Just a Feeling

“There’s a world of people you don’t know about, Miss Connor. People with… I suppose you could call them supernatural abilities. We used to have our own land, our own place. It was located where Ireland is today; Connaught’s borders closely resemble our own. But… well, suffice it to say that we lost our land and came to America. Still, though we no longer had our own place, we kept to our rules, and answered to our royalty- the Connor family.”

“I… can’t be a princess.”

Mr. Novak shook his head grimly. “Miss Connor, you’re going to be queen. The crown is passed down from mother to daughter. Connor was your mother’s maiden name. Your brother, being male, has your father’s last name.”

“My brother. Where is he? When can I see him?” Rowan demanded. The room suddenly felt tense.

“Miss Connor, you’ve already met him.” Rowan glared at Mr. Novak. Why was he being cryptic about this?

“Who is he?” she seethed. Ordinarily, she might not have passed into anger so quickly, but feeling everyone’s nerves in the air, and a streak of fear, was weighing on her. She had enough to deal with, only feeling her own emotions right now.

“I… Don’t you remember me, Rowan?” Ash asked next to her. She met his gaze hesitantly. She knew her eyes were tear-filled. This explained so much- his reaction to finding out she was here, his name.

“Good Lord, I should have guessed,” she chuckled weakly. “I mean, we both have tree names.” Ash smiled faintly and took her hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

“Is there anything else that should be explained now?” Rowan asked. She needed time to absorb, and dearly hoped there wouldn’t be too many more surprises.

Mr. Novak looked on her kindly. “I think the rest can wait for a little while.” Rowan and Ash stood and headed for the door. She looked back and Mr. Novak added, “You can start classes tomorrow, Miss Connor.”

Ash closed the door behind them. “What about the others?” Rowan asked.

“They’re going to give Mr. Novak an account of what happened.” The two walked hand-in-hand in silence to leave the building. Rowan wondered if she should be nervous without Luke or Evan to watch her, but she had Ash, and she didn’t think anyone would try to kidnap her again so quickly.

“I’m hungry,” Rowan said suddenly, and realized it was true. Without another word, they headed for the cafeteria.

Edwin, Livy, and Izzy were huddled at their usual table. When Rowan approached them, Edwin jumped up and gave her a hug so tight, she had trouble breathing and she almost dropped her plate of food.

“You’re alright! Oh, we were so worried, Rowan. Don’t ever get kidnapped again, okay?” Rowan chuckled a little and agreed.

“So I guess they explained… everything?” Izzy asked, looking like she was about to burst with the need to ask questions.

“You mean, that this school is full of people who can do wacky things and who somehow think I’m going to rule them someday? Yeah, I got the memo.” Edwin snickered boyishly.

“I can see you’re taking this well,” he said.

Rowan was about to fire back something sarcastic, but Livy spoke up. “You must be feeling so overwhelmed.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I’ve wanted to know so bad what your powers are,” Izzy jumped in. She looked vaguely sympathetic, but she’d been burning to ask ever since meeting Rowan.

“What? Oh… well, I… feel things. That others are feeling. And I know when someone’s lying.”

“And her eyes change,” Lane jumped in, coming up from behind them. “They were dark red earlier today.”

“Not bad, Princess,” Edwin said.

Luke sat on Rowan’s other side, the one not occupied by Ash. “And the reason you don’t like when people touch you,” he realized aloud, “is that you don’t like how much better you can feel their emotions.” Rowan looked into his eyes, and he added, “And you hate taking away people’s privacy. That’s noble.”

“And considerate,” Livy agreed.

“Yeah, nothing like you, Luke,” Izzy added, grinning. Rowan looked at him, confused.

“I… If I look in someone’s eyes, I can hear the thoughts in their head,” Luke explained reluctantly. Rowan quickly looked away, ducking her head. Edwin laughed.

“And Evan can clone himself. I saw Lane changing the weather… What can the rest of you do?” Rowan asked.

“I manipulate technology,” Edwin said. “Olivia here, she knows your hopes and dreams just from hearing your voice. She can also use her own to manipulate yours. Once, she made me afraid of spaghetti for a month!”

“You deserved it,” Livy said, blushing. “I don’t normally take advantage of people that way. He asked me to demonstrate, and I did.”

Rowan took Edwin’s silence as an admission of guilt. “That sounds like something he might do,” she said.

Edwin glared at her, then grinned. “You’re absolutely right, Princess.”

Rowan looked expectantly to Izzy, who said, “I’m telekinetic.”

“How is everyone so different? Is it genetic? I mean… did my mother…?” Rowan hesitated.

“Mom could do what you do,” Ash said softly, taking her hand again. Rowan smiled. She liked that she’d gotten more from her mother than a last name.

“What about you?” Rowan asked him.

“Oh, I control particle speed.” Rowan stared at him blankly until he elaborated, “I can freeze, slow, or blow up things.”

Rowan nodded slowly. “Alright… think fast!” She hurled an apple into the air, and it stopped falling just before it could hit the table. She knew she was gaping, and she heard Edwin laughing yet again.

That boy could find the humor in a barrel of fish.