Spark (Academy of Unpredictable Magic Book 1) Read online

“Good,” I reply shortly. I hate when strangers can get your telephone number. “We’re not interested.”

  I start to close the door, but suddenly I can’t. I grab it with both hands and push, but it’s like—it’s like a strong gust of wind is blowing, keeping the door open.

  The woman raises an eyebrow. “I’m here as a representative from the local Circuit.”

  Oh. Now I know why the door won’t close—she’s got elemental magic, I’m guessing air, and she’s using that to keep it open.

  I step back, allowing the door to open wider. “Then come on in, I guess.”

  We have our own government for magic users. Local ones are just called Circuits, then there’s the District Circuit, which tends to run an entire state, and then there’s the High Circuit, who governs all the magic users in the country. We have a judicial system, cops, hospitals for magical illnesses and injuries, you name it.

  I can’t think what I’ve done to get the attention of the Circuit. Maddy and I live a pretty chill life. Neither of us has broken any laws…

  And then I remember. Maddy’s magic.

  “You must be Elliot Sinclair,” the woman says. She holds out her hand. I don’t want to shake it, but I probably shouldn’t get on her bad side. I grip her hand, shake it once, then let go. Stepping around her, I close the door as she steps farther into the apartment, casting her gaze around. “Ah. And this must be Madeline.”

  Maddy steps out of the bedroom doorway, her eyes a little wide. I don’t think she’s ever seen anyone who works in the Circuit before.

  “So, what can we do for you?” I cross my arms over my chest. It probably looks defensive, but I can’t help it; people in authority tend to bring out my prickly side.

  Despite my rudeness, the woman keeps her smile perfectly affixed to her face. She probably has to deal with people like me all day. “I’m Aurora Montgomery, and I work as a recruiter and liaison for the magical training academies. My job is to ensure that young magic users are placed in the program that’s best for them.”

  Maddy looks like she could jump up and down with excitement. She’s enthusiastic about everything in life, and I’ve never stifled that. One of us had to be the tough one so we could get by after Mom died, but I was determined not to let it be Maddy.

  “Would you like something to drink?” my sister asks. Then she gestures to the couch. “Oh, sit down! Sorry, we were just cleaning.”

  I keep my arms folded and lean back against the wall. “I’ve been looking for schools for her on my own. I didn’t get a notice from you guys or anything.”

  “We had a difficult time tracking you down.”

  “I’m registered.”

  All people from magical families have to be registered with the local Circuit so that the Circuit can find them during an emergency or something like that. I can see why we might still be hard to find, though. I haven’t really participated in the magical community in years, not since Mom died. Why would I, when neither Maddy nor I had any damn magic?

  “Besides, you worked pretty quickly,” I point out. “Maddy only showed her magic three days ago.”

  I’ve been scouring training academies since then to find the best place to petition for her. I figured I’d have to beg, borrow, steal, or sell my soul to get her in somewhere on such late notice.

  “Yes, we’ve been more proactive lately about approaching people whose magic has sparked and getting them into a proper training academy,” Aurora replies. She accepts the glass of water Maddy gives her with a graceful smile, even though I don’t think she really wants it. My sister sits down on the couch beside her, gazing at her with something like awe.

  Me? I’m a little more wary. It’s not that I think Aurora’s some crazy, unhinged mage. But I just don’t trust people in general. Blame my dad if you want, or blame all the friends who didn’t do anything to help when Mom got sick and died, leaving me to raise my sister all on my own. Not that I regret a second of it. I was just barely eighteen when Mom passed away, but I fought child protective services tooth and nail to make sure I got to keep Mads, and it was all worth it. She’s the best part of my life.

  “Our ability to track new, uncontrolled flares of magic has gotten a lot better over the years,” Aurora explains. “We can use it to quickly find and help people whose magic has sparked to life. It helps prevent delays in getting them the help they need.”

  I narrow my eyes, a little bothered that she seems to think I couldn’t get Mads the help she needs. “I’ve been researching schools. But if you have suggestions, I’m happy to hear them.”

