Shades of Starlight (Hiatus)

Chapter Three

The next day, Keefe and I met up with Fitz, Biana, and Sophie before classes started. We were waiting for them in front of the main, U-shaped Foxfire building. I was incredibly excited to show my best friends my new ability. 

Keefe had been teasing me all morning about how thrilled and happy I was. In his defense, I was literally jumping up and down like a very enthusiastic baby bunny.

"Could you tone it down? I swear Dad didn't come to breakfast this morning so that he wouldn't be grinning all week," Keefe joked. He'd been complaining to me about all of the 'positive vibes' I was sending him through his empathy.

"This is good for you," I informed him. "Happiness is great for your heart." Keefe rolled his eyes.

"My heart is FINE," he informed me. I smirked at my brother. Time to mess with him a little.

"Yeah, fine and totally the property of a certain... Sophie Foster!" I teased. Keefe turned bright red, and I didn't need to be an Empath to know what he was feeling.

"You should totally tell her you like her, I think she likes you too," I went on, ignoring the death glare Keefe was giving me. I'd caught Sophie staring at Keefe multiple times. True, I'd also seen her staring at Fitz, but I mean, Keefe's my brother.

"Absolutely not," Keefe said from behind me. He'd moved, probably so I couldn't see his face. I laughed.

"If you don't tell her, I will," I threatened in a singsong. I turned around, and Keefe had turned from red to pale. Fitz, Biana, and Sophie had just arrived behind us.

"Fitz, Biana, Sophie!" I called as smoothly as I could. "Run over here-holding hands!" The trio instantly grabbed each other's hands-Sophie holding Biana's hand instead of Fitz's, I noted with satisfaction-and sprinted to where Keefe and I were standing. Fitz blinked, confused.

"Wha-" He looked down at his hand. "What?" He looked at me. Sophie and Biana were staring, too. I grinned like a complete idiot. Keefe was laughing.

"You can let go now," I told them, and their hands dropped to their sides.

"Guess what? I manifested!" Keefe started smiling, and I thought he was picking up my happiness. Then I realized he was looking at Sophie, who was ignoring him.

"Woah," Biana breathed. "You're a Beguiler?" I nodded.

"Yeah, last night I..." I looked at Keefe, who shook his head. "I, um, I told Keefe to do something as a joke, and he actually did it." Sophie looked confused.

"What's a Beguiler?" she asked me. Sophie really doesn't know much about the elvin world yet, does she?

"A Beguiler can make a person do something willingly, through our voices. It's a pretty rare ability. I only know one Beguiler," I explained to her. Fitz looked at me.

"Cass, do you realize what this means? You're going to have a class with Dame Alina!" he said with wide eyes. 

Dame Alina is the principal of Foxfire, a tall, beautiful woman with brown hair and caramel highlights. I've never heard of anyone having a class with her, but it made sense. She's the only Beguiler I know of, none of the Mentors were.

"Okay, woah. Woah, that's... really cool," I said slowly. "Do you guys know if she's taught any other Beguilers before?" Fitz shook his head.

"I don't think so." Biana shrugged. Just then, I noticed someone walking toward me out of the corner of my eye. I turned and saw-

"Dame Alina!" I exclaimed. She smiled at me. Suddenly, I felt incredibly nervous.

" I hear there's another Beguiler at Foxfire today," Dame Alina said to me in a cheerful tone. I smiled hesitantly. Keefe popped up next to me.