some about the Clan history and the way the place works and stuff. That’s him over there with Noah.”
I glanced again at the other boy on the couch — Elijah. He had short blonde hair with a streak of brown in the front and hazel eyes, an eyebrow piercing, and a furious expression. Had he been the boy Serena mentioned the other day – the one she’d ‘go for’ if she was single?
“ This is bullshit! I can’t believe you beat me again! I had that!” he yelled and slammed his controller on the coffee table.
Noah shrugged and grinned. “I’ve been playing this game longer than you ... lots more practice. Plus, you know, I’m like, really awesome. The best really.”
“ If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you have some gift that lets you cheat at these.”
“ Oh, man, could you imagine?” Noah mused. “Of course, I wouldn’t need it. I always win.” He grinned again.
Eden and I shook our heads simultaneously. She giggled when she noticed.
“Boys, right?” I mumbled and she nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Eden. I hope you become a member of the Clan soon ... we sure need more girls around here.”
Another giggle. “I hope so, too.”
With a final glance at the two boys, I started down the hall toward my room, disappointed that Mathias wasn ’t around. When I reached the door before mine, something flickered ahead of me and I paused, waiting a moment to see if it happened again. Nothing. Shrugging, I stepped forward, only to bump into something solid. Startled, I watched as Mathias began wavering in and out of existence in front of me, and he reached forward to steady me before I knocked us both over.
“ H-have you been following me the entire day?” I asked, my heart hammering in my chest.
“ Pretty much,” he answered and smiled. “I did vow to watch over you, did I not?”
“ You did ... and thank you … I think.” I paused and thought of Eden, of how she was too young and inexperienced to be admitted into the Clan, yet could come and go as she pleased, and here I was — full-blooded witch with the powers to prove it — and I wasn’t able to. “When can I officially become a part of this ... the Clan, that is?”
Mathias ’s eyes darkened and his smile vanished. “Are you asking when you’ll be Marked?”
I nodded, and to my surprise, he frowned. “It’s a painful process ... and you have to be one hundred percent sure that you’re going to stick with us.”
“ Why would you even question whether I’d stay or not?” I asked. “I intend to stay with the Clan for as long as I live. So, yeah, I think I’m more than ready to be Marked.”
Mathias looked uncertain but took my hand and led me down the hall, toward the far end of the motel. The last door in the building stood before us. He rapped his fingers against the wood but no one answered.
“You’re sure you are ready for this?”
I glared at him. “Yes. I am ready to commit myself wholly.”
“ Are you just saying this because you hope it will get you out of school?”
Wasn ’t I supposed to be the mind-reader?
My glare only intensified. “... No. Even if I have to suffer through school as a Clan member, I will do it. I just want to feel like a permanent part of this place. I don’t want to have to stand outside in the cold and wait for someone to let me in every day … multiple times. I’m ready for my Mark, for my own key or whatever it is you use to open the door to this place and for one of those amulets like you have. I want all of it.”
He stared at me with that same uncertain look, and I noticed that his hair looked more silver than usual but didn’t comment on it. He grinned and tried knocking once more. No answer.
“ It would seem that Artemis isn’t here. However, I can tell you now; you won’t be receiving an amulet any time soon. It took me two years to earn mine after I turned thirteen, which was dreadful and I was not patient in the least about it. You’re not practiced
I glanced again at the other boy on the couch — Elijah. He had short blonde hair with a streak of brown in the front and hazel eyes, an eyebrow piercing, and a furious expression. Had he been the boy Serena mentioned the other day – the one she’d ‘go for’ if she was single?
“ This is bullshit! I can’t believe you beat me again! I had that!” he yelled and slammed his controller on the coffee table.
Noah shrugged and grinned. “I’ve been playing this game longer than you ... lots more practice. Plus, you know, I’m like, really awesome. The best really.”
“ If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you have some gift that lets you cheat at these.”
“ Oh, man, could you imagine?” Noah mused. “Of course, I wouldn’t need it. I always win.” He grinned again.
Eden and I shook our heads simultaneously. She giggled when she noticed.
“Boys, right?” I mumbled and she nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Eden. I hope you become a member of the Clan soon ... we sure need more girls around here.”
Another giggle. “I hope so, too.”
With a final glance at the two boys, I started down the hall toward my room, disappointed that Mathias wasn ’t around. When I reached the door before mine, something flickered ahead of me and I paused, waiting a moment to see if it happened again. Nothing. Shrugging, I stepped forward, only to bump into something solid. Startled, I watched as Mathias began wavering in and out of existence in front of me, and he reached forward to steady me before I knocked us both over.
“ H-have you been following me the entire day?” I asked, my heart hammering in my chest.
“ Pretty much,” he answered and smiled. “I did vow to watch over you, did I not?”
“ You did ... and thank you … I think.” I paused and thought of Eden, of how she was too young and inexperienced to be admitted into the Clan, yet could come and go as she pleased, and here I was — full-blooded witch with the powers to prove it — and I wasn’t able to. “When can I officially become a part of this ... the Clan, that is?”
Mathias ’s eyes darkened and his smile vanished. “Are you asking when you’ll be Marked?”
I nodded, and to my surprise, he frowned. “It’s a painful process ... and you have to be one hundred percent sure that you’re going to stick with us.”
“ Why would you even question whether I’d stay or not?” I asked. “I intend to stay with the Clan for as long as I live. So, yeah, I think I’m more than ready to be Marked.”
Mathias looked uncertain but took my hand and led me down the hall, toward the far end of the motel. The last door in the building stood before us. He rapped his fingers against the wood but no one answered.
“You’re sure you are ready for this?”
I glared at him. “Yes. I am ready to commit myself wholly.”
“ Are you just saying this because you hope it will get you out of school?”
Wasn ’t I supposed to be the mind-reader?
My glare only intensified. “... No. Even if I have to suffer through school as a Clan member, I will do it. I just want to feel like a permanent part of this place. I don’t want to have to stand outside in the cold and wait for someone to let me in every day … multiple times. I’m ready for my Mark, for my own key or whatever it is you use to open the door to this place and for one of those amulets like you have. I want all of it.”
He stared at me with that same uncertain look, and I noticed that his hair looked more silver than usual but didn’t comment on it. He grinned and tried knocking once more. No answer.
“ It would seem that Artemis isn’t here. However, I can tell you now; you won’t be receiving an amulet any time soon. It took me two years to earn mine after I turned thirteen, which was dreadful and I was not patient in the least about it. You’re not practiced
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