King Hall (36 page)

We had also been educated on the reasons why an Awakening wouldn’t work. Mainly, pregnancy for a Shifter woman. The reason for the overabundance of abstinence talks in my sex education class last year, even though Mrs. Fowler had still harped about it this year.

A possible pregnancy was a perfect example of the necessity for a blank face as a Shifter male tested a Shifter woman for pregnancy. I would never forget the stories the Kings had told us about multiple males — only the father of the baby knows by scent — being called for one female when the Shifter had been a smidge too promiscuous. In other words, forget blood tests. It takes too much of our precious time, so instead, we do it by good ol’ fashioned scent if the pregnancy wasn’t apparent, with no compunction for the embarrassed woman and man or men. In my opinion, Shifters got the bum end of the deal for Awakenings compared to any other Mys faction.

There was one other reason a Mys might not be able to go through an Awakening: if they were just too weak. I had never heard of this, and the Kings emphasized that in their entire reign they had only come across it three times. Ostensibly, there was no rhyme or reason for it. The explanation they had given was a comparison to the Com’s infant mortality rate. Sometimes, nature just grabs hold and takes innocents.

This was the only valid reason I saw for embarrassing a Shifter to test for pregnancy immediately. I wouldn’t want to assume the woman is in one category, but she is actually in another, and allow her to leave. It would only leave Mysticals who weren’t as powerful as us to attempt the Awakening later for the weak Mystical who was standing on the precipice of living or dying.

King Fergus had glanced at me during that spiel. He had said he thought I was going to be their fourth for this sad circumstance. The three times they’d had to bring in added power to pull someone through an Awakening, it hadn’t ended well. They had tried for almost three days straight — I couldn’t even imagine the pain those Mysticals had suffered — to pull the Mys through, all to no avail. Those three had died within the year, falling into a coma and passing away in their sleep.

I had kept silent during the King’s confessed prior concern. They knew I hadn’t been weak when I had finally shifted, my powers going online at that time. I hoped they never revisited why it had been hard for me to shift, happy that they had chalked it up to an anomaly. Again, I was “unique”.

Before we had entered the gym, Ezra had dumped me back on my feet — no Ceremony Arena this time for these four Awakenings. He had brushed my hair onto my face, ordering me not to look the Kings directly in the eye, since I looked so dreadful. He had also reminded me to stay far away from King Venclaire and King Kincaid because I stunk of fear. I had done exactly that, then Pearl and I had gone into the girls locker room — Jack had ordered Pearl to keep an eye on me to make sure I didn’t run — to change into our black ceremonial robes.

Now, we were back in the gym. The Kings were already changed into their robes and the four guinea pigs were in their white robes and lined up next to each other. Truly, they were test subjects. They had volunteered to be our first. Our practice round,
per se
, and were fully aware it was, more than likely, going to hurt. A lot. Nonetheless, someone had to do it, and they had been brave enough to donate themselves to the cause.

Shifter male, Vampire male, air Elemental female, and Mage male. It wasn’t the same for every Mystical. Elementals had to wait until they were nineteen or twenty, normally the last day of their sophomore year. Mages and Shifters had to be eighteen or nineteen and Vampires had to be sixteen to seventeen, their lower age due to their need for blood.

The only one I really knew was the Elemental. Had I stayed in the grade I had started the year at, I would have graduated with her in a few years, instead of graduating this year. Honestly, I really did like the girl. She wasn’t the bad sort, so that made this even worse, knowing I might put her through agony without a real outcome — her Awakening.

“Prodigies, listen up,” King Nelson stated calmly. All the Kings were abnormally solemn today. No jokes. No money being exchanged. Just somber faces, knowing what these four Mysticals were going to have to endure — even if I could be used as a vessel. “We went through this before. Each of these individuals’ powers are beginning to peak, so when you
push
your Shifter, Vampire, Elemental, or Mage power into them, it will immediately attach itself to their power. And then, you
pull
. Pull their power so it physically touches your Core, then let go as soon as you feel it.”
Or you will put them through needless pain.
He didn’t say it now, but the Kings had said that just yesterday.

