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I hang back. “I think I’m going to go for a walk,” I tell Laila.
She frowns. “Are you sure?”
I nod. “I need some fresh air.”
It’s not safe to be alone,Cyrus says.
I won’t stay out long,I promise him.
I make my way along the cliff path, staring out at the clouds beyond. Somewhere to my left is the Scottish mainland, but beyond that is my home and my family, and, yes, I’m homesick. Life was so much simpler in Manchester.
I do not understand your small black rectangle with all the images and words in it. But I believe your mother wrote to you via the machine?
I smile.Yes. She did.
Write back to her.
I pull in a deep breath. Then I find a small bench near the point where the school honoured Jenny Valetta. It’s slightly damp from sea spray, so I quickly wipe it off with the palm of my hand before sitting. The sea is still calm from the invoking of the water element.
I breathe in the sea air, feeling some lingering spirit energy still calming me. Then I take the phone out of my pocket and type, Maybe you should visit. I think I’d like that.
And then I tap Send before I lose my nerve.
If my mother is going to tell me about our history, I want it to happen face-to-face.
Twenty-Nine
When I go back inside,I find that the students have been allowed their own free time for the rest of the day. Some have gone back to their rooms. Gabrielle has disappeared with a few of her friends.
A lot of the kids are hanging around in the recreation room again. Some play chess. Some read. I eye the door to the study, wondering if I can slip away to see Cyrus.
Then Laila passes me a mug of hot chocolate. “I thought you might need warming up after your walk.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I am a bit windswept.”
“It’s always cold here. Even in summer.” She sips from her own mug. “Can I ask you a question?” Her dark eyes narrow slightly. “Why is it, when we’re in this room, you always disappear?”
I try not to let the shock show on my face. I didn’t think anyone noticed. “Do I?”
She places one hand on her hip. “Yes. You disappear every single time. Why is that? Where are you going?”
I bite my bottom lip and decide that a half truth is betterthan an outright lie. “To be honest, I get a bit overwhelmed in crowded places, so I keep going into that room over there to chill out and read a book.”
She laughs. “You’re a big old nerd, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but so are you.”
She nods. “No one else uses that room, I guess. There’s no TV.”
Laila seems a bit vulnerable today, her expression more open than guarded, so I decide to spend time with her instead of sneaking away. We grab some lunch from the canteen, and Laila shows me her elemental magic.
“How did you learn that you could control wind?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I think I always knew. I’ve always loved the air. I used to run into storms to feel the strength of the wind. And when I get angry, it stirs around me. Have you felt anything stir when you’re angry?”
I shake my head. “The only changes I noticed were becoming taller and stronger on my eighteenth birthday.”
“Right.” She laughs. “Yeah, that happens.”
