Now, tell me about this new scan that found his powers.”
Uncle Marcus was going to help with training? Elorie looked around for flying pigs.
Moira sniffled and wiped her cheeks. “It’s something Nell did with her fancy spellcoding. I don’t pretend to understand it. The children each held my computer mouse, and Nell got a reading on their powers. Most we already knew, but it suggested Kevin might have mind talents.”
“It shouldn’t have taken a computer to see that.”
“And it wouldn’t have, if our best mind witch wasn’t a hermit.” Oooh, Gran was steamed. “When was the last time you bothered to come check the young ones for talent?”
Marcus’s face could have been made of stone. “You know where to reach me, and you know how to do a basic scan.”
Now it was Elorie’s temper bubbling. “It’s never any one witch’s job to monitor all the young ones.” She hurled her next thought—if her mind was as leaky as all that, he should hear it well enough. I can’t, and she’s getting old.
She thought he looked a little pained, at least. “It’s good his talent was found, one way or the other. And now we need to test Elorie as well, do we not?”
Gran looked horrified. A sick feeling slid into Elorie’s gut. “What do you mean?”
Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Kevin’s been mindreading more than you all realize.” He looked at Moira. “What in tarnation is going on here?”
Gran picked up Elorie’s hands. “I’m sorry, child. I was trying to keep you from getting hurt, and I’ve truly messed this up. You know that Nell’s fetching spell pulled you into Witches’ Chat the other day.”
Elorie nodded. “Sure, but wasn’t there something wrong with Nell’s code?”
Marcus snorted. “I doubt it. Nell’s a very talented witch.”
“How would you know?” Elorie’s temper was spiking again. “You’ve probably only seen her twice in the last five years.” And if you were your usual friendly self, she ran screaming the other way. She no longer cared if he heard that or not.
I’m not deaf. And you’re having a temper tantrum better suited to a witchling. His face was back to imitating a statue. “Nell and Jamie do some impressive spellwork for the witch-only levels of Enchanter’s Realm.”
Elorie had that alien planet feeling again. “You know about their video game?”
“I’m the third-highest ranked witch in Realm.”
Uncle Marcus played video games? He was good at video games?
“Yes, quite good, in fact.” Marcus raised an eyebrow. “But let’s get back to what Nell’s little scan said about you, shall we?”
Gran’s voice was gentle. “What you picked up from Kevin’s mind isn’t entirely accurate. We haven’t scanned Elorie, but Nell would like to. She and her girls built the scan to give better readings than the fetching spell.”
Moira looked down for a moment, and then met Elorie’s eyes. “You don’t know this, my beloved girl, but I scan you myself quite regularly. I’ve always hoped you would come into the powers to match your witch’s heart.”
Elorie reached out to ease the sadness and guilt. “I know that—it always makes your eyes sad when you test me.” She took a deep breath, trying to ease the turbulence in her stomach. “I’m not a witch. I don’t know what’s wrong with Nell’s spells, but I can’t believe they could see something you can’t.”
“I’m not as sure of that anymore, child. I missed Kevin’s mind powers. Perhaps I missed something in you as well.”
The slick in Elorie’s gut was almost overwhelming. “What are you saying?”
Gran took her hands. “Let Nell test you, sweet girl.”
Elorie would have raged at anyone else who asked. As it was, she struggled to contain the anguished fury of the thirteen-year-old girl who had begged and pleaded with the universe for a shred of power and been denied.
Marcus reached for a cookie. “Alternatively, I’d be happy to do the honors.”
Over her dead body. She wasn’t a child anymore. If she had to be tested, she could at least choose how. Trying to tamp down her roiling emotions, she looked straight at Gran. “Arrange the test. And when I fail, I want this to be the last. No more scans, and no more sad eyes. I am what I am, and it needs to be enough.”
~ ~ ~
Nell slid her chair over to let Ginia fit in beside her. “Remember, kiddo—this is probably going to be hard for Elorie.”
“Because Aunt Moira doesn’t think she’s a witch?”
Murky waters. “Well, none of us really knows the answer to that question right now.