"Try again! Have you even been practicing or are you too busy making out with Harrington to keep up with your lies?" Mason questioned angrily as another gust of wind blew Lilly back into the bushes. She sat up quickly only for another gust of wind to blow her into a backwards summersault deeper into the brush.
Every night since she returned home from the Thanksgiving weekend her and Mason were out by the pond practicing using the air affinity, something she was terrible at. That night was particularily cold as the temperature was close to freezing and the wind was strong. She was out on the grounds with a took, mittens and her winter coat while Mason was in his leather jacket
Lilly sat up and tried to get a grip on the air around her, feel the wind through her hair and body. Before she had a firm hold she was pulled into the air and dropped back to the ground with a hard thud. She let out a frustrated growl, "How am I suppose to learn if you suck at teaching?"
He shrugged, "Be a better student."
"I can't be a better student if you don't give good advice! All you've done is attack me over and over again! I don't know how to do anything to defend myself!"
Without another word another wave of attack came at her and she was pushed back to the ground, not as hard as previous strikes from Mason but it was still frustrating. "You know what your problem is?" He asked, before Lilly could open her mouth he answered his own question, "You take too long to reciprocate. In the tune it takes you to focus, feel the power and use it it's too late."
"So how do I get faster."
Another gust of freezing wind from the icy air around them and she was on her back, again. "Practice."
After letting out an extreamly angry growl Lilly climbed to her feet and used her own ability, water, to send a counter attack at Mason. He was a second too late realizing a splash from the icy lake was decending on him and when it was over he was soaking from head to food standing in the middle of the clearing shivering.
Lilly, proud of herself stood up straight and smiled, "Too long to reciprocate?"
Mason shook the hair out of his face, and really he should be getting it cut, Lilly thought as his dark hair began to curl at the ends, in the summer it was the perfect mix of short and flow.
Mason, who was beyond pissed, glared at her from across the clearing. "It's fu-fucking co-old." He shivered, slowly his arms folded around his body and he held himself as though that would help him keep warm.
Lilly shrugged, "Maybe you should be nicer to me when we're training together."
He smiled, "That wou-would take all the fu-fun out of it."
So playing games and being nasty was fun to him, unless it was third grade all over again and this was his way of flirting, unlikely. Lilly, now feeling bad for soaking Mason from head to foot, sighed and walked over to him picking up some logs from the ground. "Do you have a lighter?" She asked without looking at him, but holding up her hand to him expectantly.
The small plastic lighter was placed into her hand and she tried to use it to start a small fire but the water ruined it. Frustrated she handed it back to Mason and stood up. "Well that was-" She didn't finish her sentence, she was flying off her feet and landing a good fifteen feet away from where he was standing. Dazed and confused she looked at her new surroundings and frowned.
Mason was stepping closer now, though clearly his rage was making him forget how cold he was. "How about this." No more stutter, "We battle this anger out then call it a night."
She thought about it for a moment, though she was skilled in manipulating and using her ability Lilly was no where near as good as Mason who had been practicing since he was a child. But what choice did she have? If she said no he would call her a coward and it was something else he would have hanging over her head, but if she said yes at least she would have a chance to beat him.
With a quick smirk she was on her feet with the pond at her finger tips. Mason blew a gust of wind that was so cold she thought her bones froze. She shook off the feeling of death and sent a wave from the pond onto the ground where he was standing, knocking him off his feet. While he was down another wave pounded down on him.
Mason's hand rose and the water splattered everywhere, droplets flying as far as Lilly. He quickly jumped to his feet and used his ability to send water droplets at her, though Lilly created a shield and the droplets stood no match against the almost waterfall like wall.
"Is that all you can do?" She taunted him when the wall fell in front of her, soaking her socks, "This isn't a challenge, Mason. Even I am under whelmed."
He smirked and stepped to the side, "I could go full force on you but I don't want to hurt you."
She laughed and threw her head back, "Yeah right. Since the moment I got here you have wanted to throw me down the stairs or run me over with your car."
For a moment she thought Mason looked taken a back, his eye brow raised ever so slightly and he almost looked hurt-? that she had said that to him. He bounced back quickly from the jab and re focused. Lilly felt the air around her become fierce, Mason was trying to blow her away again.
