The Empaths (Book one in The Empaths series)

Chapter Eight

"Focus, Lucy."

Scarlett sat across from Lucy and Jared at their dining room table, a bowl of half-dead flowers sitting in front of each of them.

"You just need to focus. Think about how your body feels and find the power within you. Feel it run through your veins and project it toward the bowl of flowers. Allow your power to travel through each stem and petal and bring them back to life."

Lucy was staring at the bowl of flowers, all the while thinking, this is utterly ridiculous. She was trying to find the power within herself, but she was failing miserably. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her face and she could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"Breathe. Lucy, you need to breathe," Scarlett prompted.

Lucy suddenly took in a shuddering breath.

"Okay, stop for a moment," Scarlett said, reaching across the table to take Lucy's hand in hers. "You're trying way too hard."

Lucy looked over at Scarlett, defeated. "Isn't that kind of the point?" she said, wiping the sweat from her face with her free hand.

Scarlett shook her head. "Trying too hard will only wear you out quicker. You need to breathe." She took a deep breath in, closed her eyes for a second, then as she opened them, she let go of the breath and one of the flowers slowly sprang back to life. "Just like that."

"Oh, right. Silly me," Lucy snapped, frustrated.

Next to her, Jared laughed. "You're so impatient."

"Shut up, Jared."

"Enough of that. Both of you," Scarlett intervened. "Now, Lucy, focus."

Lucy glared at her brother one last time before turning back to the bowl of flowers.

"Clear your mind of everything," Scarlett continued, "and focus only on drawing power from within yourself. Take a deep breath in and close your eyes."

Lucy did just that. She took a deep breath and concentrated on clearing her mind and finding that ball of power, hidden somewhere deep within her.

Suddenly, she was in a dark room, empty of any contents, except for a small table with a candle sitting on top. A tiny flame flickering away.

The source of her power. It had to be.

As she released her breath, she kept her eyes closed, focusing on the candle burning in the dark room.

Taking another deep breath in, she watched as the flame grew higher.

"I've found it," she whispered.

Scarlett froze, allowing Lucy to concentrate, afraid to distract her.

Lucy slowly opened her eyes and focused all of her energy on the bowl of flowers in front of her. She took another breath, this time, she could feel the pulse of power flowing through her body. Releasing her breath, she focused that flow in the direction of the flowers, willing them to come to life.

Scarlett watched on, excitement building as the flowers in the bowl slowly lifted, colour filling each petal as they unfolded.

"You did it," Scarlett whispered. "You did it!"

Lucy finished releasing her breath, watching as the last of the flowers sprang up merrily to join the others, before tearing her eyes away to look across at Scarlett. "I did it," she repeated, breathlessly.

Jared reached over and squeezed her against him. "Well done, Lucy. That was awesome."

"Alright Jared, your turn," Scarlett said, to which Jared suddenly looked terrified.