  “Your concern for your sister is admirable and expected,” Aurora says smoothly, probably reading the distrust in my eyes. “My belated condolences about your mother, by the way. When you came up in the system, I saw that she passed away several years ago. I understand that Maddy is important to you, and to have looked after her since you were eighteen—”

  “We’ve been fine,” I interrupt, raising a hand. I know she means well, but I really don’t need her pity. Hell, there are single parents all over the place, and teen moms all over the place. We all make it work the best we can, and strangers’ sympathy doesn’t pay the bills. “So, you found a good place for Maddy? Somewhere she’ll get the best training possible?”

  “We did. Your sister has… I believe elemental magic is what we detected? Is that right, Madeline?”

  They say different kinds of magic leave a different kind of aura. Scientifically—and yes, there are people who blend science and magic—it’s a kind of imprint in the area where the magic happened. And with the right equipment or ritual, people can actually see the residue of the magic and figure out what kind it was, at least in a general sense.

  I don’t know exactly how it works. I’m pretty ignorant of the latest news and developments in the magical world.

  “That’s right.” Maddy nods so hard I worry her head might fall off. “Water. It was amazing, the water just exploded out of the sink—”

  “Then I’d like to formally give you an invitation be to enrolled at Neptune Academy,” Aurora says, gently interrupting Maddy. She looks over at me. “It’s our premiere academy for those with elemental magic based on water, and it falls under the auspices of the Phoenix Training Program. The phoenix embodies all four elements: it flies, it bursts into flames at the end of its life, it cries healing tears, and buries its eggs in the earth.”

  “Okay.” I remember that school from my search, and it seemed like a solid program—not that I have a lot of reference points for what makes a magical academy good. “When will she start? Are there any things she needs?”

  Aurora pulls some folded papers out of an inside jacket pocket. “All the information you need is right here. When she needs to check into her dorm, what sort of courses she can expect to take in her first year, equipment she’ll need… all of it. I took the liberty of securing a scholarship for her, so there should be information on that in there as well.”

  Holy shit. That’s… huge. I’ve been worried about getting Maddy into a program at all. Paying for it was going to be a whole other issue.

  “Are you… serious?” I ask, and I know I sound like I’m expecting her to demand one of our souls in return. I’m not trying to seem ungrateful, but I have a hard time trusting new people, even if they’re nice.

  Scratch that. Especially if they’re nice.

  Maddy gives me an ‘Elliot, please’ look.

  “Completely. There are a number of scholarships available to most magic academies. We don’t want a person’s income to keep them from getting the training they need. It benefits everyone if they learn to control their powers.” Aurora turns to Maddy. “So? What do you say?”

  “I say, heck yeah!” she practically squeaks.

  “Good.” Aurora still has that calm smile on her face as she hands my sister the papers and takes a polite sip of the water Mads brought her. “We look forward to having you as a part of the magical community, Madeline. Good luck.”

&
nbsp; She nods at me, then gets up and shows herself out.

  I close the door after her, feeling a little shell-shocked. In two minutes, that Circuit woman just decided the next three years of Maddy’s life.

  “This is amazing!” Mads exclaims, with none of the apprehension I feel. She grabs the glass Aurora used, and I follow her into the kitchen as she heads to the sink. “It’s perfect. We looked at Neptune too! It’s the only one in-state I could qualify for. And it’s only a few hours away. You can visit me on the weekends!”

  I take the papers from her and flip through them quickly. Everything does seem to be in order. And Neptune was one of the schools I was looking at already, so it all fits—plus, a scholarship is beyond helpful.

  “You’re right. It’s perfect.” I put the papers down and smile at her, forcing myself to let go of my stress and worries for a moment. Mads is excited about this, and I’m not going to rain on her parade by thinking about how much I’ll miss her or all the things that could go wrong. “I think this calls for some ice cream.”

  She throws her arms around me in a bear hug. “I won’t be too far away, Elliot. It’ll be okay.”

