Everything Upside Down

S E V E N: The Pyrokinetic

Sophie Foster.

I never thought the Black Swan could do it. But most likely it had been a surprise to them too. I smiled at the thought of the Moonlark becoming exactly what they feared.

I let the group watch me intently from the other side of my cell. Let them watch, I needed a moment to think.

Who's to say she would even train will me? But then I remembered how scared I was when I manifested.

I would have killed for a mentor.

Instead, I killed without one.

But I couldn't help it as a laugh escaped my freezing, cracked lips. They watched me, disgusted at my odd choice of a reaction. I wiped my eyes and crouched down, "Just a minute"

They look mad and impatient, especially the Vacker boy. He was too confident for his own good. Confidence killed the cat.

I finally regained my composure and my next reaction clicked into place. Absolute shock.

"Really?" I whispered.

They nodded and the Vacker girl stepped out, "Please, you have to help her. The Black Swan has her locked up and-"

Alden placed a hand over his daughter's mouth but it was too late. I yelled and punched the wall next to me. My hand was numbed from the cold and it felt good to see the wall take dent. The guards by the door stiffened and readied their weapons. I turned back to the group, eyes aflame.

"Of course they looked her up. What do you think happens when people find out you're a Pyrokinetic?" I let every word drip with the anger inside me.

Maybe once the Moonlark could have been just a small threat since her friends made it easy to defeat her. But now, she was too big a threat to ignore. I wasn't going to let her return to the same organization that locked her up.

Sophie Foster was going to join the Neverseen, whether I was going to have to force her or not.

But I kept these thoughts and emotions tucked in the private corner I hid from telepaths. I put a smile on my face and changed my tone. "I would be delighted to teach her. She will be needing someone after all"

My eyes gleamed with greed and I could see they were take a back. The adults stepped in front of the kids slowly and protectively, funny they actually think they can do anything.

Grady Ruewen stared me in the eye and I watched him. He was the only one of any threat here, it was important he approved of me. It would be the only to get his daughter.

Maybe I could convince him too....

But more planning later. He was ready to speak, "She can only come once every week, on the same day. Three days from now before the sun rises"

I grinned, "Why such specific terms?"

The whole group turned silent and I could feel the anger once more, "It's the only time she can escape the Black Swan"

A small nod from the Vacker confirmed it. I sighed, finding it hard to keep my mysterious and cold exterior. "I agree to your terms, but only if you agree that once she leaves the Black Swan, we will have more than once a week"

Grady nodded and I smiled, leaning back into the wall. "Well, well then. You should really leave, I have to figure out how to fit so much in so little time"

I turned my back, but a soft voice called out to me, "I would like to join the lessons"

I smiled, I didn't need to see her know it was the Hydrokinetic. I shook my head at her, "No, I need to be with Sophie. Alone"

Grady's hands curled into a fist and the girl was obviously surprised. "You do want me to teach her, don't you?" I responded again.

The girl lifted her chin and nodded, before disappearing into the thickly knit group behind her. I waved my hands to them, "Now please, I implore you to leave"

The Councillors nodded and the group started to walk back. But Grady walked up to my bars and hissed back at me, "If you do anything to my daughter, I swear you will wish I had let you die"

I chuckled at the threat, "I don't doubt that Mr. Ruewen"

He seems satisfied with my answer because he walked away with the others. Very soon, I knew, they would all be walking away from Sophie.

And only then would the Moonlark truly be mine.