Page 9 of The Lost Elemental

Of course, he called her by her first name even though she was the dean of the most prestigious school they had.

Riven motioned Quincy forward. “Test her again.”

Quincy waved him off. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” He studied me carefully. “Her binding spell is stronger for some reason. Maybe just an error with the magic. But until we have her safely unbound, I don’t think any more testing is a good idea.”

Riven let out a low growl. “It’s a mistake.”

Kai pushed off the wall and clapped Riven on the back. “We all saw it, Riv. That was magic. Elemental magic.” His lips turned up in a devilish smile at the word elemental. “It’s almost like it was meant to be.”

“I’m not.” I forced myself to a sitting position, my head swirling around me. “I’m not an elemental.” The words were stronger this time. My father might have peaced out of my life after I was born, but he was human. “Test me again. You’ll see.”

“Aura,” Quincy began.

“Just do it. Please.”

Concern flashed across Quincy’s face, but he nodded. “The second you feel too much, you say so.”

“No problem.”

Except I wasn’t sure that was true. Earlier, it was as if the magic held me captive. I wouldn’t have any idea how to break away from it.

Fluke. Fluke. Fluke. I chanted the words in my head over and over, willing them to be true.

Quincy held out his hand and the light washed over me. The prickling sensation started instantly, and fireflies of rainbow light swirled. Quincy instantly cut off the test. “I think that’s enough.”

I stared down at my hands where those sparks had just been. “It’s not possible.”

Sinclair stepped forward. “Obviously, that isn’t true. Were you adopted?”

I shook my head but didn’t look away from my hands. “No.”

“Who are your parents?” she demanded.

A younger man scurried forward. “Mother is Janine Coleman, works at Al’s 24-Hour Diner, age thirty-eight. Father unknown.”

I gaped at the man. “Do you stalk us all or something?”

Kai chuckled. “You’re not that far off.”

Sinclair’s lips thinned as she glared at Kai. The expression wasn’t any warmer when she turned it on me. “It is important that we have impeccable records so that there are no…mistakes.”

“You mean you want to make sure I don’t send some building sky-high?” I shivered at the thought.

“I wouldn’t put it like that exactly.”

“I would,” Riven grumbled. “She obviously has too much power for her own good.”

I scowled in his direction. “I thought I was not an elemental?”

Quincy chuckled. “Even he can’t deny it. Everyone in this room could feel it when I began to unlock that power of yours. Hell, you knocked out the power in the building for five minutes the first time.”

My jaw fell open. “I what?”

“It could’ve been a coincidence,” Riven muttered.

Kai gave Riven another hard slap on the back. “Don’t be jealous just because she might end up giving you a run for your money.”

Riven whirled on Kai. “She might have some mishmashed half-powers swirling around inside her, but she’s got nothing on my gift.”