Shards: Book One of the Anderian Series

The Druid

Jay was a very odd name for a druid. I'd expect something like Flower or Willow or Rowan. Jay was the name of frat guys who peaked in college. It made sense then that Jay also didn't resemble a druid. From his name brand sneakers to his Rolex to his highlighted hair, he looked more like he was a trust fund kid playing at being an adult.

He lounged on the chair in front of the fireplace no one had bothered to light. As a result, a chill lingered in the room, making me reconsider running back upstairs to hunt for the hoodie. Jac, sitting across from the druid, noticed my slight shiver, and he jumped up at once, tugging off his own jacket and handing it to me.

"I'm not cold," I lied as I selected a seat on the couch that put me as far away from my former partner as possible.

A glimmer of hurt pulsed through Jac's hazel eyes, but he recovered quickly, hiding it behind a bland expression as he returned to his chair. Kay gave me a subtle nod of approval. Tiffany's smirk was anything but subtle, and I wondered if I could get away with punching her again? Probably not.

"So, this is the newest Shard Keeper," Jay said. His voice was rough and booming and completely at odds with his appearance. I wondered if he delighted in being a contradiction.

"Newest and last in line at the moment." I replied, hoping we were all in agreement on how dire this situation was.

He leaned forward and draped his forearms over his legs, his short, blunt fingers curling beneath his muscular thighs as he studied me. No one spoke. The silence stretched on for at least five minutes until his hands moved to his knees and he leaned back in his chair.

"I hate to be cliche." I squirmed beneath his gaze. "But a picture lasts longer."

"Ah, but it doesn't capture everything." Golden lashes swept over his cheeks as he glanced down at the hands I folded over my lap. "Are those gloves for looks or function?"

"You don't think it goes with my outfit?" I wiggled my fingers in front of my face.

"Bria," Jac said.

"Function. I'm..." Why was I struggling to explain my ability to this man? The supernatural world was his home, and I'm sure he'd heard of odder things than this. "I'm sensitive to energies in objects. If I touch them with my bare hands, I can see the past. I call them echoes."

Jay's expression became bland. The teasing gleam in his black eyes disappeared. "Can you control it? So you don't have to wear those?"

"I can, but it requires a lot of concentration, and if the echo is strong, it can overwhelm me. This is just easier."

The druid nodded. "Is this an ability from your mother?"

"I don't know." Everyone watched me, unapologetically curious. Even Jac who knew I was an orphan, paid rapt attention. "As we found out last night, my father is dead, and one or both of my parents left me on the steps of a fire station when I was just a few days old."

"Is this is an ability you've heard of before?" Kay asked.

Jay licked his lips. "Retrocognition is not an entirely unheard of ability, but I've never heard of it manifesting like this before. Typically, it comes in visions just like a precognition. It makes me wonder..."

He trailed off, and I leaned forward, desperate to hear even if it was just his musings. Not once during all my research had anyone given me anything helpful.

"Yes," I pushed when it seemed as if we'd lost him inside his mind.

He came back to us slowly, a golden ring pulsing around his irises. "Sorry."