Birthright (Birthright Series) Page 25

  Jordan frowned, nodded.

  “Make it back into what it was.”

  Jordan gaped. “What? That’s impossible!”

  He grinned, the image of a crazy pirate. “With all you’ve done, I’m pretty sure you can make a puddle of water into a frozen cherry.”

  Jordan looked down at the meager drops of water on the ground. She walked over to the cherry tree and peered up at the delicate ice cherries she hadn’t managed to melt.

  “Whatever you see in your mind, your power will copy,” Mr. Parker mumbled.

  Jordan closed her eyes and pulled power into her chest and forced it into her hands. So much emotions rushed to the fore. Dealing with power reminded her of darker times with William and the things he forced her to do- A deluge of water drenched her as fifty cherries melted from the tree.

  Mr. Parker choked. “Damn.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jordan fanned herself to stop the heat she generated.

  “Don’t panic,” the old man snapped. “You’re going for fire because it’s what you’re familiar with but fire is too unpredictable to work with. Think cold. Ice. Snow. Picture it in your mind. Do it now.”

  Jordan obeyed, remembering the walk into the winter scene at Tolly House. Instantly, her body temperature cooled. Mr. Parker scowled at the now bare cherry tree. She cringed when the angry pirate turned on her.

  “You’re gonna replace every cherry you melted,” he instructed.

  “But I don’t know how.”

  “I told you how.”

  Jordan paced away from him towards a nearby statue of a woman dressed in a toga with a bow and arrow. The woman towered almost seven feet high. Her features were intent, focused and confident. She wasn’t posing for a picture, she was a warrior sure of herself and her target. Jordan walked away, afraid to destroy anything else.

  “Think cold,” Jordan said to herself and closed her eyes again.

  Jordan gathered her power into her chest for the third time and this time, she thought of the world she was in. Ice. Cold. Winter. In her mind she imagined all of the individual drops of water gathering in a small pool. Using her hands, unconsciously imitating Cibrian’s way of managing water, she made a get-together motion so the water would seep into one area. She imagined a small ball of water removing itself from the pool. It whirled in the air. Cold, she thought and in her mind, the ball turned clear as it froze over. She remembered the delicate cherry, the lines in it and the stem. Slowly, the ball of ice mimicked what she remembered.

  The whole process took over ten minutes. When Jordan opened her eyes, a frozen cherry identical to the one she melted floated in front of her stunned gaze. At her feet, three gallons of water sloshed in a misshapen pool, reluctantly obeying her will. She felt the water pushing at her, wanting to be set free.

  “Now what?” Jordan said.

  “Attach it to the tree.”

  Jordan touched the tip of the stem and imagined fire for a brief instant. Ice sizzled and she snatched the cherry from the air and pressed it to a branch. The cherry stuck to the tree as if it never left.

  Mr. Parker clapped his hands once. “Three hundred left.”

  Jordan wasn’t sure how much time passed but she repeated the process over and over until the tree was redecorated with perfect cherries made of clearest ice. By the time she finished, her breathing was labored and her power was a distant memory.

  “How do you feel?” her critic asked.

  “Feel?” Jordan repeated and shrugged. “Fine.” She actually felt better than she had… ever.

  Mr. Parker got up and walked to a statue of what had once been an intimidating figure but was now a sallow faced man with no nose and a drooping lip. He stared into the sculpture’s one surviving eye and as she watched threads of water traveled up the figure, adding detail Jordan had wiped away. Delicate drops reformed a hooked nose, fingernails, a button on his blazer and a crooked mouth that had a scar down the middle.

  “How did you know what he was supposed to look like?” she asked.

  “I knew him.”

  He stared into the figure’s face before moving onto the next sculpture and began reshaping its form. “Channeling your power out relaxes you like nothing else will. It’s important for you to understand that. Letting it build up, not letting it out is just asking for trouble.”

  Jordan nodded in understanding and stiffened when a group of adults walked up the path. She crouched down guiltily, praying they wouldn’t notice the melted figures. They didn’t. They were too focused on their conversation to look around and notice the melted destruction.

