Kellen took in a breath and released it slowly. He drummed his fingers on the coffee table in front of him for a few measures before turning his attention to Morgan. “The world is divided up into two basic groups,” he said. “There are people like Wen, who can calm you down when you’re upset or make you happy when you’re sad. And there are people like Tesin, who can know things he’s not supposed to know about things that haven’t happened yet.” He paused, glancing back down at the coffee table. He rested his right hand on it, palm toward Morgan’s chai tea, which was about a foot away. Morgan watched as the glass slid easily across the table until it rested against Kellen’s palm. “And there are people like me.”
Morgan opened her mouth to say something, but before she could even form the words, Wen spoke.
“Not a trick,” Wen said, answering Morgan’s unvoiced question.
Kellen was talking again. “There are people like us, and then there’s… everyone else.”
Morgan looked into Kellen’s eyes. “Which group do I fall in?”
Kellen smiled. “Suffice it to say that if you were in the latter category, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But you… you’re special.”
“So you keep saying,” Morgan said. “But I can’t do any of the things you just mentioned—”
“Really?” Wen asked, sounding unconvinced. “So you’re saying you’ve never… guessed that something was going to happen before it did? Or known something about someone that you shouldn’t have known?”
Morgan shrugged. “Well, yeah, but… I’m just… lucky. I mean, I’m more logical than most people. My brain works differently—”
Kellen chuckled softly. “Got it in one.”
Morgan looked at him. “Are you saying there’s something wrong with my brain?”
Kellen shook his head. “To the contrary; there’s something very right with it.”
Morgan glanced at Tesin and Wen before turning her attention back to Kellen. “So, I’m… like you guys?”
“Kind of,” Kellen said.
“You’re special, even among our people,” Tesin added. “You’re what’s called a Natural.”
“A Natural’s a person who hasn’t been born to us, but who possesses our powers,” Wen supplied before Morgan had a chance to ask.
“So, these… abilities… just kind of… pop up in people?” Morgan asked.
“No,” Kellen said firmly. “If we could trace your genealogy back, we’d certainly find a member of the Veneret in your family tree. Generations ago, in order to blend in, lots of the Veneret started marrying in with common people.”
Morgan raised an eyebrow. “The—”
“Veneret,” Wen said. “It’s what we’re called. And you don’t need to worry too much about the different names right now. Just know that we’re inviting you to learn about who you are and what you can do. We want to help you.”
Slowly, Morgan looked from Wen to Tesin to Kellen. She shook her head. “I feel like I’m being punked or something.”
“Understandably,” Wen said. “I know we sound a little crazy to you.”
Morgan let out a weak laugh. “No, that’s just it. You don’t. I think I’d feel a little better right now if you did sound crazy.”
Beside her, Kellen shrugged. “We don’t sound crazy because you know it’s true,” he said simply.
Morgan leaned back into the squashy couch cushions. She closed her eyes and listened to the song the band was playing now—something by Train. She tried to let the information sink in. Could these guys really be telling her the truth? It seemed too elaborate to be a practical joke. She didn’t even know these guys; why would they seek her out unless there was truth to what they were saying?
Without even meaning to, Morgan felt her mind reaching out the way it did during her readings. But it was also different than it was during her readings. After hearing that she might actually have psychic abilities, she was curious to test them out.
Slowly, she became aware of feelings that weren’t her own. She felt Kellen beside her. He was excited—excited to tell Morgan about the Veneret, about who she was and who she could be. He was excited that it was he who found her. She felt Tesin, his interest in Morgan, his irritation with Kellen. And hope. She felt hope from Tesin. And Wen…
Morgan opened her eyes and looked at Wen. She smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”
Wen just shrugged. “No worries.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Morgan continued.
“What?” Tesin asked. He looked from Wen to Morgan. “Were you reading us?”
Morgan shrugged. “Maybe? But I wasn’t trying to. I didn’t even realize until—” She looked at Wen. “Why’d that happen? It was like… running into a wall or something.”
“I’m a Feeler, too,” Wen said, as if that were sufficient explanation. “It’s how I could calm you down earlier.”
Morgan just shook her head. “I’m sorry—what? A… Feeler?”
“One of your abilities,” Kellen said. “Feelers can… you know. Feel.” As he spoke, he put his hand on Morgan’s knee and squeezed it. Morgan eyed him dubiously, trying to ignore the gentle flutter in her stomach.
“Eloquent,” Tesin muttered.
Wen sighed. “I figured you were a Feeler. It means you can sense the emotions of people around you. And, if you practice, you can influence moods.” He smiled. “Sensing what people feel probably helps you in your psychic reading business.”
Morgan offered a weak smile. “I can’t… I mean—you’re so matter-of-fact about this. I just… I guess I always figured I was just really perceptive.”
Wen shrugged. “You are.”
Morgan allowed herself to dwell on this idea for a moment until another thought eclipsed it. “My mom.” She glanced at Tesin and Wen. “Kellen said she’s still alive. Do you guys know anything about her?”
Beside her, Kellen’s phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the text message he’d received.
Tesin smiled, somewhat apologetically. “Sorry. That’s kinda above our pay grade.”
Morgan’s eyebrows contracted. “What does that mean?”
Wen opened his mouth to respond, but Kellen cut him off. “That’s an explanation for another day. Apologies.” He held his cell up to Tesin and Wen. “It’s the boss. We’ve got to get going.”
“Wait—what?” Morgan demanded. “You can’t just leave me.”
The guys all stood up. Morgan stood too.
Kellen handed her his cell phone. “Put your number in.”
“What? Why?”
He smiled. “So I can call you.” When Morgan made no move to comply, he added, “Please.”