This time she wasn't going to let him. She raised her arms as though she was blocking the air from hitting her. The pressure become more intense but somehow she stood her ground. She had her eyes closed and had no idea what was going on around her but when it felt like she was about to lose her control she let out a cry and pushed the air forward with a great burst.
Mason let out a yelp that was followed by a splash. Lilly opened her eyes to see Mason swimming back to the shore. She ran over to the side of the pond and separated the water around him so a path in the murky three foot deep waters was clear and he could walk to shore.
"Thanks." He mumbled when he got to the beach, soaking and probably miserbale. "When did you get the Moses capabilities?" At her qustioning look he explained, "Parting the water, like parting the red sea?"
"Oh. I don't know just lately I have had really good control over my affinity."
He nodded his head, "Well this was fun but it's almost two we should-" He stopped mid sentence and put his arm out in front of Lilly to get her to stop talking. Without warning the arm wrapped around her torso and she was pulled behind him. "Someone's in the bushes." He whispered.
Lilly frowned, it had to be someone from the school as she may have been the one to be attacking people...probably was the one. She wanted to say something to Mason to calm him down but then she saw it, a shadowed figure in the bushes.
Her heart stopped in her chest. Was there actually someone else on the ground committing these murders and somehow blaming her? Could she really be innocent like Hailey had been saying for the last few weeks?
Mason pushed a gust of air at the bushed and the shadowed figure let out of feminine cry as she landed hard on the ground with a painful thud. Mason was quick on his feet to investigate, Lilly was hot on his heels.
When she caught up to him she saw who had been watching, cargo pants, a ghastly orange winter jacket, dreadlocks. Pepper Fells had been spying on them from the bushes. Shocked and confused, Lilly wondered how long the other girl had been there, what had she seen?
"Spying again, Pepper?" Mason asked in a low voice.
Pepper, who was still lying on the ground, frowned and climbed to her feet throwing her braided hair out of her face. "Spying on murderers!"
Mason took a step closer, "Really, Pepper? You think someone from Willow Creek is capable of murder?"
The girl was tough Lilly had to give her that. Even with Mason in her face she was standing her ground. "Who else could it be? It's no one from my Coven-"
Mason rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah because your Coven is so great-"
"It will be once it gets its new member." Pepper turned to Lilly and smiled, "Talents like yours shouldn't be hidden in Willow Creek, or Boston for that matter. Cambridge is a fantastic Coven filled with rich history. Some of the most powerful icons from the Salem Witch Trials fled to Cambridge and now their relatives share powers with me." She reached out to touch Lilly but Mason stepped in front, "Fine then Mr. Avery, we'll see what happens in the next few days." Pepper backed up into the bushes and though Mason was right behind her the girl seemed to disappear into thin air.
Lilly, who suddenly felt very cold and in a lot of danger looked around before her eyes settled back on Mason. "What just happened?"
"Your secret is out." He rubbed his hand down his face and sighed, "We have to get back to the school." He lead her back up the path and towards the school, taking back passages and stairways. Once in her room and in her warm pajamas, Lilly fell asleep instantly and even ignored her phone which began to buzz.
"Lilly! Lilly!" She turned to the faint voice calling her name, Denise Glass was running through the halls at the full sprint pretty much knocking smaller students to the ground. When she had caught up with Lilly she placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You know what I don't think we have ever spoken. Weird, right?"
"Um-"
"But really it doesn't matter." She shook her golden mane of hair and smiled, "You have been keeping a secret from everyone and really, that's not cool but I do have a proposition for you. You live in Boston?" Lilly nodded, "How would you like to join my Coven and live and practice in your home city?"
Lilly frowned and pushed open the doors to the dining hall, "Um ideally I don't want to practice, but uh, I can't just join your Coven...Sage has to-"
Denise waved her hand for Lilly to stop talking, "Yes, yes I know, I know. Sage and I have to come to an agreement and trade for your to join blah, blah, blah. Look." She grabbed Lilly and pushed her into the corner so that no one could hear them talking, "I have fifteen people in my Coven. Fifteen! Five of each element, we are perfectly rounded except for water."
So Pepper did see and the girl had been busy with the gossip. Lilly straightened her back and frowned at Denise. "I don't want to join your Coven, Denise."
