Please note, anyone who read Chapter 1 before 2/6/20, I changed the last bit of that chapter so hop on over and read that to avoid confusion. Enjoy =)!

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I stare into the flickering bolt of lightning in Tymond's hand, watching it dance playfully, hovering above his palm. He closes his hand and the lightning bolt is gone. I keep staring at his hand. There's no such thing as magic. Everybody knows that. I turn and stare at all of them. No-one's laughing. No-one looks like their on drugs. Magic can't exist. It's not real. There must have been some mechanism that made it look as though there was a lightning bolt. Maybe a hologram. Then an unbidden thought enters my head. In the books full of magic, this is always what happens. The character finds out about magic, is sceptical, and then sees the light and embraces their magical potential or whatever. But this isn't a book. It's real life. Even so, I want it to be real. I want magic to be real. I don't want to go back to that horrible boarding school. So a very different phrase comes out of my mouth.

"Prove it."

Hamish smiles at me. Then he's gone. He was right there in front of my eyes and now he's gone. I hear a chuckle from behind me and turn to see him standing in the doorway. He smiles and then he's gone again.  I turn back to where he was sitting in the armchair before, and sure enough there he is. My mouth drops open. A tiny lightning bolt is something you can fake. Teleportation is not.

"H-h? Wh-wh?!" I sputter struggling for words.

"Oh stop sputtering like we just chopped off your arm. Magic is real OK? Get with it. And shut your mouth." Paris says in an annoyed tone.

My mouth snaps shut.

"Don't be so hard on him Paris." Leo/Jerk says.

Funny coming from you, I think. I find my voice for the second time today.

"What? How? Why?"

Hamish just keeps that amused smile on his face.

"Well as to what, it's magic. Simple as that. How, simple too. In ancient times, when the first humans were made, some inherited magic. That magic is passed down generation after generation. We all have that power,"  he said, gesturing to all the people standing behind him.

"As to why we are all here, it's because we have magic. This is the Brooklyn Quater. There are quarters scattered all over the globe. We report to the Council of North America. They report to the High Council. As to why do we exist, it's to protect this world. There are all sorts of creatures from the Ancient Times: werewolves, demons, vampires, you name it. We make sure none of those things harms the Cion."

"Who are the Cion?" I ask.

"It's the name we give those who don't have magic. It means 'lacking' in some ancient language, nobody really knows which one."

"What can magic do?" I ask. I need to know the limits of whatever this is. If they can turn me into a pulp with the wave of a hand, then I'm out of here, whether they seem nice or not.

"Well, there's different categories. Everybody has one gift, apart from a special few. I'm what we call a Jumper, which means I can teleport basically. Paris is a Magnetron, meaning she manipulate metal.  Tym is an Electron, meaning he can control electricity and storms, as you saw before. Leo is a special case: he has two gifts. He's a Telky, meaning he can control and move objects with his mind. He is also a Telepath, meaning he can read minds and influence them."

Aha. That explains the calmness that washed over me when he kidnapped me. Finally, I ask the question that I've been wanting to ask.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

At this question, Hamish seems to fumble for the answer before responding.

"Usually, we would just get Leo here to wipe your memory of the events you saw.' he said, casually, as though wiping minds was a normal day to day activity. For them though, it probably was.

"However, he went to try to do that when he caught up with you in the street. And he met some sort of...resistance. So he brought you back here to see if he could try again after he had rested from his fight with that vampire. Tym came to wake you up, once Leo was ready. When he tried to, he was thrown across the room. He has a bruise to show for it."

I stare open-mouthed at Tymond.

"You-you mean I threw him across the room?!"

Tymond nodded, smiling at my confusion.

"So, I have these powers?"

"Well, it appears so. We don't know what though. Just because you exhibited the powers of a Telky, doesn't mean you are one. Telekinesis is a common way energy is released when someone first comes into their gift, regardless of their actual category."

"So? I still don't understand why you've told me all this!"

Paris snorts at my stupidity and speaks up.

"Because you obviously have the gift, you idiot! So we want you to join the Quater. Well, they do. I could do without a sad puppy taking up residence in my home."

"Paris," Hamish warns.

She sticks her tongue out at him.

"Ignore her. But, what she is saying is true. You have the gift Cory Sanchez, and a strong one too if you managed to throw Tym across the room while unconscious. But, before you make your decision we need to know who your parents are. If they aren't anyone magical, this will be more tricky."

I stay silent for a while.

"You won't have any trouble with that. My father was Rory Stigle. He is a successful businessman in England. He had an affair with a woman. That was my mother. She died giving birth to me. I barely remember Rory. Once I was old enough, he shipped me off to the Brooklyn Boarding School. I've been there ever since. No-one will miss me."

Hamish's face remains expressionless throughout my story.

"We understand. All of us are outsiders here. Well, there's one question. Are you in or are you out?"

All of them stare at me, even Leo who had been avoiding my eye contact. I take a breath and make my decision.