Awakened Read online

  The cup catapulted into the air and sent its contents flying every which way. I screamed and ducked to avoid being gouged in the eye. “Yes! I did it!” I yelled and kicked the air.

  Still grinning, I picked up a pen up from my bed and held it in front of me. Relaxing my fingers, I let it go. It dropped, but I managed to freeze it before it hit the floor. I didn’t get why I stopped omnis with so much ease yet sucked at moving everything else. The pen wobbled as I lifted it higher and higher, until it dangled above my bed.

  Still pointing, I moved it around my room. As my confidence increased, I added more things—markers, pencils, erasers. Soon I had every lightweight object from my desk floating around my room. I made weird and funny formations in the air. Becoming bolder, I added lotions, deodorant, books.

  “Very nice,” Grampa said in the doorway.

  I lost focus and ducked for the second time to avoid being hit. No such luck. Pens, lotions, deodorants rained on me. “Thanks,” I yelled.

  Grampa chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

  I ignored the mess, jumped off the bed and joined him in the kitchen, where he was peering inside the oven. Now that I knew what he did for a living, I worried when I didn’t see him by the end of the day or in the morning before I left for school. Of late, he’d been keeping weird hours.

  “Dinner looks good,” he said, pulling out the trays and setting them on the stove top.

  “Thanks.”

  “Shouldn’t you be heading to the dojo?” he added as he reached inside the cupboard for a plate.

  I looked at my watch and groaned. Quarter to four. I ran into my bedroom to change into my new dojo clothes—black pants, matching tank top and hoodie, and black suede boots. Janelle dropped them off last night. When I returned, Grampa was on the sofa eating. He looked tired and distracted, and his beard needed a trim. “Is everything okay, Grampa?”

  He nodded and kept chewing.

  I broached the subject he’d evaded the past week. “Has the CT decided on Bran’s case yet?”

  A frown touched his face as he reached for the glass of orange juice and took a mouthful. I sighed. He was going to shake his head and give me his standard answer, “Focus on your training and school.” I didn’t know why I even bothered to ask him about Bran.

  I grabbed the truck keys from where I’d left them on the kitchenette table and started for the door. “See you later, Grampa. Don’t work too hard.”

  “There’re a couple of them who’re not sure Tariel didn’t turn, but they’ll come around.”

  My heart lifted and I turned to face him. “I hope they give Bran a chance to explain.”

  Grampa nodded. “They’re doing that, right now.”

  That was the best news I’d heard in the last seven days. I ran to Grampa and kissed him on the forehead. “Thanks for letting me know.” He just shook his head and went back to his food.

  I left the trailer and ran to the truck. All the way to the dojo, I played the stereo loud and drummed the steering wheel. Not knowing whether the Cardinals would help Bran or not had bugged me. Maybe I’d see him again.

  Izzy and Kim were in the foyer of the dojo when I arrived, both of them dressed like me. It was funny how wearing the same outfit made such a difference. I felt like I was one of them in spite of their professionally styled hair and manicures.

  “Ready,” Izzy asked, interrupting my musing.

  I grinned. On Monday, she started quizzing me on Xenithian history and Demonology. The others have since joined in, which kept me on my toes. After Grampa’s news, I was ready for anything. “Bring it on.”

  “Name the three Nephilim subgroups?” Izzy asked.

  “Neterus, Nosferatus and Werenephils. C’mon, challenge me.”

  “Which ones left with Coronis?” Kim asked as she followed Izzy into the hallway and I fell in behind her. As usual, there were classes going on and intermittent sounds of ki-yah…ki-yah interrupted our conversation.

  “Mainly Werenephils and Nosferatus. But some, like Moira’s father, remained in Xenith. Just like some Neteru went with Coronis.”

  Izzy hit me with, “Which demons are mentioned in most mythology books?”

  “Werenephils.” We turned the corner and almost bumped into Remy and Sykes, who were standing in the hallway talking.

  “Which ones have the ability to turn into smoke and possess a person?” Remy chipped in

  “The Lazari.” I’d studied them because Bran’s mother was one.