  Once they were gone from sight she asked, “Is everyone here for the Declaration Ceremony?”

  “Yeah. The city isn’t usually so crowded. The Ceremony’s a big deal. It can take you from being a nobody into somebody. Or the Ceremony could kill any dreams you have of being someone great,” he said with a cynical sneer on his face as he reformed a mini doll house.

  “I want to be normal,” Jordan said.

  Mr. Parker raised bushy white brows. “You know that’s not in your cards, right?”

  “Why not?” she said stubbornly although she already knew.

  “You’re from my bloodline. You woke up the Valor for God’s sake.”

  “So?”

  “So? Not just anyone can do that. Waking up a Guardian means trouble’s coming and you’re a part of it. Knight’s here to protect you from whatever’s coming.”

  “But-”

  “No buts. It is what it is. The Ceremony will settle a lot of questions tomorrow. The Gem will put you into the school that best suits your destiny. If you’re meant to have a big destiny, the Gem will put you into the school that will give you the connections you need. If not, we’ll deal with that.”

  “I don’t understand how this Gem can just choose a school for me.”

  “The Gem just is. When you feel it tomorrow, you’ll know.”

  Mr. Parker limped towards a bench, looking for all the world like a weary senior citizen.

  “The Gem sees your potential, not necessarily what will be.”

  Jordan settled beside him. “What school do you think the Gem will put me in?”

  Mr. Parker’s black eyes blazed, at odds with his old features. “I pray for your sake you don’t go to The Academy.”

  “Why?”

  “They’ll never leave you alone. If you go into a different school people may think you aren’t as powerful.”

  Jordan twisted her hands. “How did Gideon know about Wi-” she stopped when the old man turned on her, hissing. “Well, how did he know?”

  “Your papa,” he said deliberately, “is powerful. He has some talent for tracking power through Grounders but I wasn’t sure it would work on you because you were Quiet.”

  “Mary Ann asked me about the Ever After pill.”

  He ran a hand through his Einstein hair. “Mary Ann’s a hound. She can smell every pill you’ve taken as long as they have plants in them. She’s a genius. She’s probably going to give me a piece of her mind the next time I see her.”

  “Do you think my power will affect the Gem?”

  “With no power I wasn’t even sure you’d be able to be Declared but its back now so we’ll let tomorrow worry about itself.”

  Jordan opened her mouth to respond when Cibrian braked to a stop on the path in front of them, wearing a pair of ridiculous white shaggy skates that flared out from his knees.

  “We’ve been looking for you two!” Cibrian snapped.

  “I’m an old man. I need peace from the crowd,” Mr. Parker replied before Jordan could say anything.

  Cibrian turned to Jordan. “You’re missing out. I bought these silk ties that change colors throughout the day and these shoes you can turn inside out into different styles and-”

  “Yup. He’s a girl. Clothes and shoe shopping. What’s the world coming to?” Heath said as he came up behind Cibrian and pushed him out of the way.

  Kelly came up the path with Levi car
rying two bags full of food. Heath frowned when he noticed the circle pendant glowing on Jordan’s chest but he didn’t comment. Kelly blew Mr. Parker a kiss which he ignored. Levi set a dozen bags on the ground and Kelly pulled out white take out plates and handed them around. Jordan stared at her name on the box which changed colors. She popped the box open and stared at the foot long sandwich loaded with vegetables and seasoned chicken. Jordan glanced at Levi’s sandwich loaded with steak slices, Cibrian’s with meatballs.

  Levi and Cibrian sat across from Mr. Parker and Jordan on a bench while Kelly floated in midair while they ate. Heath sat at the foot of the cherry tree and leaned back against the trunk as he ate his sandwich filled with salami. Jordan blinked when Kelly pulled out a sandwich that eclipsed her hands filled with dripping ribs.

  For several minutes they ate in silence, watching the passersby who looked startled to see such a big group there. Jordan ate her sandwich and looked around at those assembled and felt herself relaxing. The fear of the man in the emerald green coat seemed like a figment of her imagination now. With her power depleted for the moment she felt almost normal.

