The Power Within (8 page)

But what if Ms. Therian overreacted? What if she banned Darren from missions—or even practice—before Mack and the others had a chance to reach out to Darren? To help him?

I'll just see how practice goes today,
Mack finally decided as he transformed into his
kitsune
form.
If Darren really can't handle things, Ms. Therian will notice and make the decision herself.

Even so, Mack knew he would be keeping a close eye on his friend. Darren might not think that his friends could help him, but Mack would have his back regardless.

But nobody was more surprised than Mack when Darren pulled off his best Changers class yet. In his
impundulu
form, Darren executed almost perfect flying maneuvers. He swooped through the air with utmost grace, turning on a dime and nailing every landing. And his lightning! Mack had never seen anything like
it. Again and again, Darren's lightning bolts were white hot and sizzling as they sliced through the air, piercing the exact center of every one of Ms. Therian's targets.

Before long, Mack realized that he had stopped training altogether—and he wasn't the only one. Gabriella, in her
nahual
form, was standing motionless on the track, watching in wonder. In the pool, Fiona surfaced to marvel at Darren's blazing lightning, which lit up the gym like the world's most incredible fireworks display. Even Ms. Therian couldn't tear her eyes away.

Suddenly, the bell rang. Class had never run late before, and Ms. Therian looked surprised that the time had slipped away so quickly. “Finish up, everyone,” she said. “Darren—that was exceptional. A truly remarkable practice. Well done.”

Then Ms. Therian beckoned toward Fiona and Mack. “You two run ahead to the locker rooms. With your mission this afternoon, I'd hate for you to keep Akira waiting.”

“Don't rush on my account” came a voice from the doorway. Mack turned to see that his grandfather had entered the gym so quietly, no one had noticed.
Good thing they've got so many enchantments on the doors,
Mack
thought. He couldn't imagine what would happen if just anyone could stumble in.

Mack grinned and nodded to Jiichan, who smiled as he lifted his hand to return the greeting. But there was something around Jiichan's eyes that made Mack pause. Maybe it was because Mack was in his
kitsune
form, with all his senses heightened, but Mack almost felt like there was a cloud of worry hanging over his grandfather.

By the time Mack transformed a few seconds later, though, it was gone.

Or was it? Perhaps Mack, as a human, just couldn't sense it.

As Mack hurried to change back into his school clothes, he wanted to ask Jiichan what was up. He couldn't forget that brief foreboding that had emanated from his grandfather. But Mack had a feeling even if something
was
wrong, Jiichan wouldn't tell him until he was good and ready.

Darren entered the locker room then, whistling to himself.

“Dude!” Mack exclaimed. “That was incredible! I mean—
wow
!”

A grin crossed Darren's face as he ducked his head. “Well, you know, I had to make up for the other day in class,” he joked. “But thanks.”

“How did you do it?” Mack asked, unable to keep his curiosity under wraps.

Darren shrugged. “I wish I could tell you,” he admitted. “I guess I had a breakthrough or something. I think I've learned how to control my lightning. It feels . . . It feels almost natural. Like breathing, you know?”

Mack did know. He would never forget the first time he transformed, after almost losing hope that he would ever manage it. “Well, if you figure it out, you've gotta tell the rest of us,” he said. “I wish I could handle my powers so well.”

“I honestly think that it starts right here,” Darren said, tapping his temple. “Mind over matter.”

Mack grinned wryly. “You're sounding a lot like my grandfather, so you're probably right,” he cracked. “Anyway, I've got to go. Don't want to be late for the mission.”

“Good luck,” Darren said, serious all of a sudden. “And be careful.”

“I will,” Mack promised.

Back in the gym, Fiona, Ms. Therian, and Jiichan were waiting for him. “Mack, Fiona—a word before you depart,” Ms. Therian said. “I'm not sure if Gabriella and Darren told you about our mission yesterday.”

Mack and Fiona exchanged a glance. “Um, a little,” Fiona said carefully.

“Then you probably know that they were besieged by a witch and warlock at Fisherman's Bay,” Ms. Therian said. “I don't want to scare you before your mission, but I do want you to be on highest alert.”

“We will be,” Fiona replied.

“This is a promising sign, I think,” Ms. Therian continued. “They are worried about us, or else they would not be on patrol. And they are sloppy—that much is certain. This ought to give us a chance to resolve Jai's disappearance before they strike again.”

“Strike again?” Mack repeated. “You—you think that's a possibility?”

This time, it was Ms. Therian and Jiichan's turn to exchange a glance.

“It is not a possibility, Makoto,” Jiichan finally replied, “but a certainty.”

“Unless we can stop them first,” added Ms. Therian. “Go. And good luck. I look forward to your report.”

Half an hour later, Jiichan pulled his car into the driveway of a modest, one-story house on a quiet street in Middletown. “Here we are,” he said.

