The Purple Eyed Girl

19. Palace reputation

I lowered myself against the wall of an abandoned building, grabbing my head with my hands, letting out a frustrated groan. I was sweating like crazy and panic was rushing through me as the power was starting to get the upper hand. This was going to be a long week.

I knew Valerio was watching me from a distance and my father ran past him to me.

"It's part of the process, Iola. Don't fight it, embrace it." The marked man's voice rang through my head.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU SON OF A BITCH." I screamed out in rage.

I was sure I looked like a crazy motherfucker right now, screaming into the void like that, but I didn't care. They thought I was a freak already anyway. Luckily for me, they couldn't eavesdrop on me, they could only see me yell if I wasn't within hearing distance, which was probably weirder.

My father's hands cupped my face. "Hey, hey, kiddo. Look at me."

My eyes met his and he stroked my head gently. "Breathe, just breathe."

"Dad, what do I do?" I said softly. "I feel like I'm going to explode."

"Let it out." He pulled me into a hug and held me tightly.

"How?" I whispered, burying my face in his shirt.

"By doing what you do best." He broke the hug, cupping my face again with a smile on his face.

"A small vase or a chair is not going to do the trick this time dad."

"Then throw something bigger." He shrugged, pulling me back on my feet. He motioned to a lamppost.

"You want me to throw a lamppost?" I raised my eyebrows, rubbing my sweaty hands on my legs. "I'm not even sure I can do that."

"Do it, Iola." He crossed his arms.

I checked to see if anybody was watching, but to my surprise, besides Valerio looking from afar, this part of town was completely empty. Maybe Valerio would finally back off if he saw something, and if he didn't I could always kill him if he threatened me. I was done fucking around.

I crossed the street to a lamppost and my mind wandered. Where would I throw this thing into? I wasn't going to throw it into the woods and risk hitting a tree or an animal, so my eyes settled on the only option. 

The abandoned building in front of me.

My hand hovered over the lamppost and I touched it, immediately sensing my heightened strength. I grabbed it with one hand and lifted it up, breaking it away from the ground in which it was cemented. With one swing, I threw it to the building, launching it through the wall, making the whole place come apart.

The powers discharged shortly after. Although this time it felt like a trace lingered behind, like they would return again, like they were going to become permanent.

I stared at the sight of the collapsed building. "How'd you know it would work?"

He chuckled. "I didn't, but you believed that it would, so it did."

I gave him a hug and as I walked back to the house, I braced myself for Valerio's reprimand which I undoubtedly was going to get.

When the house came into view, so came the people who were standing in line to volunteer. A girl around my age put her application form into the box and I recognized her from the training. She was one of the only ones who didn't laugh at me, she turned around and her eyes widened as they fell on me.

She practically sprinted towards me out of happiness and I stopped in my tracks, unsure what to do with such approaching joy. She gave me a hug and I stiffened while my eyes looked around for hidden cameras.