She remembered the last time they’d been in a hot tub together. They had snuck into the apartment complex across the road from one of their foster homes. They hadn’t gotten caught, but she’d ended up throwing up the cold pizza they’d eaten beforehand.
“Great,” she said less enthusiastically.
“So what’s the deal with you two?” Mia asked, kicking up her bare feet and resting them near the fire. “I get that you’re an item now. You were raised together?”
“Foster care.” Scott nodded. “Selene was six. After that, we were inseparable. I think I was drawn to the thrill and excitement of the things she can do from the first moment I saw her powers.”
Selene was surprised at this. She’d never really talked to Scott about these sorts of things. She’d always assumed he’d felt the same way she had from the moment they had seen one another.
“It must have been nice being raised to know exactly what you were,” Selene broke in, a little uncomfortable with the topic.
“Yes and no. Constantly being compared to your ancestors and their powers has a downside.” Mia shrugged. “Oh, you can’t levitate? Your great-great-aunt could,” she said in a somewhat whiney tone. “What do you mean you can’t command the weather? Your great-great-great-grandfather could.” She rolled her eyes.
“Seriously?” Scott asked, leaning forward slightly.
Mia chuckled. “Yes, djinns are known for their power and abilities, but no two are ever the same. I’m still discovering mine.”
“Just how are you going to train me?” Selene asked her.
Mia set her empty plate down and wiped her hands on her jeans as she stood up. “Like this,” she said, and before Selene could argue, Mia reached down and gripped Selene’s wrists and yanked her to her feet. One moment they were standing on the back deck; the next, they stood in a vast dessert.
The extra layer of her sweatshirt made her instantly sticky and sweaty.
“What…” Selene blinked a few times, then glanced around. All around them, in the far distance, there were tall mountains. From this far, she couldn’t see anything beyond their massive gray shapes. Then Selene glanced up into the sky. “There are three suns.” She pointed to the sky.
Mia smiled as she stood beside her, watching her face. “Yes, and six moons at night.”
“This is…” She tried to remember what Mia had called it. “Your Void?”
Mia nodded. “It’s actually another world. I’ve tried to chart the stars, but…” She shrugged. “It’s basically impossible.”
“You’re saying we’re standing on another planet?” Selene glanced around, suddenly worried about alien life coming after them.
Mia chuckled. “It’s void of life. Hence the name,” she said, as if reading Selene’s mind.
“Nothing lives here?”
Mia’s eyes darkened slightly as she shook her head. “Once, but not now.”
Selene took a relaxing breath. “Okay, so, how did you bring me here?”
“The art of surprise.” Mia smiled. “You may not have been able to bring Scott into your Beyond because he has never wanted to go.”
Selene frowned. “You’re saying that I haven’t been able to take him there not because of me, but because of him?”
Mia nodded. “It’s worth a try. When we return, I’ll suggest you try taking him to your Beyond. To test the theory. If I’m right, it shouldn’t work. But then you can try again when he’s not expecting it.”
“Why couldn’t you have told me all this in the city?” Selene asked.
Mia’s eyes closed for a moment. When they opened again, they locked with her own. “We’re supposed to be here. Something is coming for you. For Scott. He is more dangerous than you know.”
Selene felt a shiver race through her.
CHAPTERTEN
Scott watched Mia and Selene disappear and jumped to his feet. Before he could cry out, however, they were back, standing before him.
“What the…” He gripped Selene. “Are you okay?”