  “That’s what they call them?” Sykes asked. “What happened to the name smoke demons?”

  Izzy made a disgusted sound. “Don’t you ever read your Demonology?”

  He smirked. “No, they make better bookends. I got one for you, Red. Who created Xenia’s Kris Dagger and why?”

  I scrunched my face. “Her father, Azazel, created it. Xenia was very powerful and the other Nephilim were envious of her. He made the dagger for her protection but instead, she used it to create Xenith and moved there with her loyal friends and their families, including her older sister Coronis. They are our ancestors.”

  Izzy whistled. “Someone’s been studying hard.”

  “No, he asked me the same question yesterday but I didn’t know the answer. I looked it up last night. Oh, and I lifted something using telekinesis.”

  They stopped and turned around to look at me with varied expressions. “You have that ability too?” Kim asked.

  I nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious at the way they were staring. “My grandfather has it,” I said in a defensive voice.

  “We know,” the four of them said in unison.

  “So why the weird expressions?” I waved to indicate their faces and Kim, who was closest to me, cringed. I frowned, getting irritated. This wasn’t the first time she recoiled when I came close to her. It started right after I told them about Bran, but it hadn’t bothered me until I noticed that Sykes stopped putting his arm around my shoulders like he used to. “Why is it you all treat me like I’ve got the plague or something? Is it because of Bran and your crazy belief that he’s evil? The last time I checked, evilness wasn’t contagious.”

  Kim flung her head, her ponytailed golden locks swinging across her back. “This is not about that demon boy. You’re an empath.” She spat the word like it was some ugly disease.

  I shook my head, not understanding. “So?”

  “It’s an intrusive power,” Izzy explain in a nicer voice.

  “Weird,” Kim added and crossed her arm.

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So what am I supposed to do? Turn it off.”

  “Keep your hands to yourself.” Kim’s expression was serious.

  I looked at Izzy, who just shrugged. Sykes couldn’t even meet my gaze. Remy tried to be diplomatic with his response. “Empaths who’ve mastered their ability can control it, only using it when they need to. We’re sure you’ll be able to do that with time.”

  Meanwhile I had to keep my hands to myself. I shrugged like it didn’t matter, but frustration churned my insides like a twister. Just when I thought we were one happy team.

  “Fine. Step aside. Coming through.” Both Kim and Izzy hustled out of my way, until their backs pressed against the hallway wall. Remy grabbed my hand as I passed him. Sykes took the other. I glanced at their gloved hands and threw them a disgusted look. “And what point are you two trying to prove?”

  “That we don’t mind that you’re weird,” Sykes said with a smirk.

  I laughed. I knew they minded but I appreciated the fact that they were trying to spare my feelings. “Thanks, guys.”

  “Do you know what time it is?” Kenta snapped from the doorway of the training room.

  I pulled my hands from the guys’ and hurried inside the training room.

  ***

  An hour and a half later, I flipped on the light switch and entered the room I used with Mrs. Deveraux. She wasn’t there yet. Even after a week of coming in here, the multi-colored foam blocks and bright blue gym ma
ts still jarred my senses.

  I kicked off my shoes, flopped onto the blue mat and glared at the ceiling. I was exhausted. The session with Kenta and the trainees had started on a wrong note and gotten worse. I couldn’t relax; and worse, he paired me with Kim during our sword practice. Did I push her? I was relentless. When we were done, her behind was on the floor. I offered her my hand, which she sneered at before teleporting away from me. Argh, I couldn’t stand that girl.

  I punched the air with my fist. Whoosh. The colored foam blocks flew into the air as though pushed by an invisible force. Thump-thwack-thump. They landed back onto the gym mat. I repeated the same movement then slashed sideways, causing them to bounce off the walls.

  Was I ever going to fit in with the trainees? Every time I thought we were a team, something happened to ruin it. I sent the blocks flying to the ceiling. Thump. Thwack. I guess I understood why they’d be wary of an empath. I just hated the way Kim brought it to my attention. And why had they reacted to my telekinetic abilities? I froze omnis with that ability, didn’t I?

