Keeper of the Moonlark

Unwanted Attention

All eyes were on Athena. Fitz and Alden's faces were ones of confusion. Sophie looked up at Athena with bated breath, but the councillors eyed her as if she were crazy. Bronte obviously thought she was a liar.

"What do you mean by elementalism?" asked Oralie kindly.

Gripping her skirt nervously, she answered. "I—I can control the elements."

"Oh. Which one?" Alden asked as if he had expected something more like Sophie's extreme telepathy, but was slightly disappointed.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Athena wasn't sure how to answer. Did she just out herself in front of everyone? She knew she was a monster, but it was different to announce it out loud. Her abilities were all to protect Sophie.

Sophie and Athena made eye contact. It was as if it clicked in Sophie's brain before anyone else's, but it took only a moment for Alden to understand the silence.

"How did we not know about such interesting kids?" He mused aloud. "Which ones can you control, Athena?"

"Fire, water, electricity, ice, and wind," Athena whispered.

Bronte's face grew red with anger. "This is impossible."

The mouths of the other two councillors dropped. Athena just wanted to run. She needed to get out of the room. Everyone was staring at her in disbelief excluding Sophie who didn't understand that this was impossible. Which it should be impossible except Athena was an experiment.

"I'm finding it hard to believe," Oralie said.

"Why is it hard to believe?" Kenric asked. His voice was surprisingly warm despite having two huge bombs dropped at this table. "We just saw Sophie show off something that should be impossible for her age. We should have just assumed Athena was an oddity too. Do you mind showing us, Athena?"

"Must I?" Athena's throat was tight. Mr. Forkle was probably going to be so disappointed, but it wasn't like Athena had told anyone anything besides her own powers. Plus, the safeguard he put around her mind would keep all of her knowledge about the black swan's plans and about the moonlark safe.

"It would really help us figure out if you can attend Foxfire." Kenric explained kindly, but his kind voice only made Athena more uncertain.

"What if I just want to go home?" 

Bronte glared at her. "Get on with girl!"

Athena shot a dark look at Bronte, her red eyes piercing. "If you insist."

She decided to get the most taboo one out of the way, pulling the heat from her core to her fingertips. Spreading her fingers, she felt the ball of fire lick gently against her skin. It danced across the palm of her hands. She made sure it looked harmless in order to not be shunned.

The elves watched her in shock. For not having any training in their eyes, Athena was very in control. The flames dispersed as she called on the wind currents in the room, blowing them to and fro, purposely messing up Bronte's hair.

Knowing she had no choice but to continue, Athena swallowed hard as her nerves crawled up her throat. The water in the goblets merged in the air, and she spun them around her head before dropping the temperature, turning them to ice. She dropped them back into the goblets and looked down.

This was for Sophie. Athena tried to convince herself as she tried to ignore the stares. All of the attention was making her sick, and Athena pulled her braid out and redid it to give her hands something to do.

"That was incredible, Athena," said Alden after a long moment of silence. Athena shook her head.

Kenric laughed. "I've never imagined that I would see one person who so naturally talented, but to think I'd see two in one day, it feels a bit like a dream. You two have picked up the languages so well too. It's like you've been speaking it your whole lives."

Sophie looked confused. "I'm sorry?"

The Vackers both jumped into another explanation which Athena didn't care for. Her anxiety clawed at her heart; it felt as if her heart was being ripped out of her chest. It only got worse when they mentioned suldreen. Athena took in a sharp intake as they discussed the horrible coincidence it would be if the first word Sophie spoke was the official name for moonlarks.

"Well, I think I've heard quite enough to make my decision. I vote against both of you, and you will not convince me otherwise."

Relief flooded Athena, but she could see the panic and disappointment in Sophie's eyes.

Kenric shook his head. "You're being absurd, Bronte.  I vote in favor of the two of you, and you will not convince me otherwise."

Both Athena and Sophie held their breaths. If Oralie gave her favor, they would be going to Foxfire, and that was the last thing Athena wanted, but everything Sophie wanted. Everyone turned to Oralie. She was really pretty with soft features. Oralie hadn't spoken in a while, and Athena couldn't read her expression.

"Give me your hands, Sophie."

"Oralie's an empath," Fitz explained. "She can feel your emotions."

Without hesitation, Sophie put her hands in Oralie's. Athena didn't want to do that. She had been hiding her deepest emotions for so long. Not even Mr. Forkle knew. With one touch, Oralie could expose all of the nasty emotions hidden within Athena's heart.

"I feel a lot of fear and confusion, but I've never felt such sincerity. And there's something else... I'm not sure I can describe it." Her voice was calm and soft as she told everyone Sophie's emotions. Athena wanted to vomit. "Sophie has my vote."

It was all Athena could do to not beg for a different option, but she placed her hands in Oralie's warm hands. Sweat pooled in Athena's hands, and her heart leapt into her throat. "Please, don't expose me." Athena's voice was so quiet only Oralie could hear it. Oralie's eyes widened.

"I feel a lot of worry and fear, but also a strong desire to protect." Oralie made eye contact with Athena. Her eyes were Azule and a great sadness for Athena reflected in them as fear mirrored on Athena's. "Athena gets my vote."

"Thank you," Athena mouthed. Oralie nodded, but her face was filled with concern.

Alden clapped his hands and smiled. "Guess that settles it then."

With hollow eyes, Athena sat down, knowing that it wasn't really settled yet. Who would actually accept two powerful and random girls into such a rigid society. Bronte used his old person privilege to force Sophie to be probe. He didn't require anything for Athena, but he would've if he could think of something.

Athena stayed seated in the dining room as Alden led everyone out.

"Athena?" Oralie called her. 

"Yes?" Athena turned her empty eyes towards the councillor.

Oralie opened and closed her mouth. Whatever she had wanted to say couldn't escape her lips so the woman shook her head. "It's nothing." She left without another word, leaving Athena to mope by herself.

"Athena, we're heading to Atlantis. Come with us," Alden said, interrupting her spiraling mental health.