Jai's father must have been watching for them because he opened the front door before they were even halfway up the path. “Akira. Thank you for coming,” he said. “Please come in.”

Once they were inside, Jiichan placed one hand on Fiona's shoulder and the other on Mack's shoulder. “Ankur, thank you for your warm welcome,” he said. “May I present my grandson, Makoto, a
kitsune
, and Fiona Murphy, a
selkie
.”

Ankur nodded to each of them. “It is an honor to meet you,” he said. “I know my son would have—”

Ankur's voice caught in this throat, and his piercing brown eyes grew watery. “I apologize,” he said, pressing his hands over his eyes. “I'm terribly worried for him.”

“We will not stop searching until he is found and returned to you,” Jiichan assured him. “May we sit?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Ankur replied, gesturing toward the living room. “I've made tea. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

Mack accepted an earthenware mug filled with fragrant chai. He took a sip of the sweet tea, tasting cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices he couldn't quite place. It was delicious.

“Why don't you tell us about how Jai came into his powers,” Jiichan suggested to Ankur.

Ankur grimaced. “I should've noticed,” he said. Then he turned to Mack and Fiona. “We are
naga
,” he explained. “Serpent Changers. We hold sway over water: directing its course, summoning it in floods, withholding it in droughts. In ancient times we were the guardians of lakes, rivers, and streams.

“I had a strong feeling that Jai was also a
naga
, but I came into my powers later than most,” Ankur explained. “I was nearly fifteen before they awakened. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect Jai's powers to show themselves so soon. He's just eleven.”

“That took us
all
by surprise,” Jiichan said.

“After what happened . . .”

“The flood in Middletown?” Fiona said.

Ankur nodded. “He didn't know what was happening. He didn't know how to control the raw power. He was scared—so scared—and he told no one what was happening. His fear grew and grew, until it manifested into the terrible flood. It was my fault. If I'd been paying attention, if I'd seen the signs . . .”

Mack thought back to the news coverage he'd seen about the Middletown flood. A dozen families had lost their homes.

“Jai must have been devastated,” Fiona said. “How did he react?”

“Jai is a good boy,” Ankur said. “He has a good heart. After the flood . . . He blamed himself, and there was not a thing I could say or do that would ease his guilt. It consumed him; I watched my boy draw within himself. I tried to begin his Changer training, but he was uninterested. He thought if he ignored his powers, they would go away. And strangely enough—”

“His powers disappeared?” Mack interrupted.

“Not at all,” Ankur said. “But he was suddenly able to exert complete control over them.”

“Did this arouse your suspicions?” asked Jiichan.

“Perhaps it should've,” Ankur admitted. “But I already knew that Jai was an unusual Changer. I thought that rapid advancements in his powers might be something to expect. And he seemed happy again. Calm. Like he had everything figured out. It was . . . It was a welcome change, after all we'd been through. I didn't want to question it.”

“What happened next?” asked Fiona.

Ankur ran a hand through his hair anxiously, gluing his eyes to the floor. “He didn't come home,” he replied.

“Do you have a photo of Jai?” Fiona asked. “Something recent, like from right before he disappeared?”

“I do,” Ankur replied as he reached into his shirt pocket for his phone. “I took these the night before he vanished. See? You see how happy he looks? Content.”

Fiona took the phone and studied the screen. Suddenly, all the color drained from her face, as if she'd seen a ghost . . .

Or something even worse.

Fiona didn't want to alarm anyone. She wasn't the type to jump to conclusions—not about something as serious as this. But her hands were trembling, ever so slightly, and her heart was pounding. Because what she'd seen in that photo—something small, something most people never would've noticed—had filled her with a terrible sense of foreboding. Fiona had never met Jai; she had never even seen his picture before, but there was something in the photo that was immediately recognizable to her: Jai was wearing the same imprinted leather wristband that Darren had on in Changers class.

And Darren did so great today,
Fiona thought, her mind
whirling.
Just like Ankur said that Jai's powers were suddenly under control.

It couldn't be a coincidence.

Or could it?

A small part of Fiona was tempted to tell everybody her theory, right then and there. Why not let Mr. Kimura figure out what to do next? But if she was wrong—if she caused a whole lot of trouble over a whole lot of nothing—or worse, if she got Ankur's hopes up for no reason . . .

Fiona shook her head, just a little.
I've got to be certain,
she thought.
One hundred percent, no-doubt-about-it certain.

“Ankur, could I have copies of these photos?” she asked, scrolling through the others and hoping she sounded normal. She glanced from face to face. If anyone in the room had noticed her unease, they weren't showing it.

“Yes, of course,” he said. “You can go ahead and send them to yourself, if you want.”

Fiona tapped at the screen until she had texted herself three different photos of Jai. In each one, the leather
wristband was clearly displayed. As soon as she could see Darren's wristband in comparison to the one Jai was wearing in the photos, she would know for sure.

And then, Fiona hoped, she would know what to do next.