The Pyramid Chronicles: Fortuna Guard (#2) [MOVING JUNE 30]

Chapter One: Fire and Water

"Yeah, I guess." Adam glanced back. "Hey, can you use telekinesis to control everything we can control?"

"I don't think so," Sam replied. "I tried controlling water once, but I couldn't keep a hold of it. And I definitely can't pull it from the air or turn it to ice."

"But you can throw around rocks and metal," Veronica pointed out.

Sam thought for a moment. "I think even with solid objects, my power works differently. I can throw metal objects around, but I don't think I can manipulate metal itself as easily as Seth can," he said. "Like, crumpling a soda can would be harder for me to do."

Well, even if he couldn't do everything the other altered could do, his power was a lot more versatile. Eric had to admit he was a little jealous.

"And I'm sure fire and electricity are out of the question," Sam continued. "Since they aren't physical objects."

Electricity.

Eric lifted his hand and studied his palm. It had been weeks since he'd last watched electricity run across his skin. The first time, when it happened on accident, he'd hardly been able to believe it. But after a few days, he'd dared to try again, and lightning had appeared between his fingers.

He was terrible at it, to be honest. Unlike his fire, the electricity always fizzled out after a few seconds. It was hard to get out anything more than sparks. Maybe that was why he hadn't told the others yet. What was the point of a second power if he was embarrassingly bad at using it?

Or maybe it was because of Summer. The Newmans insisted she was recovering just fine and would be out of the medical wing any day now, but Eric and the others had barely seen her since they'd stepped onto the Fortuna. The fact that Eric's electrokinesis had manifested right after the fight—right after she'd been shot—felt like more than a coincidence.

He'd tell them eventually. But with everything else going on, the last thing they needed was another mystery to deal with.

"Let's maybe tone down the superpower conversation," Veronica said. "Looks like we're here."

They entered the hotel lobby, and Eric instantly felt out of place. Everything from the furniture to the paintings to the people looked expensive.

"They're not just going to tell us what room some random family is staying in," Veronica muttered.

"Maybe I can find them," Sam suggested.

"Find someone you've never met in a building with hundreds of people?"

Adam's gaze flickered to the front desk. "The receptionist is giving us a weird look," he whispered. "We need to do something."

"Let's just start walking," Eric suggested. "If we act casual, they won't question us." Hopefully.

"I'll see if I can find her," Sam added as the group walked toward the elevators.

"How are you going to do that, exactly?" Veronica asked. "Telekinetically or telepathically?"

"I won't be able to read everyone's minds and find her name, or anything like that," Sam said. "But I remembered in that picture she posted, she had a bike she brought with her from Tyche Point. I bet I can scan the building and see if I can sense the bike in one of the rooms."

Sam had done similar exercises on the ship, telekinetically searching for things he couldn't see. It was supposed to help him lead them through buildings where they'd need to avoid guards, but Eric didn't see why he couldn't use it to find an object instead.

"And you think you can search the whole building without getting a headache?" Veronica pressed.

"I'll be fine." After a moment, Sam added, "It will be easier for me to search if we take the stairs, though. The elevator will move too fast."