The other girl smiled in a sinister sort of way, as though she had many tricked up her sleeve that Lilly was going to have to dodge. "Our members may not have ancient ties to old families but we are the strongest. We can offer you power beyond anything you know."
Lilly nodded her head and stepped away from Denise, slightly frightened and a little concerned about who else had heard about her ability. She told Denise she would think about the offer and backed out of the dining hall so she could run to her room and hide.
Sage had warned her about this, if the nature of her true ability got out. Coven's trade members in order to round out their abilities and have a variety of each. Water affinity was said to be extinct, but of course Lilly somehow was able to control the water around her.
She reached the third floor of the school when two girls stepped out of the bathroom and pulled her inside. Before she could let out a scream one of them had their hand over her mouth while the other was saying conforting words. Supposedly conforting words.
"Calm down we're not going to hurt you." The girl in front of her said, "I'm Kelly I'm with the Cambridge Coven, Elizabeth is behind you, she's going to let go." Kelly nodded once and the hand over Lilly's mouth loosened. "Better?"
Lilly stepped away from the girls, though Elizabeth, who was as tall as a basketball player, was blocking the exit. "Look if this is some sort of threat for me to join your Coven I don't want to hear it. Snatching me into the bathroom and not letting me leave doesn't exactly make me want to spend my summers and free time with you..."
Kelly, who was the size of even a small cheerleader, shrugged, "Our methods are what we know. And you should consider joining the Cambridge Coven. We have a very-"
"Rich history of ancient Salem families, yeah I know. Pepper told me." Lilly looked around as though the leader of that Coven was about to step out from one of the stalls, "Where is she anyway? Shouldn't she be stalking me?"
Kelly looked to Elizabeth for a moment before nodding her head, "She doesn't feel well today."
Because the girl was outside in the death of night spying on people. Just like she did with Denise, Lilly tried to make herself as large as possible in order to intimidate the other girls. Though as large as Elizabeth was the task was useless. "Look I am happy where I am and don't like being pulled into bathroom so I can hear about why I should join your Coven. I'm not going anywhere-"
"We are prepared to offer great funds-"
Tempting, "I don't want your money." Lilly turned to Elizabeth who was still standing by the door and marched up to the girl, "Move or I will move you."
The girl stepped aside gracefully but not before grabbing Lilly's arm and holding her back, "The necklace, where did you get it?"She asked.
Lilly grabbed the chain around her neck with the ring from the carnival hanging off it. "It was a gift from someone." One of the carnies gave it to her when she and Amie walked by, "It's nothing special."
Elizabeth nodded her head and let go of Lilly's arm. Quickly Lilly left the bathroom and made it all the way back to her room with only a few more Coven members asking her if she could talk to them. Slamming her door she leaned against the thick wood and sighed.
"Tough day?" Jake asked, he was sitting on Hailey's bed, Lilly could hear the shower running in the bathroom, "You look as frazzled as Hailey, I don't know what's gotten into her lately but she's really distracted."
Lilly's stomach turned, "She's been doing a lot of homework lately I guess." She hated lying to Jake, mainly because he always knew when she was lying. "Um I think we have a serious problem on our hands, Jakey."
Before he could ask there was a harsh knock on the door. Lilly groaned at the thought of who it could be but when she looked out the peep hole it was Ace standing there. Alone.
She threw open the doors and crashed into him seeking comfort, "Oh my god I have had the most stressful morning." She noticed that he wasn't hugging her back, his arms were around her but lightly. She frowned and looked up to his face, "Are you ok?"
He stepped away from her, "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked softly.
She gulped and decided to play it dumb, "Tell you what?"
"That your affinity is water!"
"Oh, that little insignificant detail." She heard Jake make a yelping noise from inside the room but before her friend could ask any questions she slammed the door so she and Ace could talk without Jake listening. "Look I was told not to tell anything in case-"
"Other Covens wanted you to join them."
She nodded, "Exactly. I've already been bombarded by-"
"Lil." Her heart skipped a beat at his nickname for her, "Join the Salem Coven." He wrapped his arms around her, "It's where the Essex family first came into power and it is where you can master your skills to be on par with them."