left the pizzeria; when I hit ten thousand subscribers on YouTube; right before I stepped onto the stage at graduation to deliver my salutatorian speech. The one that haunts me the most is from the morning of Dad’s funeral when I didn’t want to get out of bed. But it’s also the most important. Before becoming a specter, the biggest change in my life was coming home after the burial and becoming the man of the house.
“Bright, we got to get the research done so we can understand your complex powers.”
“Trial and error is all the more reason to document our sessions.”
“So this isn’t for your series?”
The way he asks that is as if I’ve been trying to hide my intention. I’m not sneaky. “Some of it will be, yeah. Just like we featured you on my accounts we’re going to do the same for me. The world needs to know they’ve got another hero on their side.” I can see it in his eyes that he thinks I’m only doing this for me. “We should do a live chat. Let everyone know what the Reys of Light can do.” He looks like he might counter, so I add, “Trust is a two-way street, bro.”
Emil nods. “You’re right. But we should know what we’re actually working with here before you plan some big reveal.”
“I second that,” Prudencia says.
“And I third it,” I say. “We’re all on the same page.”
We divide and conquer. Emil is in charge of phoenix research, Prudencia is looking into ghosts, and I’m on hydra duty. I’m tempted to get my phone back so I can get a selfie out there and tease my big news. But I focus for an hour straight. This reminds me of my study groups before finals, except this time the world will be grading us on how well we manage to save everyone while not causing more harm.
Once Emil finishes his tofu salad, he shares his findings on century phoenixes, beginning with the basics about how they’re rare because they only spawn every hundred years; we already knew that. He couldn’t find any record of any other specter with that breed’s power, which will make me stand out. But ultimately the problem with all phoenix specters is no one has ever come back as themselves. There’s always new identities, and in Emil’s case, he doesn’t even have the memories of his past life. Luna claimed the Reaper’s Blood would heighten those powers to operate properly, between the purity of the creatures and the Crowned Dreamer elevating the gleam, but this has remained unproven.
“I found this on the Halo Knights’ website: ‘Century phoenixes are restless, war-hungry fighters with survival instincts so fierce they will kill anyone who threatens their lives because they don’t want to be away from the world for another hundred years.’ That’s just . . .” Emil runs his hand through his hair, and his eyes glaze. “I felt Gravesend’s cries when she hatched and I could tell she was ready for a fight, but I can’t imagine her becoming a killer.”
“The wilds are different,” I say.
Prudencia is writing in Bautista’s journal. “What I’m more concerned about is if your instincts will be affected by the powers. We’ll monitor your behaviors, but you have to tell us if you feel—”
“Murdery?” I mime cutting someone’s throat. Emil shakes his head and Prudencia looks away. “I’m kidding.”
But they don’t say anything. They’re already treating me like I’ve wiped out an entire city. I keep reminding myself that I’m going to prove everyone wrong. I’m the right hero for this war.
Prudencia almost throws her phone because she’s frustrated with the lack of information on specters with ghost blood, even coming up empty in some more taboo corners of the internet. We didn’t know those specters existed until last month and the rest of the world hasn’t caught on yet either. The only information Prudencia finds are people’s accounts of being haunted, which doesn’t do anything for us. It’s a shame that I can’t call up Orton, who died in his own phoenix flames, or invite June to an exclusive Ghost Specter of New York feature for my series.
The Global Hydrus Society has a wealth of information on hydras; I should’ve turned to them sooner instead of random articles. There’s a video of a golden-strand hydra running across a beach, occasionally bursting into swift-speed, which Wesley will help me master later, but when the hydra runs through the palm trees she blends in—damn