“Look,” said Tesin, “there’s a group of us getting together tomorrow night—”
Morgan saved her number and handed the phone back to Kellen. “By ‘us’ you mean—”
“People like us, yes,” Tesin clarified. “Kellen will call you tomorrow to give you the where and when. I think you should come.”
“Can I bring Ris?” Morgan asked immediately.
Tesin just stared at her, confused, but Kellen chuckled.
“Sure,” said Kellen. “You can bring Ris.”
Wen gave Kellen a closed look. “Really?” he asked. He sounded dubious.
Kellen just nodded. “It’ll be fine,” he said. And that seemed to close the matter.
Tesin cleared his throat. “Okay, we should go.” He inclined his head toward Morgan by way of farewell and started toward the door.
Kellen took Morgan’s right hand and bent down to kiss it. “Never let it be said I’m not a gentleman on the first date.” Then, with a wink, he started after Tesin.
Only Wen remained. He watched Kellen go before turning to Morgan. He took a step closer to her and spoke quietly. “Look, I know this all seems kind of overwhelming. Believe it or not, you’re taking it better than most people thought you would.”
“‘Most people’?” Morgan asked.
Wen just shook his head. “Just t
ry not to let all this stuff freak you out. Kellen will call tomorrow. And I’ll see you tomorrow night. We’ll explain more then.”
Morgan just looked at Wen. He was standing inappropriately close for someone she had just met. He fixed his light hazel eyes on hers for a long moment before turning to go. Morgan watched as he walked through the coffee house to the door.
When he was gone, she sat down on the couch again. Leaning her head back against the cushion, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on the song the band was playing now, but she found it difficult. Her mind buzzed with half-formed ideas and questions. Part of her was convinced that what they were telling her couldn’t be true; the other part found Kellen’s demonstration with the glass to be pretty convincing.
Could she really be a Natural? A Feeler? Is that why she’d been so successful for so long as a fortune teller?
Before she could delve too deeply into any of these questions, she became aware of someone sitting down beside her on the couch. Her eyes snapped open and landed on the perfectly primped form of Lynna Rochester.
“Who were those guys?” Lynna asked, a hint of intrigue in her voice.
Morgan groaned. “Would you believe a figment of your imagination?”
Lynna rolled her eyes. “Seriously, though. They don’t go to ABC, do they?”
“Like you’d even notice,” Morgan muttered. “Your perception of the people at school is myopic at best.”
“So they don’t go to school with us,” Lynna said with suggestive smile.
Morgan sighed exasperatedly. “Why do you even care? Where are dumb and dumber?”
Lynna made a face at Morgan but didn’t correct her. “Marya got off work late and Shayna’s coming with her. They should be here in ten minutes or so.”
“Good. A light at the end of the tunnel,” Morgan grumbled.
“God, Morgan, why are you being such a bitch?” Lynna snapped.
Morgan sat up straight so she could face Lynna more directly. “Why am I being a bitch? I seem to remember the last time you said anything to me, Jocelyn, it was something about me not belonging in your precious little world.”
Lynna let out an exasperated sigh. “Why do you insist on calling me that?”
“Um… maybe because it’s your name.”
“Yeah, but nobody calls me that.”
“Except me.” Morgan let out a humorless laugh. “So, yeah, nobody.”
Lynna gave Morgan a stop-being-so-dramatic look and sighed. “So, what? You’re not gonna tell me who those guys were?”
“Nope.”
“Morgan,” Lynna whined.
“Please,” Morgan snapped. “Like you’re really upset.” She glanced around the coffee house, which had filled up quite a bit since Morgan’s arrival. The space appeared to be completely devoid of any of Lynna’s usual crowd. “What are you doing here, anyway? I wasn’t aware this place was suddenly cool.”
“Not hardly. Coffee houses are so not in.” Lynna stole a glance toward the front of the room.
“Don’t tell me,” Morgan said. “You’re here for Corbin. Of course you have a thing for him.”
“I do not have a thing for him,” Lynna insisted, but the corners of her mouth upturned slightly—a sure sign she was lying. She’d always been a terrible liar.
“Aren’t you worried he’s gonna see you talking with me?” Morgan asked. “I mean, don’t you lose popularity points for being in proximity to me or something?”
Lynna shrugged. “He won’t care that I’m talking to you. He’s got a soft spot for that Clarissa girl you hang out with.” Lynna smiled. “He might actually think it’s nice I’m talking to you.”
Morgan stood up, disgusted. “God, Joss, do you hear what a bitch you sound like?”
Lynna stared up at Morgan for a moment before averting her eyes. Looking down, she said quietly, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Huh,” Morgan intoned softly. “On the contrary, I understand perfectly.” She paused and shook her head. “You don’t always have to be who people expect you to be, you know.”
Lynna rolled her eyes. “Thanks, after school special.”
Morgan threw up her hands. “Fine. Do what you want to do. Just… leave me out of it.” She glanced around the room. “Why are you even talking to me, anyway? Aren’t things easier when you just pretend I don’t exist?”
Without waiting for a response from Lynna, Morgan started through the coffee shop toward the door. Before she got there, something made her look over at Corbin. She expected him to be strumming his guitar, eyes half-closed, as he had been any other time she’d happened to glance in his direction, but he wasn’t. He had all but stopped playing his instrument and he was watching Morgan as she walked through the coffee house. In his eyes, she saw concern, yes, but there was another emotion playing there that she couldn’t quite decipher. Had she been less angered by Lynna, she might have slowed her pace and tried to figure it out; however, in her present state, all she wanted to do was get out of the coffee house and go home. When she got to the door, she passed Shayna Malcolm and Marya McKenzie, who muttered epithets under their breath. Morgan didn’t even pause to put the two of them in their place.
All she wanted to do was get outside and go home. Tonight had been far too eventful already.
seven