
More like Yoda and Luke, let’s be real…
