Page 54 of Ghost

“Mediumship is classified under the Wood element,” Damen replied.

I shot him a startled look. In my imagination people of a certain element might be able to manifest that element. What even wasWood, besides a plant. As much as I loved my botany, that still sounded gross, and unpractical.

“What are you thinking?” Damen studied me as if he wished he could read my mind.

“Nothing,” I chirped. “What are the rest of you then? Do you turn into the human torch?”

Damen smirked. “You’ve got the wrong idea. The practical application of the elements are in the energy retained in them. Those energies are what causes supernatural abilities to manifest. So someone with a Water element ability will have an affinity toward water.”

“So,” I mused—he had used the word affinity. “You’re a pyromaniac?”

Miles, Julian, and Titus burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Damen just looked affronted. I wasn’t sure why it was funny; it was a serious question.

“No.” Damen’s lips thinned. “And for who belongs with which element, why don’t you guess?”

My eyes shot to Miles at once, who jerked under my sudden attention. “Miles is Earth.”

Miles grinned, crossing his arms in front of him. “What makes you think that?”

“Because you’re a witch,” I pointed out. It made sense. Witches were one with nature and all that. As far as I knew, Miles slept naked in the woods. Covered in mud as he bathed under the light of the full moon. It would energize his soul, I was sure.

That was probably therealreason why he didn’t live in Damen’s house.

“I’m not sure why that makes you think I’m Earth,” Miles said slowly, studying me. “But you are right. What about Titus and Julian?”

I bit my lip, turning my head up to study Titus.

The look he was giving me… it was like he didn’t want me to guess. Then there was Julian. He had become suspiciously still behind me.

“I’m not sure…” I admitted, not wanting to guess wrong and hurt someone’s feelings. “You’re a shifter, right?” I asked Titus, having gathered that much earlier. “What element is that.”

“I am a shapeshifter,” Titus said, a slight hitch to his voice. “Metal is the element attributed to shapeshifting and animal communication.”

I twisted, turning to see Julian better. His face was devastating.

It was too late to avoid it though. There was only one left. “You’re Water?”

Julian’s shoulders slumped as he answered. “Yes. Abilities classified as Water include necromancy and blood reading.”

“Why does that bother you?” I couldn’t help but wonder. His expression was on the verge of causing me physical pain.

The sadness lifted from his face, replaced with curiosity. His eyes met mine. “It’s a disgusting practice, Bianca. Both abilities have been used to do terrible things.”

“I see dead people,” I reminded him.

He looked stunned. “Well, yes. But you don’t—”

“I can feel their emotions,” I continued, trying to sound lighthearted. “I’m not sure how frolicking with spirits is any less disgusting.”

“I am sure that you don’t frolic.” Julian’s mouth twitched. “But if you insist.”

“Which brings us to the xing,” Damen interjected, breaking the moment. “You’ve asked if anyone with an ability is the xing. The answer is no. The xing is a person—one person—born to represent each group. That individual is the archetype for everyone in that classification.”

I blinked at him. “What does that mean?”

“That is who we are, the four of us. The xing. We have every paranormal ability that falls within our elements,” Damen continued. “And our quintet is unique as well. Most quintets are formed from a young age, depending on the promise of skill of their members. The highest level that a quintet can earn is the er bashou position. The following two ranks are the jiangjun and the tongun. There are others, but those three are the most important.”

It seemed as though he was changing the subject. “Where does the xing fit in?”