the type to get into bar brawls or attack people unprovoked. I may not be the friendliest person, but I’m not some raving psycho.
“And I believe that.” The perfectly coifed blonde woman nods. “I’m not saying you had any malicious intent. But that’s exactly the problem. You won’t mean to hurt anyone, but you’ll do it all the same. It would be dangerous enough to leave you untrained if you had elemental magic like your sister. If your power was rooted in one of the seven pillars, you could feasibly learn to control it yourself—if the magic in you was weak enough, and you were determined enough. But this… this is serious. We simply cannot, for the safety of those around you, allow you to go about your life with unchecked magic like this.”
“What happens if I say no?” I ask, shifting uncomfortably. The urge to leap up and make a run for it is strong, and the cuffs binding me to the bed feel even more restricting than they did before. “You gonna jail me or something? Throw me in a deep, dark pit of despair?”
Aurora’s lips press into a thin line. She looks like she’s had just about enough of my sass, and despite the anger bubbling up inside me, I have to keep myself from smirking. Always nice to see the unflappable types lose their cool a little.
“No,” she says at last. “No, we would not throw you in jail. But we would have to suppress your magic. For good.”
My stomach flips, and I can feel the blood draining from my face. My jaw drops open a little. “You—you can do that?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Aurora wrinkles her nose, like the idea is distasteful. Then her face smooths out, returning to its usual calm mask. Well, good to know she won’t be crying a river over me. “It’s the only thing we can do to guarantee the safety of both you and the people around you.”
“Does it hurt?” I hate that I probably sound like a child asking this, but I need to know.
Aurora shakes her head. “No, we put you under for the process. It used to, before we figured out the proper spells to keep the subject unconscious, since traditional anesthesia doesn’t work. But we’ve made great strides in the past few decades.”
The word subject sticks in my brain, and a shiver crawls down my spine. It’s so clinical, so removed. The Circuit representative doesn’t pick up on my reaction though, continuing on like she’s given this little elevator pitch dozens of times.
“If you choose to have your magic suppressed, you won’t feel any negative side effects. Some people report feeling a bit… empty, but there certainly won’t be any physical pain. You’ll simply go back to living your life as you were before—an ordinary, magic-less person. If you choose to attend the academy, you’ll become a fully integrated part of the magical community upon graduation. You’ll be eligible for jobs that require magical ability and will be allowed to practice your magic”—she glances down at the wide silver brace on my left forearm—“unimpeded.”
“So, basically, I have to choose between being a part of the community or being an outcast,” I growl.
She doesn’t rise to the bait by responding to that. Instead, she rises to her feet with her hands clasped in front of her, all straight lines and poise.
“I’ll give you time to think it over. You’ll have a few days. The Circuit understands this is an important decision, and we don’t want you to make it lightly. We’ve also contacted your sister and the administration of Neptune Academy. The dean agreed to give her permission to miss a day of class so she could come see you.”
My heart beats a little faster as excitement fills me. Well, that’s something, I suppose.
And as thrilled as I am at the prospect of a visit from my little sister, I hate that Maddy’s going to see me like this. Just a few days without her around to keep me focused, and I end up in the hospital and possibly in trouble with the police and the Circuit. I guess now we know who the real disaster sibling is.
Aurora stands. “The magic repressing brace will have to remain on for the time being, but an officer will be in shortly to take the handcuffs off. I do apologize for that, I know it must be unpleasant. But given the destruction your sonic boom caused, and the witness accounts detailing