Previous | Chapter Index | Next

“I already know that you can throw things accurately, Kate, but I want you to be able to do it both physically and mentally.”

“Okay.” Kate levitated the next knife and aimed it at the target. Just as she released it and a pebble hit her in the small of the back. She flinched, of course, and the knife missed the target and embedded itself in the fence. She turned and glared at him. “Oi! What was that for?”

“I also want you to be able to do it even when you’re distracted. A fight is not a sterile training environment.”

“Oh.” She hefted a knife in her hand this time and looked at him questioningly.

“If you really must,” he sighed. “I suppose it would be good practice to alternate.”

“That’s what I thought.” Kate threw the knife at the target and struck it dead in the centre. “There that’s much easier than the psychokinetic stuff.”

“Actually you still used the psychokinetic stuff.” he looked surprised.

“No I didn’t. I just threw like I’d chuck a dart at that.” She cocked her head to where her well used dartboard was attached to the fence. “Usually with a photo of my stepmother attached to it when she’s been burning incense in my room again.”

“That’s interesting. I suspect that you’ve always been using your latent powers without realising because I know you guided that knife with your mind. It explains why you are picking this up so quickly.”

“I have? I didn’t know.” She looked back at the target. “Right then let’s do this pebbles and all.”

***

It had taken Kate another half an hour to reliably centre the knives even when he was tossing pebbles at her at odd moments and now he was watching hher dance around the garden in triumph having done three circuits without missing. She came to a stop by the swingset and sat down.

“You said you wanted me to try and levitate myself as well?”

“I do,” he said. “Unless you’re too tired?”

“I feel great,” she said. “How do I do it?”

“Just try and lift yourself the way you lifted the furniture,” he said.

Kate stood up and closed her eyes. She must have done as he said because with in moments she rose into the air and floated there.

“Well done!” he said.

“I did it?” She cautiously opened her eyes and looked down. “I did it!”

“Yes, so once you learn a bit more control you’ll be able to fly,” he said.

“Fly!” Her eyes went wide. “That would be amazing!” She floated a bit higher.

“Careful,” he said. “You don’t want to float off.”

“Huh, no,” she agreed. She closed her eyes and floated back to the ground before sitting back on the swing. “So what’s the plan?”

“The plan?” he asked.

“How are going to attract Ophelia’s attention once I’m ready?” she said.

Previous | Chapter Index | Next