  I wrap my arms around her, blinking back tears as I squeeze her tight. “Don’t you worry about me, little sis. I’ll be fine.”

  The next few days are a whirlwind of running around and getting Maddy ready. She’s beyond excited, and I don’t blame her. I’ve done my best to give her a normal life since Mom passed away, but she hasn’t had a ton of friends, and she never got to be a part of the magical community, which I know she’s always wanted to. This is the happiest I’ve seen her in years, and I don’t want to dampen that for her.

  But… well… shit, this is embarrassing, but Maddy’s kind of all I have. I didn’t have time for a social life once I started taking care of her. Not that I regret it. She’s my baby sister, and I love her to pieces. But it’s really staring me in the face now how empty my life is about to become.

  Maddy’s the person I take to the movies when we can afford them at the two-dollar matinee theater down the street. She’s the person I watch stupid TV shows with. I still read to her at night sometimes, except now it’s Jane Austen instead of fairy tales. And with her gone, I’m going to have all this free time and nobody to fill it.

  It only takes us a day to get her packed. Neither of us has much.

  “Look at you,” I joke as we survey the suitcases by the door the night before she leaves. “All ready to head out into the big bad world.”

  Maddy rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry. I still remember my self-defense moves, Ellie.”

  “I should hope so. Be prepared to throw some elbows.”

  “I’m gonna be fine.” She bites her lip. “And you’ll be fine too, right?”

  “Of course I will be. What are you doing worrying about me for? You’re about to head off on a huge adventure! You should be thinking about that!” I give an exaggerated shrug. “I’m just going to be doing my thing in Portland—regular, boring. No trouble here.”

  “Ellie,” Maddy says, huffing out a breath. “I want you to have a life too.”

  “I do have a life. I have a job and everything.”

  “You know what I mean. I want you to…” She hesitates, glancing away, and when she looks at me again, her blue eyes are serious. “I know you’ve given up a lot for me. You’ve taken care of me, and I’m so grateful. You’re an amazing sister, and I don’t want you to ever think you haven’t been enough, because you have been. But you don’t have to look out for me so closely anymore. I’m—well, maybe I’m not a full grown adult, but I’m pretty grown up, I think we can both agree.”

  I laugh in spite of myself. “True. You’re not that obnoxious twelve-year-old anymore.”

  “Hey! I was never obnoxious. I’ve always been an angel.”

  “Sure, sure, you keep telling yourself that.”

  Maddy grabs my hands. “But you really will—you’ll find friends and stuff, right? Go out to parties and clubs and all that stuff? I know we joke that you’re an old lady at heart, but… you’re really not that old. You’re twenty-two. This is when you’re supposed to be having fun and going out and doing your thing.”

  “Doing my thing?”

  “Doing… men.” She blushes.

  “Umm, I think if any of us is going to be hitting a home run in the romance department, it’ll be you,” I tease, squeezing her hands. “You’re not going to break too many hearts, I hope.”

  “Har, har, har.” She yanks her hands away and puts them on her hips. “I want you to do things for yourself, okay? Have fun.”

  “Okay. If it means that much to you, I’ll sign up for a dating app.”

  “Elliot!” Maddy laughs, and I grin back. “You don’t have to take care of me anymore,” she promises. “I’m going to be okay. You can take care of yourself now.”

  My throat tightens with emotion, but I don’t let it show on my face as I reach over and run a hand over her hair. “Don’t worry. I will, Mads.”

  I don’t tell her this as we finish getting ready for her to leave in the morning and settle down to eat dinner on the couch, but… I’m just not very interested in any of that social stuff. Not dating, not parties, not any of it.

  Sure, back when I was a teenager, I went out to the odd party, sneaking out and then feeling bad about it afterward, but I was never a huge party person. People can drain my energy really quickly. And I don’t need friends right now. I’m fine on my own. I don’t need a boyfriend, either. It would take a lot for a guy to catch my attention, anyway. I’m not easily impressed.

