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Know what? I wanted to ask. Before I could speak, Izzy added, Anyway, the longer we trained, the stronger and better we became at controlling our
powers and the better we felt.
Sykes and Remy were still scowling at Kim. Whatever she had hinted at must be some top secret among Cardinal Guardians or something. And
you guys? I asked them.
Sykes looked at me and shook his head. Never had a doubt. We were born to do this. He and Remy knocked fists, again.
Have you guys ever met a demon?
The four of them nodded.
Mainly werenephil, Remy added.
Were-what? I asked.
Remy leaned forward to explain. Werenephils are the shape-shifters of our race. Many of the nasty demons in human theology books are
werenephils, so are scout demons who search for vulnerable souls.
Sykes smirked. Others are collectors, trading souls like common goods to other demons. Can you imagine a demon auction? Serial killer going
once& twice& sold to the drama queen at the corner. He pointed at Kim with his sucker.
Izzy kicked him hard under the table. Will you be serious?
Moron, Kim added, throwing Sykes a killer glance.
Hey, I tell it as it is. Then Sykes grinned at me. And just so you know, they outnumber us, which means we have to be stronger and faster than
them.
Now that wasn t something I needed to hear. I guess fighting them is an endless battle.
Not really. We drive them underground until they regroup and come back swinging. What works to our advantage is they re not methodical or well-
organized, Remy explained. There re many dark lords with minions competing with each other. Some are perfectly happy accumulating wealth
and becoming powerful.
But others, like demoness Coronis, devour Guardians for fun, added Sykes.
Sykes, Izzy snapped.
Seriously, Lil, Coronis is as bad as they come and has the largest following, Sykes continued, his tone becoming more serious. She was also
one of the original members of the Circle of Twelve.
I looked around the table to see if anyone would indicate he was joking. They all nodded.
It s true, Remy stated. She left because she didn t like the CT s agenda. While other demons cause mischief for fun, you know, play with the
psyche of sane people and turn them into sociopaths& serial killers and whatnots...Coronis elite demons are the nature-benders. They are our
worst nightmare.
I watched him with wide eyes, caught between fascination and revulsion. Nature benders?
They mess with nature. Water demons whip up hurricanes and cyclones.
Land demons create tsunamis and earthquakes, Sykes added.
Energy demons cause wildfires and thunderstorms, Izzy piped in.
I gulped, remembering last night. Did that make me a nature bender?
And air demons behind twisters and blizzards, Kim finished. Or the ones who do it all like& Valafar. She said it in three syllables. The others
gave her pointed looks I didn t understand. She ignored them, just leaned forward and watched me with narrowed eyes as though waiting for my
reaction.
I didn t know what her problem was, but fear coiled inside of me, as though I stood at the edge of a precipice while dark waters churned below,
waiting to suck me under. Are you saying natural disasters& ?
Are not natural, she whispered.
Most of the time, Remy corrected.
Grampa was right. Now that I knew what I was, there was no running from it. I had to learn to control my powers, know my enemies, or I d forever be
looking over my shoulder, terrified of the unknown. The fighting demons part was what I didn t want to deal with.
So when will you start training with us? Sykes asked.
I shook my head. I don t know. Where do you train?
Downtown at the C12 dojo, between four and six in the evenings, and mornings sometimes, he said.
We have group practice and individualized training, Remy added.
It will be great to have you with us, Lil, Izzy piped in. We ll help you adjust, master some of the skills we ve spent these past two years honing.
You ve been training with your grandfather, right?
Just martial arts, with and without weapons. Thank God for that. At least I wouldn t be so far behind.
It s a big part of our training. Weapons become handy when we can t use our powers, and the sensei insists martial arts teaches us discipline.
Though for some people, I can t say it is working. Izzy shot Sykes a sharp glance. So can you start today?
I winced at the look of anticipation on their faces, the urge to escape their presence tugging at me. I need to discuss it with Grampa first, I fibbed.
They gave a collective groan.
What? I asked. No one spoke for a beat. They exchanged looks. Now more than ever I wanted to know what they were hiding. Tell me.
Sykes looked at the others and shrugged. She might as well know. Your grandfather s famous for thumbing his nose at the rules. He breaks and
bends them, and somehow gets away with it. The guy s my hero. You have to tell him you want to train with us.
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