  “So tomorrow’s the big day,” Kelly said excitedly. “The three of you will find out what school you’ll go to for the next six years. All of us,” she said and gestured to the adults assembled. “Went to The Academy. As you can see, we’ve all turned out to be upstanding citizens.”

  Heath snorted and Mr. Parker choked on his sandwich

  “Being Declared is one of the biggest events you’ll have in your life. You’re being Declared to everyone in our world.”

  Jordan stopped eating. In front of everyone? Why had she been picturing herself being told which school to go to in a dark room?

  “Tomorrow will be an early day for all of us. Jordan, do you want to get some new clothes and get your hair done for the Ceremony?” Kelly asked and licked sauce from her hands.

  “Um, uh-” Jordan said.

  “I think she needs a break, Kelly,” Mr. Parker broke in.

  Kelly looked sympathetic. “Oh. Sorry, honey. I get a little too into everything. Levi, Cibrian? Clothes? Hair?”

  Cibrian fingered his hair. “Nah. Just got it cut a week ago. I wouldn’t say no to a new pair of-”

  “You didn’t shop enough?” Heath said in mock horror.

  “And you boys?” Kelly said, looking at the adult men who scowled at her. “Especially you, Almighty Alexander. You’re going to be all over the papers. Your hair is getting kinda long.”

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass-”

  Kelly waved Mr. Parker into silence as a mother pushed her kids along in an ice stroller. When they passed Kelly began a mental itinerary for the following day.

  “So we’ll all be up around six. Breakfast, get dressed. We should probably leave The Aquarium at seven thirty. The Ceremony itself won’t start until eight thirty. It’ll probably take around four hours to get everyone announced-”

  “Four hours?” Levi repeated, sandwich suspended in midair.

  “Well, there are over three thousand kids, I think,” Kelly said thoughtfully.

  “How do they know who all the teens are?” Jordan asked.

  “The Seers compile a list of all the students who will show up in Wintra for the Ceremony,” Kelly said.

  Jordan and Levi glanced at one another and then back at Kelly.

  “There are three types of people that can see into the future. The ones that can see what will happen, those that see what can happen and those that see both. Those that can see what will be, they compile a list of the teens that will attend. The list comes out only a few hours before the Ceremony.”

  “And they’re always right?” Levi asked skeptically.

  Kelly smiled. “Always.”

  “So you never told anyone that we’re coming? They’re just supposed to know?” Jordan said, incredulous.

  Kelly shrugged. “I don’t know how they know. They just do.”

  A crowd of people filed into the garden on a tour, chattering excitedly with cameras raised. After the crowd passed, they gathered up the last of their lunch. Heath grappled with all of Kelly’s shopping bags with a resigned look.

  “I think we all need to take a break. We’ve been up since three this morning,” Mr. Parker said.

  “But-” Kelly protested.

  “If you still want to shop, Heath will stay with you. I’ll take the kids back to The Aquarium so they can rest. You only have about three hours left with the Dunghao mask so be back at the hotel before then,” Mr. Parker said.

  “Kids?” Cibrian repeated in an offended tone.

  Mr. Parker grinned. “When you get to my age, everyone seems like a kid. You’re lucky I’m not calling you babies.”

  While Cibrian made gagging sounds, Heath gratefully handed all of Kelly’s bags to Mr. Parker. Heath and Kelly headed back to the Ice Tunnels while Mr. Parker distributed some of the shopping bags between himself, Cibrian and Levi. He turned to Jordan and clamped his free hand around her arm.

  “Okay, kiddies, hold hands,” Mr. Parker said.

  Levi and Cibrian looked mutinous but when Mr. Parker eyed them with his black stare they complied. Cibrian reached down and pressed something on his shoe for the blades of his skates to retract so he could walk normally. He grabbed Jordan’s other hand while Levi stood at the end of their line.

  “Now, stay with me,” Mr. Parker said.