  “Well done,” Mrs. Deveraux said from the doorway.

  I didn’t stop manipulating the blocks. I suspended them in mid-air and sat up.

  “Very impressive. How long have you been practicing?” She came forward and knelt beside me.

  “With the blocks?”

  “With telekinesis in general.”

  I shrugged. “Since Monday.”

  “Wonderful. You’re mastering your powers fast. Let’s try something new. Keep the blocks in place, and slowly…lower this.” She pressed my extended hand down until it rested on my lap. The blocks wobbled a bit then steadied. They stayed suspended. “With your powers, you don’t need to point at anything to move it. All you need is an image. Just look at it. Now move the blocks up and down without dropping any.”

  By the time I finished with Mrs. Deveraux, I was more than ready to go home. I was beyond tired, physically, mentally and psychically. I hurried along the hallway to the practice room to retrieve my hoodie.

  Kenta and the other instructors were in one of the rooms. I hoped the other trainees were gone. I didn’t feel like seeing or talking to them. My stomach growled, and I looked at my watch. Almost seven. No wonder I was starving.

  The training room was in darkness, but a shaft of light fell on its floor from the weaponry room. I heard mumbled voices before words registered. I slowed down to a stop and frowned.

  “Don’t you think it’s weird she can freeze omnis and cause an electric storm?” Kim asked in a low voice.

  “I think it’s awesome,” Remy answered.

  Kim clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You know I’m right. There’s something not right about her.”

  “Why? Because she beats you at sword fights?” Sykes asked with a laughed.

  “No, she doesn’t.”

  Sykes snickered. “Does too. Even when you cheat. Now cork your envy bottle and leave her alone.”

  “How about you start using your head around her instead of drooling like an idiot?”

  “Bite me.”

  “You wish.”

  Silence followed, and I held my breath. I didn’t know whether to butt in or leave. Eavesdroppers never hear anything good about themselves. Still, I had to know what else about me bugged Kim.

  “Izzy?” Kim asked.

  “I hate to draw conclusions about anyone, but Xenithian records have no entry of an Energy Guardian causing electric storm, let alone a Psi. Not even Cardinal Moira has ever pulled that trick. Again, the records have no entry of a Cardinal who can stop omnis.”

  “The Kris Dagger—”

  “We’re not talking about that,” Izzy cut Remy off. “What are her powers anyway? Energy or psi? What are the chances she can control time, air and earth, too?”

  “Exactly,” Kim said. “I swear she created a vortex of air under me this evening and made me lose my balance.”

  “Was that before or after you did the same thing to her?” Sykes asked.

  I frowned. If I knocked her down, it was an accident. Besides, I couldn’t control air. Or could I?

  “Here’s something for you guys to think about,” Remy cut in, sounding bored. “There’s one other person in the history of our race that had the powers over all elements.”

  Sykes laughed. “Yeah, Xenia. You know what people say. One day, someone with her powers will come back to rid this world of demons. I think she chose well. Lil is tough, but she listens. She’s hardworking but is not afraid to ask for help. Sounds like a leader to me.”

  I shook my head. Sykes didn’t mean that I was—

  “Oh please. Xenia would never choose someone with questionable ancestry as a conduit,” Kim retorted.

  “Uh, you don’t want to go there, Kim,” Izzy warned.

  “Why not? Her Grampa married a gypsy woman and brought the wrath of the CT on his head. Maybe her Grandmother wasn’t a gypsy.”

  Why was she talking about Grandma? My hand fisted, and my breathing quickened. I took a step forward but stopped when Sykes spoke.

  “Everyone knows their marriage was sanctioned, Kim,” he snapped.

  “He’s right,” Izzy added. “If there was something fishy about her, the CT would never have allowed the Cardinal to marry her.”

  “Then why were she and her child forbidden to set foot on Xenith? My mother said Tatiana found out the truth and lost it. She probably joined the other side.”

