There's No Good

Nine

Arden
•••

   "You can do more?" Levi asks shocked. "I guess that makes sense when both of your parents have powers. That's how it worked with Carter and Will."

"What do you mean?" I ask curiously. "I have other power."

"Every kid takes powers from their parents. That's why all kids have similar powers to their mom or dad. But if both parents have powers, you can take some from both of them." Carter explains.

I look at them confused. Why are they acting like this is the most common thing? My dad has never told me that.

   "But I don't have any other powers."

   "Maybe you just don't know yet." Will says.

"What's your other power Will?" I asking looking his way.

"Nothing that will entertain your curiosity Arden." He says with a small smirk. I've heard stories about his family. There's a reason they're the ones in powers. So, I'm guessing that it will be something that peaks my interest.

"I bet you're being modest."

"Oh, he is." Levi chimes in.

I turn and look at William again. "So, you can read people's mind? Are you super fast, or can you fly?" I ask curiously.

"Nope."

"Come on, tell me already."

"I can't really explain it." He sighs are starts to speak. "Feeling people's emotions, isn't my only power." Huh? "It stems from it."

"Like a branch?" I ask, kind of understanding.

He laughs, "Sure."

"What does it branch from?"

"I, like they said, come from two parents that have their own set of unique abilities. Meaning, I have two sets of powers, sort of." Can he get to the point already? "One, is that I can manipulate heat, that can turn into fire."

He lifts up his hand. And like I can do with my sparks, he can do with his fire. I stare at the small flames that dance in his hand. "Pretty." I say without thinking. This earns laughs from the people at the table and a small chuckle from Will.

"Pretty until it burns the whole gym down." Levi laughs.

"There's a gym here?" I ask. That's strange, Levi didn't show me it when we were walking around.

"Was," Carter adds. "Until he burnt it down." He points his finger at Will.

I smirk at that. "Wow Will, aren't you the little rebel."

He rolls his eyes, "It happened when I was eleven and I was just learning how to control it. Clearly, I wasn't that good."

"Go on, what else can you can do." I was right, his powers definitely did peak my interest.

"That's just one thing I can do with heat. With the fire, I can make walls of it, throw it, a lot of stuff. But I can also raise people's body temperature."

"You can burn them to death from the inside." I say astonished.

"I don't use my powers to kill." He quickly says. Interesting.

"Those powers by themselves seem unfair." I point out. "And you still have the whole other thing?"

"If you thought that one was cool, just wait until you hear this." Lily says.

I look at him expectedly, waiting for him to start explaining. He rolls his eyes and continues. "This one has to do with my ability to read other people's emotions. It's even more complicated to explain."