  Mr. Parker led the teens through the Gardens of Wintra back to the Ice Tunnels. With every step away from the gardens, the noise escalated. Too soon, they were back in the crowd, being jostled like fish in the sea. Cibrian lost hold on Jordan several times and had to shove his way through the crowd to find her again. By the time they reached the side of The Aquarium they were breathing hard with the effort just to stay on their feet and not be trampled by the crowd. Mr. Parker looked over the exhausted teens and encircled them within his arms, making sure he touched each one of them, shopping bags and all. Mr. Parker met Levi’s worried glance with a raised brow.

  “Hang on,” he said.

  All four of them shot upwards like a cork out of a bottle. Levi and Jordan let out cries of alarm while Cibrian raised his hands as if he were on a rollercoaster ride. They landed on the edge of the roof and the same uniformed workers stared and frowned. Cibrian stepped forward, straightening his coat and loose red silk tie.

  “Gentleman,” Cibrian said with a nod at the workers.

  The workers nodded and frowned at the old man leaning heavily against Jordan.

  “He’s harmless,” Cibrian assured the men and started towards the door that led into the hotel.

  Mr. Parker kept up the pretense until they closed the door behind them and stood once more in the hotel. Jordan stared down the aquarium tunnel with bright fish and sea life. Jordan hissed when she saw the four round discs waiting for them.

  “What are these things?” Jordan said irritably.

  “Transporters for those that can’t fly. They’re convenient,” Mr. Parker said.

  He shoved her onto one of them and climbed on after her. Levi and Cibrian claimed one for themselves and they were off. Two minutes later, Jordan hobbled off the disc and opened the door of their hotel room. She stopped when she saw Knight sitting in the middle of the room, obviously waiting for her to get back. He rushed forward and circled, rubbing himself against her in welcome. She wrapped her arms around him. He sniffed as if he could smell her power and growled in approval. Their power melded and she felt his power calm her own which bucked and snarled to be free. Tears trickled down her face and she wished it had never returned.

  Chapter Twenty

  Jordan woke up on the aqua colored floor. She stared at the blow fish that swam beneath her. She felt sticky and gross. Jordan headed down the short hallway into the bathing room and glanced up at the skylight and found it dark although moonlight filtered in and lit the room in a silver glow.

  There was a cabinet filled with turquoise colored towels and soap. After a mo
ment of hesitation, Jordan stripped and draped her clothes over a nearby bench. Cautiously, she approached the circular tub and walked down the steps into water that was almost too hot. Jordan sat awkwardly for a moment and swished her hands beneath the water, creating small waves. It felt almost sinful to bathe in a pool.

  She looked up at the skylight and watched snow drift down lazily. She grabbed the bar of soap and rubbed it over her body. This at least seemed normal. She lathered herself and sat on the bench in the tub and stretched out her arms. The circle pendant floated on the water and glowed orange. Jordan cupped the pendant in her palm and frowned. She looked within herself and found her power.

  She thought of what Mr. Parker said about channeling her power. Picture the scene in your mind, pour your power into the vision and it will be… Jordan cupped soapy water in her palms and concentrated. She reached for a thread of power that hummed within her. The water rose from her palms and contorted in midair. As Jordan’s mind mulled over the day, the water began to shape an image. Jordan stared as the water sculpted a miniature version of Mary Ann and reshaped into a magic carpet with streamers for a child. All of a sudden the water turned into a doll sized version of the man in the green trench coat. Her breath seized and the water splashed back into the pool. She set the necklace on a nearby bench so she could wash her hair without it getting tangled. She washed quickly and climbed out. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked back into the bedroom and found Knight sitting in front of her closed door.

  “Good looking out.”

  She opened the suitcase at the foot of her bed and pulled out a pair of sweat pants, sweat shirt and fuzzy pink socks. She balanced carefully on the edge of the bed and braided her hair. Earlier in the day, the walls of ice were highlighted by the sun, infusing the room with light. Now that night had fallen, the walls glowed purple like an aquarium night light. As she finished her hair, the door jiggled. Knight prowled to the door and growled. The doorknob stopped moving immediately.

  “You alive in there?” Cibrian called.

  Jordan approached the door, nudged Knight out of the way and pulled it open. Cibrian and Levi stood on the other side.