The Touch Reader (#1 of the Elemental Originals Series)

Chapter Two

I blinked rapidly at the man in front of me that seemed severely concerned. "Are you alright, Miss?"

Glancing around, I realized that the crowd was looking at me too, so I shook my head and stood up, brushing anything that could have gotten onto my pants off. I looked at his worried brown eyes and turned away again. "I'm fine. Sorry, just got overwhelmed with what's happening."

Clearly not convinced, Terry was about to say something else when a rumble sounded from behind us. Turning, I saw the sick-looking Air Dragon approaching, its previously dull blue eyes burning with a fire greater than any I had seen before as it stopped in front of me, dipping its head to look me in the eye.

For the love of all that was, I couldn't bring myself to look away. We had the exact same shade of blue in our eyes, I realized. The exact shade. The odds of that were so large that my mind couldn't even contemplate it.

But as I looked at the Air Dragon, the familiarity pressing against me so hard I could barely breathe, something that looked like triumph flashed in the Dragon's eyes and a soft, feminine voice filled my head. "I will take this one, and her sister."

It was the grief-ridden voice filled with tentative hope of that Dragon that made me recoil, breaking the spell. Now I could remember where I knew this Dragon from. But surely it couldn't be. . .

The Dragon blinked at me like she knew what I was thinking, and she raised herself, her four long wings stretching like they hadn't in ages by the way they cracked.

She shook herself almost gleefully, the depression she had shown earlier almost completely gone. Her scales seemed to take on a new sheen, one that was achingly familiar. It hurt my heart to see the lively Dragon, remembering where I knew her from.

Next to me, Terry and Azula were staring at her in complete shock. It was as if every person there had grown an extra head by the way they were looking at Tornado.

I blinked slowly, feeling the familiar grief and anger rise at the sight of that dragon. It wasn't her fault, not at all, but she made memories I had tried to bury surface, and I did not like that.

Azula came back to herself first. "Well- uh- I-I guess that's the end of the ceremonies, so thank you for coming out and for providing us with so many new students! And sixteen-year-olds, be prepared for next year's picking!"

The crowd erupted into applause, almost immediately scattering now that the excitement was over.

The blonde haired woman turned to me and the rest of the Chosen, her gray eyes glancing at me and Flamma more often than looking at the rest of them. "Ok, so. Let me introduce the Dragons to you all. The Fire Dragon is Blister, the Ice Dragon Shard, the Earth Dragon Rocky, and the Air Dragon Tornado. Say goodbye to your families quickly and we will tell you which Dragon to ride on when you come back. Don't worry about packing; there will be clothes for all of you at the Academy."

Sliding over to stand beside Flamma and Leo, I studied the sixteen kids who rushed to find their families.

Leo glanced over at us with a mournful look, knowing how we felt about ours and most likely feeling bad that he wants to say goodbye to his own while we can't say the same to ours.

I gave him the faintest of smiles. "It's ok. Meet right here after?"

Leo nodded, looking relieved. "Of course. I'll just say bye to my family and come back."

Flamma smirked. "Don't be late, Leo. Try not to grab a quickie; it'll delay you."

I scowled at my sister as Leo choked on his own saliva, dark brown eyes widening. "O-of course not!" he squeaked, clearly disgruntled. "I would n-never do that! It's d-disgusting, a-and-"