King Fergus glanced at each of us. “Just your raw power. That’s all. No other
push
is needed. When you’re on point, your own faction of Mys will call to their new sparking power.”

This was exactly why I wasn’t sure if I could vessel. I had two. Not one. The
push
might not work for just raw power without our will, both of which we had used in funneling through a Mystical of another faction.

King Kincaid said quickly, “Don’t start the process until the other three are at max power after you’re linked. Even the tiniest fluctuation of power during the process can be a distraction to the person on point and cause interference with the pull.”
And
put them through needless pain.
Again, not said, but heard.

“Any questions?” King Venclaire asked casually, his poker face the best right now out of all four Kings.

Pearl inhaled sharply. “How long is the average first try?”

We knew they kept logs on this.

“Around eight minutes for the first attempt,” King Nelson said softly.

None of us looked at the four volunteers. We knew that meant eight minutes of the most horrific pain they had ever felt before. At our hands. Honestly, I was surprised the Kings didn’t bring them in one at a time, so they couldn’t hear each other’s screams. The last person was going to be a mess by the time we — if we did —got to him or her. Although, I was ecstatic the Kings were making their families and friends stay in Mrs. Jonas’s office until we were through. Witnessing the agony of test run Awakenings would have been too much for their loved ones to take.

Pearl and Jack and Ezra had me positioned farthest from the Kings, also, coincidently, the closest to the fire exit, leading directly outside. If I was unable to do this, I was to bolt immediately while they kept the Kings at bay, and meet with them in a week’s time in a little restaurant two towns away. I hadn’t mentioned where I would hide during that week, but I had places I could hunker down at. We would go from there with whatever strategy we came up with at that time.

“Any other questions?” King Kincaid asked.

We were shaking our heads right as Antonio raced into the gym. He slowed instantly, panting, and gave a little wave before climbing the stairs of the bleachers. I gawked at the man. He actually had a video camera in his hand. I wasn’t sure what shocked me more: the fact that he even knew what a video camera was, or the fact that he was possibly filming my demise.

Typical Antonio.

“Well.” King Venclaire was staring at Antonio, like the other Kings. “Let’s begin.” He ushered the Vampire volunteer forward first — probably because he was the youngest — directly in front of us. “This is Benedict Rochfort.”

We nodded to him in greeting.

Unsurprisingly, he was staring at me.

I had never seen the guy before, but I knew he was shocked at my size. I wasn’t even able to hide my face under the ceremonial robe like I had at my own Awakening, because King Kincaid had ordered my robe specially made for my smaller frame. There was, also, the fact that I looked like shit. I knew I was pale, but add in the sweat and my pounding heart, well, that probably didn’t endear me to him, since he knew this was going to be painful anyway. Although, I had to give him his praise due because he calmly peered away from me after a few moments and looked over the rest of my much larger best friends. His heartbeat was a hell of a lot calmer than mine, and I tried to breathe evenly and relax before I started hyperventilating.

Ezra took a large step in his direction as King Venclaire took a hefty stride away.

It was show time.

Moving woodenly, I stepped behind Ezra, to his right, while Pearl moved directly behind him, and Jack moved behind on his left. I breathed deeply, and let my eyes glow like I knew my friends were doing as our power surged. A minuscule amount at first, just a tiny spark traveling to my palm. Another heavy inhale, then I rested my hand on Ezra’s shoulder, feeling his warmth beneath the thin black silk, my sweaty palm gluing to his robe.

Ezra breathed heavily once, from the awkwardness of each of us touching him, before the instant serenity and warmth took over.

Concentrating closely on my Shifter power, making sure it was
only
Shifter power, I began gently
pushing
my raw power into him, Jack and Pearl doing the same, the Kings having assured us — unknown to them they were dealing with a hybrid — that it would be done exactly like funneling, except with power instead of will, and that the magical charge the point person experienced would be more intense.

Outwardly, it was, because Ezra grunted, his chin falling to his chest.

