Iâm just so ready to change. I canât believe Iâm the last one to figure it out.â
âThat doesnât matter,â Gabriella told him. âYouâll get it. Ms. Therian believes in youâand look, your own grandfather is one of the First FourâI mean, thatâs incredible !â
Mack tried to smile, but Gabriellaâs enthusiasm just made him feel worse. If Jiichan was one of the First Four, shouldnât Mack have an easier time transformingâand not harder?
Just then, Jiichan pulled up to the curb. Mack was happier than usual to see him. If talking to Gabriella had given him an entirely new perspective on how he should approach Changing, then what could he learn from his own grandfather, a true master?
âThanks for the advice, Gabriella,â Mack said. He hopped into the car.
âHow was your day?â Jiichan asked as Mack fastened his seat belt.
âGabriella can change now too,â Mack said with a sigh. âThatâs everybodyâeverybody except me. Please, you have to help me, Jiichan. Can you at least tell me whatâs it like? What did it feel like when you first transformed?â
Jiichan turned up the windshield wipers to high. âYou will understand soon,â he replied.
Mack balled up his fists in frustration. He and Jiichan sat in silence for a few moments while Mack tried to get his anger under control.
âIâm asking you simple questions!â Mack finally exploded. âWhy wonât you answer them? I donât know how to do this and itâs killing me!â
âPerhaps, then, you should try patience,â Jiichan said.
âOh, thanks. Thatâs great advice,â Mack said sarcastically. He knew how disrespectful he was being, but for once, he was so upset that he didnât even care. âItâs not like thereâs some insane, power-hungry warlock on the way. Youâre right. Iâll just sit around and wait. Iâm sure that will work out fine.â
Jiichan didnât respond, which made Mack even angrier.
âIt wouldâve been hard enough to go through this if Mom and Dad were here,â he snapped. âBut theyâre gone. I guess it was too much to expect my grandfather to be there for me.â
But not even that could get a response from Jiichan. As they drove home without speaking, Jiichanâs silence made Mack feel worse than ever.
Chapter 10
The Horn of Power
A famous poet was visiting the campus of New Brighton University later that evening, which meant Fiona was spending the afternoon in her fatherâs office in the English department. As chair for poetry, her dad was always hosting readings like this. Though she was looking forward to hearing the poet read, Fiona found herself wishing she were anywhere else. Actually, just one place else: the ocean cove, where she had first swam as a selkie . The saltwater pool in the ancillary gym just wasnât the same.
Fiona stood up from her fatherâs desk and decided to get a snack from the vending machine. When she saw a familiar face reflected in the glass case, she almost gasped.
âDarren?â Fiona asked in surprise. âWhat are you doing here?â
âFiona!â Darren exclaimed. âIâ What are you doing here?â
âMy dadâs an English professor,â she explained. âHeâs working late tonight, so . . .â
Darren nodded knowingly. âMy momâs a chemistry professor,â he said. âUsually, I hang out in the science building, but man, it stinks over there today!â
âExperiment gone wrong?â Fiona laughed.
âDefinitely,â Darren replied. âMy brother, Ray, goes here, and he said that the English department has the best student lounge.â
âOh, it does. No doubt about that,â Fiona said.
âSo here I am,â Darren said.
âYou know, I was going to head over to the library to work on my