Born Wicked

XXXII

I spend the next week that way. Julian picks me up every morning and we work on my Spiritus abilities. He shows me how to take emotion, mine and from others, and will it into power.

Telekinesis is the easiest. It's very similar to manipulating the elements. You draw in, refocus, will out. Empathy is interesting. I'm not able to alter emotions or anything, maybe one day I will, but for the days we spend working on emotional reading, I can see auras. I only see two, anger and sadness.

There is a spectrum of emotions, colors and light. Georgia tells me, the guide will be in the book as we go through and read it. Julian's not really explaining it, his focus is on control and repressing my power.

After school I train with Ethan. Everyday. He's shown me punches and kicks, now we're on defense. He's showing me various holds and throws. I can flip him over my back onto the floor. I stay in shape for volleyball, but this is different. I feel my muscles hardening. I feel the shape of my arms and legs changing, becoming bigger and more defined.

After dinner, Georgia picks me up for "library trips". We go to her house and practice with the elements. We spend an hour a day deciphering the Codex. It's full of histories and spells, way too advanced for me. She says we're looking for the guides. What makes a hybrid different is that we can use both Spiritus and Tempore magic, but it's deeper than that. There are guides to mixing the powers. The forces behind it all are a natural balance. The main goal of a hybrid is maintaining that balance. Neither one of us knows Latin though. The pace is agonizingly slow.

Other than that, life goes on as usual. The new usual, I suppose. I eat lunch everyday with Julian, Ethan, Tristan and Mike. Shane is furious and stares daggers at me most days, but he stays away which is fine by me. Blythe and the simpering cheerleaders hang with him and the rest of the football team. I'm okay with that too. She doesn't bother me anymore. I guess she got my message loud and clear.

"I know something's going on," Gran says to me after dinner Thursday.

I feign innocence as I ask, "What do you mean?"

"Jay-Lynn," she admonishes on a sigh. "I'm not stupid. You're out every day with that 'study partner' of yours. Julian Cross picks you up every morning and Ethan brings you home every afternoon long after your classes are done. And on practice nights it's even later! And look at you."

I look down at myself. "What about me?"

She glares at me. "You look more confident. Harder. Stronger. And... I can feel the power radiating from you. The energy flows in you smoothly now. It just simmers there, right inside you. You're practicing."

My phone buzzes, it's Georgia. She's outside. "I gotta go," I say in a rush. I jump up from my seat and kiss Gran's cheek. "I'll be a couple hours."

"Jay-Lynn!" Gran says hotly, slamming her palm on the table.

I pause, my hand on the swinging door, and stare at her, eyes wide in shock. Gran never yells.

"I'm learning control," I tell her softly.

"It's dangerous," she hisses, horrified.

"More dangerous than starting a fire that killed my parents?" I ask coldly. "I'm dangerous without it. I need to know this stuff."

She cringes and I feel like shit. I hate hurting her, she's the only family I have, but this isn't up for debate. Without another word, I march out of the kitchen and out into the cold mid-October night. There are Halloween decorations over every inch of Salem. You'd think it was Christmas the way the houses and streets are garishly decorated.