“Breathe through it,” King Venclaire said softly, the other Kings now standing behind him. “It’s what you need to
pull
him through the Awakening.” They had said the
pull
was the hardest part to accomplish of the Awakening.

Ezra nodded jerkily, as I, and my friends, kept
pushing
raw power into him.

A few moments later, he asked quietly, “Are you all at max power?”

Pushing
the last little bit remaining, I was still concentrating, and my eyes glowed brightly. “Yes.”

Pearl and Jack repeated my answer.

Ezra muttered under his breath, “
Thank God
.” A shallow breath in and out, and he lifted his hooded head. His eyes must have been shut before because when his face was completely lifted, the Vampire volunteer’s face glowed with blinding spring green light, the guy blinking hard and furiously. Ezra raised his hand, placing it on Benedict’s head.

To which, Benedict surprised us by jerking back and breaking the connection.

King Venclaire steadied the dazed guy when he teetered, still coaching Ezra the whole while. “Keep the power out of your hand until you’re already touching him. The contact needs to be made before your enhanced power releases. You do it before and it’ll shock him.”

That would have been good to know beforehand, but the Kings were firm believers in experience. Now, I could see they were treating these volunteers as a grander experiment than I had initially thought. It didn’t surprise me.

Ezra nodded stiffly, and raised his hand when Benedict stepped forward, albeit this time a little less calmly. He watched Ezra’s hand progress warily, but when he didn’t get “shocked” from the connection he closed his eyes, his face peaceful.

“
Push
, Ezra,” King Venclaire murmured. “You’ll feel it instantly.”

Ezra was quiet for a moment, then he stiffened, his muscles bulging rock-solid under my hand.

“Good,” King Venclaire continued speaking quietly. “Now,
pull
, but do not lose the link you have with him.” He went silent. Watching. Same as the other Kings.

Too bad that wasn’t what Benedict did. He arched, his shout flaying the air.

Ezra stepped forward, not letting his hand leave Benedict’s forehead and, in turn, Jack, Pearl, and I had to move with him to keep connected, even as the guy dropped to his knees, screaming bloody murder, all of us having to bend at the waist.

The Kings gave no further instruction.

Ezra knew he was supposed to
pull
until Benedict’s power touched his Core, so that was, seemingly, what he was doing as his massive body began trembling.

At least, I assumed that was what it was. Not me. Not my nature pulling him down.

The key was four powers. Always four. Add another one in and it screws things up. But, like with funneling, I could feel my Vampire side — my weaker side — dormant, like it was hibernating for this and letting the stronger magic overrun my body. I seriously hoped it was enough.

King Venclaire covertly glanced at his watch.

I could have told him it had been a minute and a half. I was counting in my head as the guy continued to scream. He had begun writhing on the ground in torment, but Ezra was keeping his head steady while we squatted around him, keeping our raw power at max.

At two minutes and twenty-three seconds, I felt Ezra’s trembling body jolt.

He exhaled harshly, his muscles instantly relaxed…motionless.

“Let it go,” King Venclaire ordered swiftly, dipping in Ezra’s line of sight. “Let it go!”

Ezra sucked air, nodding languidly.

Abruptly, Benedict stopped screaming, his mouth still open from his last round of agony-induced shouts, so I got a close-up view as a pair of fangs magically grew from his normally flat, white teeth, and when he blinked, his eyes were glowing bright brown and his power charged the air.

I stared as a showcase of emotions swirled through my mind too quickly to process.

Holy shit!
I had done it.

My vision went blurry…I fainted.

I woke to a Vampire’s hiss.

Pearl and Jack yelling.

The Kings shouting. The loudest was King Kincaid. I had never heard his wolf growl as viciously between bellows as his wolf was now.

Heat bathed my front, but I was lying flat on my back on a hard, cold surface.

Rapidly blinking my eyes open, I stared in a daze at black material as more shouts erupted around me. The heat on my front intensified as the black blurred at me, then warm, massive arms were wrapping around me and lifting me off the ground I lay on, my feet dangling in the air. I sniffed, still in a stupor. The scent was familiar. It was Ezra, who was crushing me to his chest, his Vampire hissing violently.