Reclaimed (The Phoenix Chronicles Book 1) by Erica Ortega Page A

Ash. “When your two years is up where will you go?”
    Summer opened her mouth and then closed it again. She hadn't really thought that far into the future. Her life had always consisted of her focusing on the present. Where was she going to sleep that night, what was she going to eat next, would the police find her, would today be the day the dark wielders caught her?
    She shrugged. “I never really had a chance to think about it but, if I survive this school and become a good wielder then maybe I'll work for those elves. I'm not going back into the real world. I don't fit in.”
    “The elves and I don't really get along,” said Ash. “And with the magic dwindling the entrances to their world is getting harder to find.”
    The door lurched open and in stepped Tracy. Her eyes were distant and scared but, she seemed composed as she walked towards them.
    “The boy was a light wielder. His name was Christian. I got to see his parents when they came down.”
    Summer patted the bed next to her. Tracy walked towards them in a zombie-like state and sat down.
    “This has never happened before,” whispered Tracy.
    “What?” asked Summer.
    “A death at the training facility,” answered Ash. “There was an accident a long time ago but, never a murder. What now?”
    Tracy let out a long breath and began twisting one of her red and black braids. “Jasper wants us to keep quiet about this. He thinks all students will be pulled and this place shut down.”
    “So we just pretend like nothing happened?” asked Summer.
    Tracy nodded without looking at her. “Yes.”
    Ash zipped up his sweatshirt and stormed out. Summer looked back and forth between the two of them and in a split second decided to chase after Ash.
    She grabbed his wrist just outside of the dorm. “Wait.”
    He froze. “What do you want?”
    “Do you really think I might be the answer to all of this?”
    He turned around, a dark storm brewing in his eyes. “You're our last and only answer.”
    “Then help me,” she begged. “I'm terrible at everything. I can't even run two miles without getting winded.”
    “No. I don't do that. Ask Tracy.”
    “Please,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze. “You have more experience, you're powerful, and you scare people.”
    His eyes lightened as the last words left her mouth. “Are you scared of me?”
    Summer thought about it for a moment. “No, I just think you're weird.”
    Ash stared at her for a while before breaking out in a full grin. “We train at six in the morning starting tomorrow.”
    She let his arm drop and clasped her hands together. “Thank you so much!”
    Ash nodded and rushed off down that Hall. After what Troy had told her, she was sure that Ash was about to go argue with the council. She didn't blame him. Having someone murdered that brutally was not something to take lightly. She felt like Jasper was trying to brush it under the rug and that was wrong.
    Summer was about to walk back into her room when she heard frantic, angry whispering coming from around the corner. She couldn't help but be curious and try to see what was going on.
    One thing she did learn on the streets was how to sneak around without being heard. It was necessary to survive and something she had mastered quickly.
    She eased her way towards the edge of the wall and cursed herself for not having something reflective to see with. She was about to leave when her eyes landed on a black vase that was sitting on a table. The reflection was hard to make out but, she definitely knew who it was. Fay had Troy up against a wall, her hand around his collar, and was obviously angry.
    Summer tried to listen but, they weren't speaking loud enough. Instead, she decided that she would be nice and save Troy from an inevitable beat down by an old lady.
    She looked at the ground and kicked a few loose rocks. Fay immediately dropped her hands and backed up as Summer rounded the corner.
    “Hey Troy, Fay,” she exclaimed and wanted to kick