Read Online Kelly McClymer-Salem Witch 01 The Salem Witch Tryouts by Kelly McClymer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly McClymer
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interested. Figures.
“I’m just rusty—not exactly fair to use magic against mortals, is it?” I had a hunch fairness mattered to this guy. Happily, I was right—or I might just have been skipping lunch from now until the end of the school year. Which would mean figuring out how to get a bathroom pass in this place.
“So you had to do things the mortal way—like cook and stuff? In an oven? Or did you use a microwave?” I recognized the fatal signs of a mortal groupie. I had a few among my mom’s side of the family. Annoying souls who thought it was quaint the way mortals (and my family, up until now) did things. I hated being quaint.
“Never mind. I …” I wasn’t going to get into a session where I had to answer stupid questions like how many mortals does it take to screw in a lightbulb. My grandmother delights in such nonsense, but I
have
to put up with her.
“Let’s trade. I’ll pop you up some of my trademark curry if you share the secrets of the mortal world with us.” The boy stopped fiddling with his glasses. He waved his hand,and another dish of curry appeared on the table, as well as a can of soda so cold that I could see the sweat running down the side.
Interesting. He could handle two acts of magic at one time with relative ease. I wondered if that was normal for kids our age, or if he was one of the advanced students. One of the advanced students who could be a shortcut to my learning everything I needed to know to take this school by storm.
Taking my hesitation for refusal, he added, “I’ll put a quietatus bubble around us, too. That way, they”—he glanced at the crowd at the table where Anonymous Guy was anonymously sitting—“can’t hear us.”
I sat. Maybe if we exchanged annoying questions, they wouldn’t be so annoying. And maybe I’d learn how to whip up some handy quietatus bubbles. Maybe.
The curry was delicious, and Curry Boy (real name Samuel), Maria, and Denise (Potato Sack Girl) made me feel welcome by adding a big brownie with nuts and whipped cream to my lunch.
First things first, I asked the most important question. I cringed a little inside before I dared to speak my questions out loud, thinking that even fringies could recognize a scud. But there really wasn’t any choice. I didn’t have time to wait to figure out which was the in group to join—or what I needed to do to join it.
“What’s with those guys?” I tried not to be too obvious, just cutting a quick glance to one corner. “They look like they were dressed by Mother Nature herself.”
Maria laughed. “You’re funny, Pru.”
“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m trying to learn about what makes a girl get ahead here at Agatha’s.”
They all three stared at me for a minute while they digested that I was serious.
And then Samuel said, “They’ve manifested their Talent, and it has to do with the earth.”
Oh. The Talent thing again. Great. “Does everybody know their Talent?”
“No. Not everyone.” They all looked to one small table, the witch equivalent of scuds. Five people. Even though I couldn’t see any difference betweem those five and the rest of the kids, I so did not want to be one of them.
“This whole Talent thing is so weird for me,” I said.
Maria nodded. “Yeah. When I found out I could summon fog, I wasn’t sure whether to be bummed or happy.”
“Why? Fog is handy sometimes, isn’t it?”
Maria shrugged. “The Water Talents are not the most respected. But I like that I’m a Water.”
“Me too,” Samuel said, smiling at her. “Earth and Water make a good team.”
“So you’re an Earth Talent? What’s that?” And why wasn’t he sitting over there with the other Earth witches?Not that I would dare ask that one aloud. I guess it was the fringie thing, lucky for me.
He shrugged. “I’m just grounded.”
Denise clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Don’t be modest. You already have control over metals and glass.” She pointed to his
“I’m just rusty—not exactly fair to use magic against mortals, is it?” I had a hunch fairness mattered to this guy. Happily, I was right—or I might just have been skipping lunch from now until the end of the school year. Which would mean figuring out how to get a bathroom pass in this place.
“So you had to do things the mortal way—like cook and stuff? In an oven? Or did you use a microwave?” I recognized the fatal signs of a mortal groupie. I had a few among my mom’s side of the family. Annoying souls who thought it was quaint the way mortals (and my family, up until now) did things. I hated being quaint.
“Never mind. I …” I wasn’t going to get into a session where I had to answer stupid questions like how many mortals does it take to screw in a lightbulb. My grandmother delights in such nonsense, but I
have
to put up with her.
“Let’s trade. I’ll pop you up some of my trademark curry if you share the secrets of the mortal world with us.” The boy stopped fiddling with his glasses. He waved his hand,and another dish of curry appeared on the table, as well as a can of soda so cold that I could see the sweat running down the side.
Interesting. He could handle two acts of magic at one time with relative ease. I wondered if that was normal for kids our age, or if he was one of the advanced students. One of the advanced students who could be a shortcut to my learning everything I needed to know to take this school by storm.
Taking my hesitation for refusal, he added, “I’ll put a quietatus bubble around us, too. That way, they”—he glanced at the crowd at the table where Anonymous Guy was anonymously sitting—“can’t hear us.”
I sat. Maybe if we exchanged annoying questions, they wouldn’t be so annoying. And maybe I’d learn how to whip up some handy quietatus bubbles. Maybe.
The curry was delicious, and Curry Boy (real name Samuel), Maria, and Denise (Potato Sack Girl) made me feel welcome by adding a big brownie with nuts and whipped cream to my lunch.
First things first, I asked the most important question. I cringed a little inside before I dared to speak my questions out loud, thinking that even fringies could recognize a scud. But there really wasn’t any choice. I didn’t have time to wait to figure out which was the in group to join—or what I needed to do to join it.
“What’s with those guys?” I tried not to be too obvious, just cutting a quick glance to one corner. “They look like they were dressed by Mother Nature herself.”
Maria laughed. “You’re funny, Pru.”
“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m trying to learn about what makes a girl get ahead here at Agatha’s.”
They all three stared at me for a minute while they digested that I was serious.
And then Samuel said, “They’ve manifested their Talent, and it has to do with the earth.”
Oh. The Talent thing again. Great. “Does everybody know their Talent?”
“No. Not everyone.” They all looked to one small table, the witch equivalent of scuds. Five people. Even though I couldn’t see any difference betweem those five and the rest of the kids, I so did not want to be one of them.
“This whole Talent thing is so weird for me,” I said.
Maria nodded. “Yeah. When I found out I could summon fog, I wasn’t sure whether to be bummed or happy.”
“Why? Fog is handy sometimes, isn’t it?”
Maria shrugged. “The Water Talents are not the most respected. But I like that I’m a Water.”
“Me too,” Samuel said, smiling at her. “Earth and Water make a good team.”
“So you’re an Earth Talent? What’s that?” And why wasn’t he sitting over there with the other Earth witches?Not that I would dare ask that one aloud. I guess it was the fringie thing, lucky for me.
He shrugged. “I’m just grounded.”
Denise clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Don’t be modest. You already have control over metals and glass.” She pointed to his
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