ELEMENT

ie's

hing through the window, I gave up and f

d, the room wen

in unison. And I could finally see

oman with jet-black hair, dressed in the same medieval-style leather as the guar

him, another middle-aged woman with dirty-blo

her side of the roo

people? And where

I saw

His features were... beautiful. Beautiful in a way that made my stomac

yebrows drawn together

hated me f

f flooding her voice. "I'm so sorry I

the door behind me. "What's... what's going

ou to meet some peopl

s came toward me, smiling. "Oh dear, look how

I don't really like it when people touch me. Esp

and smiled like

woman asked, eyes still locked on me. Something abou

dge of it all," Mom

on?" I asked agai

g yet. I'll explain every

row

your eighteenth birthday, y

d to her. She seemed the most ap

e black-haired woman answered ins

"Excuse me? Follow you home? Last ti

tely. "Tell the child what she needs to know. Before sunrise. We

s lo

self agai

am

e, the guests s

a look as they pass

held my gaze for a second befor

m. "What the hell

~

t anymore. "Are you going to tell me what happened earli

d around her p

and looked at me. Really looked. "Cassi

w. Just tell

e special. You'r

ou've told me that s

al, Cassie. Gifted t

peated. "What

. The cafeteria. The noseble

hat." Her voice cracked. "But I'm no

m went

y until now. But your real mother had a great and unique a

ss it. "Cassie? Are you okay? Do

as tight. "You're not my real mother? W

y sorry for keeping this from

mother, then who i

d out soon enough. But Cassi

out angry. "After what you just told me

n has a different gift. And yours... yours is unique. Never seen before." She took a breath. "Which is why you

isbelieving. "I'm not going anywhere wit

ssie. You don't

hard against the floor. "Yeah, we'll see a

. I ran to my room, heart po

ot my r

me time... it

blonde hair

tte hair and cof

anything alike.

to be a n

nted it t

~