All three squeezed where they touched me in answer.
Careful not to put any of this god-fearing power into my hand yet, I reached through the hole of the volunteer’s hooded robe. Touching the Shifter’s head, I made it a point to take a firm grip on his hair. The Vampire had thrashed around, and this guy, more than likely, would do the same. Feeling Ezra bend over my back, I paused, listening to him whisper, “They didn’t tell us this, but don’t pull hard. That’s what I did wrong. It’s difficult, because you’ll want to, but pull gently, like taking a tiny spark and making it grow larger, just faster than normal. If you pull all at once his power will fight yours.” That was seriously going to be damn near impossible with the amount of power flowing in me wanting to strike.
Nodding jerkily, I pushed my amped Shifter power through my palm. I choked for a heartbeat as the power unleashed, but quickly stifled when I felt the Shifter volunteer’s wild animal magic slam against my own, automatically attracted and attaching to my point power.
I pulled.
Too hard, damn it.
The guy screamed as my rocketing power was unleashed on his.
Ezra had been right. I literally felt his magic try to pull away from mine, instinctively protecting itself from the greater pull. Breathing calmly, I pushed back instead of pulling, and he quieted again, trembling under my hand.
I tried again, learning from my mistakes. Struggling with the method, because it was new, I fumbled more than a bit but, eventually, I only let a pinpoint of my power from the center of our connection pull back, like mine was tricking his with an allure that it couldn’t deny, since his power was attracted to my magic. His followed. As I pulled and widened the pinpoint in fast increments, it was like a tornado, but upside down, the pinpoint traveling up my arm with the larger opening at my palm.
He did scream, but I moved the magic quickly, memorizing the approach for future use. Our attached magics moved past my shoulder, and aimed straight for my Core. When it hit, just that tiny little point, directly against my Core, it was similar to the warmth that occurred when the four of us were merely linked. But, with the extra power push floating inside me, the sensation was that much more amplified. Sublime serenity.
Against my body’s tranquil objection, I quickly broke the connection, yanking my power back, feeling the awesome power of the four of us blow through my frame once more.
His scream mutated to a whinny, and my hand slid off his head as he rapidly shifted.
His robe lifting high above where we squatted, Pearl, Jack, and Ezra gently, but quickly, tamped their power down, mine going with it, and the three of them released me.
Seeing the hooves in plain view, since shifted he was freaking huge, his robe only covering his head and back, I blinked and cocked my head, smiling, already knowing exactly what he was with the extensive white feathering on his legs. Rising from my squat, I yanked the robe off him. Remembering at the last minute not to show any emotion, I stated factually, “You’re a Clydesdale horse.”
Thanks to Ezra’s advice, mine had only taken forty-five seconds.
I grinned at him.
To which he lifted a sardonic eyebrow, but the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
After giving counsel to Pearl, hers only took thirty seconds, even when she messed up at first too, the sensation one that had to be manipulated and learned.
With our words of wisdom given to Jack, his took a mere fifteen seconds with only a minimal scream out of the Elemental I was partial to. Although, I didn’t like her so much after she about blew us back against the bleachers — an air Elemental — when her power flared from her outstretched hands, the normal pose for an Elemental Awakening.
The Kings’ lips twitched at that. Another lesson they had wanted us to learn.
Lesson: bare down at an air Elemental’s Awakening.
I was afraid to ask about a fire Elemental. What were we supposed to do? Wear flameproof robes? Or just duck? It was something I would have to ask Jack later, since he had seen it before at his Awakening. Or, even simpler, I could put in the request they raise their palms up, instead of directly at us, the idea having merit. Better than being soaked, burned, buried, or blown away.
The Kings allowed us leave after that, nodding approvingly and high-fiving each other for “teaching” us so well. Whatever.
School wasn’t out yet, and because it was the last day with finals still occurring, the hallways were quiet as we left early, bodyguards following. I stretched as we exited King Hall, and then raced to my Hummer, ready to be able to have a real conversation. My friends chuckled behind me, jogging to catch up.
As soon as we were driving outside the front gates, I gripped the steering wheel tight, squealing, “I did it! I did it!” I sucked air, groaning deep, “I did it!”
From the backseat, Jack moaned in good humor, “God, she faints like a girl. She squeals like a girl. What’s next? Does she want praise like a girl?”
Peering at him in my rear-view mirror, I saw his grin. “Yes. I do.” I mock scowled, but whispered seriously, “Do you know how hard it was for me to go in there and even try?”
“Hard enough you forgot to eat,” Ezra grumbled, but a second later he placed his hand on my thigh, chuckling softly. “Sweetheart, you were very brave.” A gentle squeeze, his words soft. “I don’t know anyone else who would have gone in front of four Kings and tried to do an Awakening if they were in your shoes.” Another squeeze. “You did good.”
Pearl’s hand landed on my elbow — below window level — and she whispered breathlessly, “That was so amazing! I was so scared there for a second, but you did it! You walked,” she paused, and amended, “you were pushed right into that gym and had the balls to go for it! That bloody rocks.”
Jack’s hand landed right above hers. “Seriously, Lily, what you did today was kickass.”
I smiled, feeling truly content. The way I always did around them. “Thank you, guys.” I paused, and then my tone was soft. “And, thank you for protecting me when you thought I’d fainted for other reasons.” A quick glance at each of them. “Seriously, you guys are the best.”
Jack chuckled, rubbing my arm before releasing me. “You would have done the exact thing if the roles were reversed.”
I nodded. “Duh. I love your ass.”
He groaned again, but I saw him smiling in the rear-view.
Pearl patted my arm again before sitting back. “We need to celebrate. We’re done with King Hall. No more classes. No more teachers.”