  My breath caught in my throat. Forbidden? Mom and Grandma? And what did Kim mean by Mom joined the other side? I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

  “Girl, you’re punch drunk from too many swordfights,” Izzy said. “You don’t say such things about a Guardian, Cardinal or Civilian.”

  “It’s true. My mother said she disappeared for years and came back with a baby,” Kim said. “Now that Lil has these extraordinary powers, everyone wants to know who her father is. He can’t be a Guardian or we’d know who he is. And he can’t be human which leaves….” Her voice trailed off when she saw me.

  “What?” I snapped.

  One by one, the others turned to look at me.

  “Lil,” Sykes said and got up. He shot Kim a nasty look, his eyes flashing. Remy wore an apologetic expression even though he had no reason to be sorry. Kim stared at me, red spots on her cheeks while Izzy’s eyes connected with mine then drifted away.

  “He could be what, Kim? And what do you mean by the other side?”

  “What were you doing skulking in the dark?” she shot back.

  “I wasn’t. I came back to get my….” Why was I defending myself to her? I wanted to hurt her, make her take back everything she said. The pressure built behind my eyes, and a ringing started in my ears, but my eyes didn’t leave hers.

  Her eyes narrowed and I felt a sharp pressure in my psyche. No, she just didn’t prod at my psi. I might not have had two years of training like she, but I was a powerful psi. I pushed back. She winced and blinked. I wasn’t sure whether her reaction was caused by surprise or pain.

  “Lil,” Remy warned as though he realized what was going on.

  “What beings on this planet can cause electric storms and control demonic energy balls, Kim?” I yelled.

  She didn’t answer, but a weird expression settled on her face, a cross between defiance and pain. I redirected my rage elsewhere. The sound of breaking glass filled the air as the light bulbs exploded around us, until a solitary light at the farthest end of the room now lit up the silent room.

  “Oh, let me guess. Demons? Is that what my father is?”

  Kim’s face grew redder. I didn’t bother to check what the others were doing, but I heard Izzy say, “Oh crap.”

  I took a deep breath then another. “Wouldn’t that be cool? To have the daughter of a demon training with the mighty Cardinal Guardians.” My voice shook toward the end, and I bit down hard on my lower lip. I glared at her. “Next time you have something to say to me, have the guts to say it to my face.”

  I t
urned to leave the room and stopped. The instructors jammed the doorway. How long had they been standing behind me? Not that I cared. They stepped aside, their expressions hard to read. I grabbed my hoodie and gym bag, left the room with my head held high.

  But the anger stirred inside me like a giant whirlpool. I didn’t know who to direct it at—me for believing I could belong anywhere, or Grampa for keeping more secrets from me. How could he not tell me about Mom and Grandma? And there would be no more evading the topic of my father either. Who was he?

  “Lil, wait up.”

  I glanced back to see Remy and Sykes gaining on me, behind them was Kenta.

  Keep going or stop? Since I couldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing how much Kim’s words had hurt, I slowed down.

  “We apologize for what Kim said,” Remy said. He flanked me on one side while Sykes positioned himself on my other side.

  “There’s no need to. Kim is entitled to her opinion.” There was nothing I could do about my curt voice. It was either keeping my emotions tight or letting it all go. I refused to bawl in front of these guys.

  “We don’t know what’s come over her. She’s never like this,” Remy added.

  They must wear blinders when it came to her. I didn’t hold a grudge against these two, but right now anything to do with Guardians just ticked me off. I walked a little faster. “I’ve got to go.”

  “Can we drive you home?” Sykes asked.

  I pushed strands of hair that had escaped my ponytail away from my face. “No thanks. I’m fine.”

  “We could teleport you home if you like?” Remy asked as we reached the dojo’s foyer.

  I stopped, incensed despite their good intentions. “Listen, I just want to be alone.”

  They nodded, both of them frowning.

  If I spoke again, I would end up crying. I hurried through the entrance of the dojo and raced down three flights of stairs. My anger not lessening with each step and each breath I took. By the time I reached the truck, tremors shook my frame. I yanked the door with more force than necessary and got inside. Gripping the steering wheel, I dropped my head low to rest on it.