Ethan Sutcliff seems like a normal seventeen-year-old-at least that's what he's trying to portray. In a secret society run by the Supernaturals, Ethan is what witches call a Bender. Benders are Witches' Guardians, who are able to control a witches'...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
JEFF
Awe filled me as I watched Ethan playing in the garden. Though only ten years old and scrawny, he was... a wonder.
The farm was the safest place for him. A few miles from the city and its prying eyes. Less danger here.
His hands lightly stroked the rosebushes as he walked past them.
It wasn't time for them to bloom yet, but at Ethan's tender touch, pink and white rosebuds opened and expanded into the most beautiful roses I'd ever seen.
"Ethan," I called from the porch, warning in my tone.
His blond head snapped toward me. He pulled his hand to his chest. "Sorry, Dad."
"Be careful." I spoke as if he was pulling the cat's tail—not lending nature a hand.
With one flutter of the newspaper, I pretended to return to reading. After a few seconds scowling at the small black letters, I peeked over the top of the page and stared back at Ethan.
Natalie his mother, never let him explore. She worried about the others. That they would see.
Ethan walked over to the willow sapling Natalie had planted a few weeks ago. It wasn't tall; the top barely reached Ethan's waistline. He stumbled and fell with hands first—diving right into the willow.
It started to grow... and grow. In a matter of seconds, it was a full-grown tree. Slender, silver-green leaves swayed in the lazy breeze.
The newspaper fluttered as I set it aside and stood, mouth agape. Not many could do that at his age.
Surprise galloped on the heels of awe, followed by a dash of fear—okay, more than a dash— as Ethan stood and brushed himself off.
So this was what Natalie felt most of the time
My eyes darted this way and that. What if anyone saw?
Everything was exactly as it had been a few moments ago, except for the mature willow in the middle of the yard, its graceful branches lazily stroking the earth. A few cows grazed serenely in the green pasture. The chickens clucked in their pen. The ginger tomcat lay on the opposite chair to mine.
Behind me, the door opened. Natalie gasped. She smacked my shoulder with a dish cloth—hard. I scrambled back from her wrath.
"I told you to watch him!" she hissed. She ran down the steps with huge eyes and long strides. She reached him and crouched down in front of him, almost pulling the boy down with her, scowling.
Rubbing my shoulder, I watched the expression on my son's face. He hadn't meant to do it. It was an accident. Ethan never asked to be born into our family of Benders.
Ever since he got a taste of his element, well, he'd just been so damn curious.
He would need to find his match: an earth Wielder.
