Arden
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"You can do more?" Levi asks shocked. "I guess that makes sense when both of your parents have powers. That's how it worked with Carter and Will."
"What do you mean?" I ask curiously. "I have other power."
"Every kid takes powers from their parents. That's why all kids have similar powers to their mom or dad. But if both parents have powers, you can take some from both of them." Carter explains.
I look at them confused. Why are they acting like this is the most common thing? My dad has never told me that.
"But I don't have any other powers."
"Maybe you just don't know yet." Will says.
"What's your other power Will?" I asking looking his way.
"Nothing that will entertain your curiosity Arden." He says with a small smirk. I've heard stories about his family. There's a reason they're the ones in powers. So, I'm guessing that it will be something that peaks my interest.
"I bet you're being modest."
"Oh, he is." Levi chimes in.
I turn and look at William again. "So, you can read people's mind? Are you super fast, or can you fly?" I ask curiously.
"Nope."
"Come on, tell me already."
"I can't really explain it." He sighs are starts to speak. "Feeling people's emotions, isn't my only power." Huh? "It stems from it."
"Like a branch?" I ask, kind of understanding.
He laughs, "Sure."
"What does it branch from?"
"I, like they said, come from two parents that have their own set of unique abilities. Meaning, I have two sets of powers, sort of." Can he get to the point already? "One, is that I can manipulate heat, that can turn into fire."
He lifts up his hand. And like I can do with my sparks, he can do with his fire. I stare at the small flames that dance in his hand. "Pretty." I say without thinking. This earns laughs from the people at the table and a small chuckle from Will.
"Pretty until it burns the whole gym down." Levi laughs.
"There's a gym here?" I ask. That's strange, Levi didn't show me it when we were walking around.
"Was," Carter adds. "Until he burnt it down." He points his finger at Will.
I smirk at that. "Wow Will, aren't you the little rebel."
He rolls his eyes, "It happened when I was eleven and I was just learning how to control it. Clearly, I wasn't that good."
"Go on, what else can you can do." I was right, his powers definitely did peak my interest.
"That's just one thing I can do with heat. With the fire, I can make walls of it, throw it, a lot of stuff. But I can also raise people's body temperature."
"You can burn them to death from the inside." I say astonished.
"I don't use my powers to kill." He quickly says. Interesting.
"Those powers by themselves seem unfair." I point out. "And you still have the whole other thing?"
"If you thought that one was cool, just wait until you hear this." Lily says.
I look at him expectedly, waiting for him to start explaining. He rolls his eyes and continues. "This one has to do with my ability to read other people's emotions. It's even more complicated to explain."
I look at him waiting. Levi rolls his eyes and starts to talk. "You don't know how to get to the point, I'll explain." I nod eagerly at him. "So, it's so cool actually..."
"Levi, just explain." Lily interrupts.
"Fine, fine. So his power, as I like to call it, is manipulation." Manipulation? "It's all about getting into people's head. For example, the feelings thing. He can get into your head, and know what you're feeling. But he can also do more. He can send images in your head, make you think stuff. Or even, he can put images in your eyes, make you think you're seeing thing."
My mouth is slightly open in astonishment. "That's..."
"So cool, right?" Levi says.
"So unfair, what the hell. I feel like that shouldn't even be allowed." It shouldn't, like how is that even possible?
"Well, that's just how it is. Everyone gets a little something from each parent."
"Wow." I simply say, not knowing what else to.
"I don't use it though." Will says. "Those powers are nothing but evil. So I don't like to use them."
"You didn't know that?" Lily changes the subject. "That everyone gets something from both parents?"
"No."
"Did you not go to school?" Lily throws a piece of bread at her brother.
"You're so rude." She scolds him.
"I was homeschooled."
"By who?" Both twins ask at the same time.
"My dad."
"Your dad was your teacher?" Carter asks shocked.
"Yes, a lot of people's parents home school them." I say.
"Yea, but most parents aren't..." Levi is cut off by another piece of bread hitting his face. "Oww." He rubs his forehead.
"A killer?" I finish for him.
He looks up stunned, probably not thinking I would say that. And somewhat embarrassed. "What, no I wasn't going to say that."
"Murderer, bad guy, criminal, convict, rebel, villain?" I guess. "You told me you weren't a liar, so don't start now."
He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I was going to use the word criminal." He sighs.
"Levi!" This time, lily threw the whole piece of bread.
"What?" He raises his hands. "I told her I wouldn't lie to her."
I know I should be angry at that comment. But, it's nice to know that I can trust him. Well, not trust him but know he won't lie.
I look back and forth between the twins. They have such a strange relationship. I wonder what I would be like with my sister, or any sibling at all.
It's weird. I'm not sad she's dead. I don't even remember her. But I feel like it would be nice having a sibling. Having someone to talk growing up would have been nice.
I had my father, but he wasn't very much a conversationalist. He loved to talk about his abilities, my lack of, the devious plans he had for the weekend, the war. Not about how I was doing, or feeling. No one gets to pick their dad, so I can't complain.
I sigh at that, the war. It's been on for the past fifteen years. The reason the world when to shit.
Started by, unsurprisingly, my father. My father is, well...
Let's say power driven. Maybe even power hungry. He used to be close friends with the king, could even say they were best friends. He was the trusted lead general for his army.
I don't know why my dad changed. He used to be good. But he told me this. One day, he woke up with a hunger.
He wanted to take over the kingdom. And he did, at least part of it. And now the once big powerful kingdom, has a piece of it cut off. Just a small one though, controlled by my father.
He doesn't call himself the king though, some people do though. Say that Will's father is the false king, and my father is meant to be on the thrown. Those things are said by my father's people. Some people even say I'm a princess. Meaning, I have a reason for my highly opinionated thoughts.
I'm interrupted by my thoughts, by the boy who seems to love asking questions. "What did you even learn?" Levi asks.
"I don't know, just normal stuff."
"Like?"
"Reading, writing, math, fighting." I say with a yawn. I'm getting tired of this conversation.
"He taught his daughter fighting over history?" Carter asks. I loved learning how to fight with my dad. You could say it was one of our father daughter bonding activities.
"My father used to say, there's always something that can make you powerless. Because everyone has a weakness. So you'll need to learn to fight without them." I tell them. I'm shocked when I see them all nodding and agreeing.
"That's why we have combat training here." Lily smiles.
"Yup, there's always something that can take away someone's abilities." Levi gives a boyish grin, then points to himself. "Like this guy."
"Or whatever this stupid bracelet is." I say lifting my wrist.
"Do you seriously not know what it is?" Carter asks.
"She didn't take history, remember?" Levi says giving him a face that says isn't that obvious.
"Isn't history today?" Lily asks looking at Will. Him, looking bored as always, nods. How convenient. "Well, you should go today Arden!"
"No, that's fine." I say, hoping she doesn't push it. I didn't like normal class with my dad, so I don't think I'd like one with an old boring teacher either.
"I think that's a good idea." Will says coyly, clearly sensing my distaste for the idea.
I hope you can sense this imaginary finger I'm throwing your way William.
I groan. I hate this guy and even more, I hate class.
"No." I simply say.
"Oh come on." Lily smiles. "I think you'll like it, the teacher super hot." My ears perk at that. I mean, I don't mind staring at a hot man for an hour. Beats staring at my bedroom wall.
"Ok, fine."
"Perfect."
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