I break out into a laugh, sweat and tears still on my face, and as the fire from the century phoenix vanishes within my reformed hand, I don’t see anyone else laughing or celebrating. They’re all stunned, but it’s the horror in Prudencia’s eyes and the dread in Emil’s that really sets me back.
“What?” I ask.
I investigate my body to see if I’m missing something bad. But I only see something amazing.
“How do you feel?” Emil asks.
My temperature is cooling down. My arm is sore and stiff but nothing that flexing my fingers and some stretching can’t fix. “Happy,” I say with a smile that feels as big as the one I had when Prudencia and I stopped to catch our breath during sex—a smile that has felt buried in my face for years and was finally freed. I have wanted powers since I was a kid; I never gave up on that dream like Emil did. The Reaper’s Blood seemed like it was going to take my life when instead it improved it infinitely. “I’m starting over with powers. It’s everything I’ve wanted—almost everything. Only two out of the three essences have manifested so far, but I don’t want to be greedy. This is a great start!”
I’m so excited I actually jump up and down, pumping my new fist that’s nearly identical to the one I’ve always had minus the nicks I’ve gained the past month from all the fights against specters and acolytes. I notice a thin white scar from where the fire ate away at my arm and trace it. Hydra essence killed Dad but it saved me.
I’m strong enough to save the world with these new powers.
“I want to start training,” I say, moving for the door.
“You should probably put more clothes on first,” Wesley says.
I’m still in my boxers. I don’t care. They all just witnessed a miracle.
“Settle down,” Prudencia says. “It’s three in the morning and you were literally just on fire.”
“But it stopped hurting. Emil, was it that bad for you?”
Emil shakes his head. “No. My fire never hurt me like that. Pru is right; let’s take this slow. Century phoenixes are different than gray suns. I heard how war-hungry Gravesend’s cries were; we don’t know how that’s going to play out for you.”
Great, now they’re going to blame all my instincts on some breed temperaments. I’m eager because if there’s a chance my mother is still alive we’re going to have to move fast to save her.
I sway on the spot and this dizziness feels different than all the other times since the Reaper’s Blood has impacted my system. Then I remember what happened to Emil and Maribelle shortly after using their phoenix fire for the first time. “I’m going to faint,” I say. I think about quickly reaching the bed so I can have a safe landing and I suddenly lunge forward so fast that I roll across the mattress and crash into the desk by the window. Prudencia massages the back of my head as she helps me onto the bed. “Did I just swift-run? I wasn’t even trying to do that!”
The powers are all manifesting. It’s happening; it’s all really happening. I rest my head on the pillow because I’m fading, but I’m already so excited to wake up knowing what’s waiting for me when I do. That enthusiasm clearly isn’t shared by anyone else in the room.
It’s almost as if everyone would rather see me dead than alive with power.
Twenty-Four
Infinity Savior
BRIGHTON
It wasn’t a dream.
I sit up in bed and the thin white scar above my bicep proves every nightmarish thing I went through in the middle of the night to get my powers. I don’t know what was the final push to access them—the Cloaked Phantom? Near death? Sex with someone I wanted to live for? Time?—but I’m not questioning this victory. I take a selfie on my phone to document this historic morning. I don’t upload it yet. Timing is really important when it comes to social media, and my mind is already spinning with possibilities on the Brighton of New York feature that will show the world my humble beginnings on my journey to becoming the strongest specter ever.
Prudencia must’ve woken up already, so I get dressed to find her.
The glorious smell of breakfast doesn’t make me nauseous today, and Wesley is in the kitchen spreading peanut butter and jelly on some bagels beside a steaming plate of hash browns, a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice, and bowls of sliced cantaloupe and kiwis.
“Morning, Super Specter,” Wesley says before turning his attention to the empty baby bottle that’s boiling in the pot. “Good sleep?”
“Does it count as sleep if I passed out because my body overheated from phoenix fire?”
“Whatever it was, you did more of it than the rest of us,” Wesley says. “Esther wouldn’t stop crying. I had to take her for a run.”
“Perfect segue. Judging by Dione’s powers I know swift-speed works differently for specters and celestials, but you mind giving me some pointers later? I need to get all my abilities in shape.”
Wesley finishes making a plate of food and grabs one of the sterilized bottles. “I’m only saying yes so you can take Esther on a nighttime run the next time you wake her up. Emil’s down at the beach if you want to bring him some breakfast. You should definitely eat everything you can. You’ll need the energy for all the running around.”
He goes back toward his room and someone shifts on the couch. Prudencia is asleep in her Every Body Is Super shirt with her hair hanging off the cushion. Why didn’t she stay in bed with me? Did she stay up talking about me with Emil? I won’t bother her now, but it’s one of many questions I got to ask her. She never explained what brought her to my room last night. I thought we might talk about it after having sex, but she put some clothes back on, wrapped my arm around her, and went to sleep.