  I’ll be just fine by myself though. I’ve got work and… I don’t know, maybe I’ll take up fucking knitting. I’ll get by. Going to school is what’s best for Maddy, and I’d never hold her back from it. I’ve sacrificed a lot for her, and even though letting her go is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I can’t even call it a sacrifice. This is what I’ve always wanted for her.

  To be happy.

  To thrive.

  In the morning, she’s off. A shuttle comes to pick her up—along with other students throughout the city—and take her to the campus about two hours away. I help load up her suitcases and wave her off as I stand on the sidewalk, putting on a smile, trying not to panic inside.

  Then the shuttle pulls around a corner, and I’m all alone.

  Chapter 3

  I’m at work again, doing a double shift. My third double in a row, actually, but so what? Maddy’s not around to nail me for it, and nobody else knows or cares. My coworkers are just glad I’m able to cover their shifts. And, hey, extra money for me. I’ll stash it away in case some unexpected bills come up for Mads at her new school, although the scholarship helped a lot with defraying the costs.

  Our lives haven’t been easy since Mom died, but I’ve never felt actually pathetic before. It’s hitting me just how little else I have in my life besides her, and I’m realizing I don’t really have any purpose besides taking care of my sister. I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life—you know, long-term. I don’t want to be a bartender forever, but fuck if I have any idea what my next step should be.

  At least work keeps me busy. I can’t think too much about my sister or drive myself crazy worrying about her while I’m serving customers. I can’t obsess about whether she’s being bullied, struggling in classes, or has awful teachers if I’m telling off men for trying to hit on me, serving drinks like there’s no tomorrow, counting out change, and trying to avoid getting busted by Ajax.

  I hand off a tray of drinks to one of the servers, Carla, then step back from the bar, wiping the back of my forearm across my forehead as I take a breather.

  Now that schools are starting back up, the bar is slowing down a bit, but we still get a rush from about nine to eleven every night. It’s after midnight now, so things are slowing down, even for a Saturday.

  I wonder if Maddy’s out with friends. Shit, I hope she’s not partying too hard. She wouldn’t do anythi
ng stupid, would she? No way, I raised her better than tha—

  Damn it. I’m doing it again.

  Work isn’t distracting me as much as I hoped it would, especially now that the rush of orders is slowing down. I need something else.

  A soft snort bursts from my nose as I grab a rag and start to wipe down the counter. Maybe Maddy was right. Maybe I need to get laid.

  I’m not looking for a boyfriend or anything. Fuck no. But I wouldn’t mind having someone to work off the stress with, someone to get me out of my damn head. I haven’t had sex in forever. Kind of hard to bring a man home when you share a bed with your younger sister. Talk about a mood killer.

  Those three guys who came in the other night were fine as hell. If I could find one of them, I wouldn’t mind breaking my “no fraternizing with customers” rule.

  I scan the crowd. We’ve got a few tables in the back that are almost out of my eye line, so I subtly lean over the bar just in case I missed them, but they’re not here.

  Damn.

  There is someone else, though. A man I’ve never seen before has taken over one of the corner booths all by himself. A pretty impressive feat if you ask me, seeing as how the bar hasn’t completely died down yet, and those booths can seat about five people, six if you really want to squish. He’s drinking like he’s trying to forget something, or someone. The perfect kind of attitude for a one-night stand.

  He’s incredibly handsome too, with the kind of dark good looks that make him seem like he should be starring in a moody music video. Ebony hair, a slightly hooked nose, cobalt blue eyes, firm jaw, a slight bit of scruff—and holy fuck, his arms look thick and muscled enough that I probably couldn’t wrap both hands around his biceps. He’s got on a black button-up shirt that’s open at the collar, and on a scale of one to ten… he’s about a twenty.

  Umm. Shit, yeah. If I get a chance at that, I’m gonna take it.

  He looks like maybe he’s in the same kind of mood I am tonight. Maybe he’s looking for a distraction, same as I am.