Different.

Chapter 21: Welcome to the club

With that, the forest was gone again in a single blink.

A shiver passed through my body as I felt the last of Santiago's weird ability leave my mind. It was cool, and probably useful, but still creepy.

He must be pretty powerful to be able to show all seven of us an image all at once. And I wonder how the moving thing works if he clearly isn't there?

"Kaylee!" Akashana barked suddenly, startling me out of my speculative thoughts. "If it's not too much trouble, do you mind letting go of the table now? I'd rather you didn't ruin it. It was a gift."

I hadn't even realized I was clutching onto the wood as hard as I was until she spoke up, and I yanked my hands away like I had just touched a hot stove. If I had used my shifting accidentally, I might've really ruined her table, and then I would've never heard the end of it.

"Sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed that everyone was staring at me like I was loony.

"As I was saying," Akshana dismissed me and looked back to the rest of the group. "does anyone have any questions?"

Two of the other teens raised their hands at the same time, looked at each other, and then the boy put his hand down.

"Hazel?" Akshana slunk gracefully back into her chair, twirling a lock of her hair in her fingers and looking patiently at the girl.

"Haden and I were wondering, what exactly are we supposed to do when we get there? What's our..."

"...Goal. Objective." The boy-Haden-finished for her.

"Use whatever means necessary to clear everything out of there. Of course, you can try to figure out what they're planning in the process. But this is Zee-Ezekiel." Akshana paused, closing her eyes tightly and rubbing her forehead with her fingers. "This is Ezekiel we're talking about. He's not just going to have a piece of paper lying around entitled 'master plan'. If you find something, you do. If not, I want it all gone. I don't care how so long as no one dies. Anything else?"

Hazel raised her hand again, and Akshana smiled slightly. "Yes Hazel?"

"She wants to know if those of us whose abilities aren't aggressors are going to get weapons." Haden answered for her.

"Of course. You'll all be getting weapons. Asher will see to that. She'll decide which ones each of you get based on your training. Is that all?"

When no one spoke up, she continued on to say, "Alright, well then, seeing as you've all been assigned work like this before, make sure you tell Kaylee the ins and outs. Santiago and I will leave you to get more acquainted."

Santiago followed Akshana noiselessly out the door, which shut behind them with a click. And then it was just the seven of us.

The first to start the introductions was, surprise surprise, Jenna, who hadn't said anything during the whole presentation. She probably got antsy after being quiet for such a long period of time.

"Okay, well hi everyone! I'm Jenna, I'm from the main village, and I'm a spell binder."

"What does she mean main village?" I whispered, leaning over to Adam while she rambled on more intro jabber.

"Valerod is big, so it's set up in four sort of housing sections. The primary village is the one you saw when you first came here, mostly people who are younger or have smaller families live there. The main village is the biggest one and it's where a majority of the people live if they have a huge family. The inner village is where we are now, and only the people who are directly involved with Akshana live here, but everyone is allowed here. The outer village is basically where people who are old, sick or outcast live."