Ruled by Fire

Life

"Hey, Leah, are you sure you're okay?" my thoughtful half-brother Kenny asked over the phone. His voice had that edge of concern I'd grown used to, the kind that made it hard to lie convincingly.

"Yes, Kenny, I'm fine," I said, keeping my tone light. "Tell our little brother hi for me."

I could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, "He wanted me to tell you to call him later—around four. I told him you're probably busy, but I know it would mean a lot to him if you did."

"Of course," I said without hesitation. "It just so happens I'm free around four." It was a lie, of course. My schedule was already packed, but how could I say no? Levi rarely asked for anything, and I couldn't remember the last time he specifically wanted to talk to me.

"Great! I'll tell him!" Kenny practically yelled, his enthusiasm breaking through the receiver.

"Okay, I've got to go. Talk to you later!"

"Alright, sis. See you later."

And just like that, he hung up.

The moment the line went dead, a hollow ache settled in my chest. I missed them—my brothers, my family, my home. As much as I loved them, living so far away was necessary. It was safer for everyone, no matter how much it hurt. Shaking my head, I tried to push the feelings down, but the tears were already spilling over. Why was I crying? I was stronger than this. I had to be stronger. But the harder I tried to hold it together, the worse it got. My emotions knotted up inside me, frustration, longing, and sadness twisting into a tight ball I couldn't untangle. I clenched my fists. I needed to throw something, anything—just to release the pressure.

And then, it happened.

Everything in the room began to float. Books, pillows, pens, and even the lamp on my bedside table—all of it rose toward the ceiling. The objects hovered there, perfectly still, as though an invisible hand were holding them in place. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, carefully, I let everything settle back down. No matter how hard I tried to keep my powers in check, sometimes they slipped out. It wasn't often, but when it happened, it was like a part of me I couldn't control was screaming to be free.

A knock at the door snapped me back to reality.

I needed to be more careful.

Taking another deep breath, I focused on calming myself down. The last thing I needed was to accidentally throw whoever was at the door. When I finally opened it, a group of girls stood there—with skinny dogs.

"Uh, hi?" I said awkwardly, glancing from one girl to the next.

"Hello!" one of them said brightly. "I'm Jamie, and I'm part of the Greyhound Adoption Area. We were wondering if you'd be interested in adopting an ex-racing greyhound?"

"Really?! I mean, I don't see you as a pet person," Levi said, disbelief clear in his voice.

"I'm not," I admitted. "But this dog...he just looked at me. And there are so many cool things about the breed. I just...I don't know anymore."

Levi laughed. "Well, I'm happy for you. What are you going to name him?"

I glanced down at the brindle-colored greyhound lying at my feet.

"Jack," I said without thinking.

It surprised me how natural it felt—like the name had come from somewhere deep inside me.

"Hey, that's my girlfriend's name!" Levi said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Well, not exactly—her name's Jacqueline, but everyone calls her Jack."

"You have a girlfriend?" I asked, feeling a bit stupid for not knowing.