Page 44 of The 13th Daughter

"You haven't even gone through the Rite of Initiation to be tested by the Elements yet," Jeff shook his head, amazed. "They respond to you. They deemed you worthy without the test?"

I felt dizzy. I didn't want this. I wanted everything to go back to normal. But it wouldn't. I knew that deep down. I should have listened and ran from the initiation when my instincts told me to run. But I hadn't. Instead, I let the Elements in.

"I didn't do that!" I tried to deny the truth. "I didn't even call on an Element."

"You did, CJ. You said Fire. That's all it took."

Shit, shit, shit!

"CJ, how long has this been going on? Since the Elements greeted you at Meg's initiation?"

"A bit longer than that," I hedged.

"How long is a bit?"

"As long as I can remember," I told him sheepishly. I chanced a look at his face.

"Years?" he glared. "Years? Really?"

"I didn't know what it meant. I always explained it away. I never wanted any of this. I didn't believe in it."

"I know," he sighed. "You can't explain it away now, though, huh?"

"No."

"When was the first time you remembered something like this happening?" he asked curiously.

"Do you remember when we were six and we had that big black out?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Billy was at my house. Screamed like a girl when the lights went out." He shot me a look. "No offense."

"Yeah, well I did scream like a girl," I laughed. "I was upstairs by myself. Dad yelled for me to stay where I was, he'd come get me. I remember stomping my foot and yelling that I wanted the lights to come back on right now and they...did."

"Oh, yeah, I remember that. Dad couldn't figure out how your house had lights when no one else's did. You guys didn't have a generator back then."

"Freaked Mom and Dad out to no end," I grinned. "Now I know why."

"Yeah, you're a freak of nature all right," he grinned.

"Hey!" I shoved him and laughed.

He smile faded. "You really like him don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," I admitted.

"Just be careful. Ethan is more than he seems. Don't trust him."

"I wish you could tell me why." I stood up and walked to the window. The woods spread out before me, their colors dimmed by the early morning fog. I didn't trust Ethan. I wanted to, so very much, but I didn't. I just wished I knew why.

"So do I, CJ, so do I," Jeff muttered behind me.

"Do you have anything I can read on beginning witchcraft?" I asked him at last. "I feel so behind. I need to know this stuff if I'm going to get through those wards."

"Yeah, you can borrow all my books. I'll even raid Mom and Dad's books, but I don't think you can get through them, CJ. I wish you wouldn't try. You could get yourself killed."

"I know," I told him. "So, can you take me to the Hall to get a look at this book?"

He looked violently alarmed.