Power of None

Fantasy; 55,000 words

Nine-year-old Angelee hates being different—especially when everyone keeps reminding her she’s the only kid on Earth without magic. Her classmates tease her, her teachers pity her, and her three older siblings? They’re the famous Elemental children, wielders of powerful, revered magic. Compared to them, Angelee feels invisible.

But when she overhears that the President is sending her siblings on a top-secret mission to uncover why magic is vanishing from the world, Angelee secretly tags along. This might be her only chance to find out what happened to her magic—and whether there’s any hope of getting it back.

The mission turns out to be more dangerous than she ever imagined. A power-hungry man named Dystark has opened a portal to a second Earth, one completely without magic. He’s draining magic from Angelee’s world to conquer the other—and if he isn’t stopped, both Earths will fall.

That’s when Angelee discovers something incredible: because she has no magic, she’s immune to it. In the end, she’s the only one who can stop Dystark. The girl who thought she was powerless may just hold the most powerful ability of all.

No one knows why I was born without magic. I’m the only one on Earth who doesn’t have at least a small bit running through my veins. And my brothers and sister don’t just have magic. Oh, no. They are the revered Elemental children. They each have an affinity with one of the natural elements—earth, water, or fire—which makes them so important, they get to see Edwin, a representative of Head Mage Ashford, on a weekly basis. Of course, everyone thought I would be born as the child of Air, but something went wrong.

Jordan, my brother, tells me I don’t have magic because I’m adopted. I might’ve believed him if I didn’t look exactly like Jaden and Mom, with white-blond hair and stormy gray eyes. Mom says if she was my age, people wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. Although I roll my eyes whenever Mom says it, I kind of like the idea. She’s the most beautiful person I know.

This is what I’m thinking as I lie on the grass near the river, eyes closed and the sun’s heat on my face. Selene and Jordan, twins, dangle their feet in the water and talk about the kids in their class while my eldest brother Jaden swims upriver with powerful strokes. Waterball tryouts are in a week now that summer break is almost over. But I don’t know why he bothers. He’s been on the varsity team since freshman year.

“Really? You think Sara’s cute?” Selene says, and I imagine her nose wrinkling in disgust. “Gross.”

“At least I don’t worship a total nerd,” Jordan retorts. “Does that Henry kid even wash his hair?”

I open my eyes and sit up, looking curiously at Selene. “Henry McAvery? The guy who never leaves the computer lab?”

Selene turns bright red. “Is something wrong with him?”

“Nah,” I say. “It’s just, that’s who Sophia likes, too.”

Jordan practically chokes, he laughs so hard. Since Sophia is my best friend, I glare at him. But I don’t mind, really. Even though Sophia isn’t the coolest kid around, Jordan is always nice to her. I’ve even heard him tell his friends to lay off when they make fun of her.

“Sophia probably has a better shot with him,” Jordan snickers. “Birds of a feather and all.”

Selene punches his arm. “Shut up!”

“Ow!” Jordan rubs his arm, looking mournfully at Selene. “What was that for?”

I shake my head and scramble to my feet, brushing stray grass off my jean shorts. Talking about Sophia reminds me she’s coming over to my house soon. She wants to show me her new clothes so she can “decide” what to wear to school tomorrow, even though I know she’s already picked them out.

I make it about five feet before Mom flies on a brrom over the top of the hill. Surprised, I stop and stare. Mom hates heights, so she usually walks. Jordan and Selene come over, and Jaden splashes his way out of the river. Water drips out of his hair and down his face.

“What is it, Mom?” Jaden asks. At sixteen, his voice has already deepened, and a light blond fuzzes across his chin.

“The Head Mage,” Mom says. “He’s coming in an hour.”

Jordan’s bright red hair bursts into flame. The heat scorches my face as Selene yelps. I stumble backwards, hoping I still have my eyebrows, when a huge crest of water rises out of the river and hurtles straight toward us. The brunt of it knocks me off my feet and sweeps me downhill. I end up on top of Jordan, whose usual bright red hair is now black and completely without flame.

“Jeez, Jaden,” Jordan says with a groan. “I think you bruised my ribs.”

“Sorry,” Jaden says, but he doesn’t look sorry at all. “But I wouldn’t have to do it if you stopped losing control.”

I roll to my feet, ribs also aching, and examine the damage. The ends of my hair and my t-shirt’s left sleeve are scorched. My hair will grow back, but the shirt is new, and now I’ll have to throw it out. My jean shorts are soaked, algae clings to my calves, and a tadpole has somehow gotten caught on my right shoe.

I glare at Jaden and Jordan. Sometimes I really hate them.

Since the Head Mage is honoring our family with such an important visit, Mom insists we look our best. That means showers, ironed clothes, and a clean home. Mom puts me to work sweeping the kitchen with an actual broom and real bristles—I made it myself since most brooms are just flying sticks out of wood with cushioned seats and foot rests. Jaden uses his magic to clean the dishes with soapy water. Bits of green magic streak by the windows as Selene trims the lawn and bushes. Jordan’s nowhere to be seen.

I’m almost done when the doorbell rings. Mom says some unladylike words, as she calls them, while Dad rushes to the front door. Head Mage Ashford isn’t supposed to be here for another thirty minutes.

“Hello!” a voice sings from the front door.

Oh, no. Sophia.

I stick the broom back in the closet and squirm around Dad, who gives me A Look. I ignore him and step out onto the deck, closing the front door behind me. Sophia, wearing a knitted purple sweater even in the heat of the Colorado summer, grins at me.

“You ready for the fashion show of a lifetime?” Sophia asks.

I feel guilty when I see how excited she is, even though I know she won’t be mad at me. It’s why she’s my best and only friend. She doesn’t care about things that other kids do, like me not having magic.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I say. “The Head Mage is on his way here. He’s supposed to come in about half an hour.”

Just like I expected, her eyes grow wide. They look even bigger than usual behind her thick glasses rimmed with black.

“T-t-the Head M-mage?” she says.

“Yup.” I ignore her stuttering. It used to happen a lot more before her mom sent her to speech therapy, but sometimes it still comes out when she gets stressed or excited. “We just found out.”

Sophia pushes her glasses up her nose. “D-do you think the H-Head Mage will finally l-let you on one of those m-missions?”

I shrug, but I can’t help the smile from beaming across my face at the idea. I’ve been waiting to join my siblings on these missions ever since Selene and Jordan left for their first one four years ago.

I say, “It could happen, right?”

We agree to meet in my workshop in the garage after lunch tomorrow. Then she can show me her clothes, and I can tell her all about the Head Mage’s visit. With a final “good-luck,” she hugs me and flies away on her broom.

As I go back to my chores, I can’t help but wonder what it will be like to finally meet Head Mage Ashford. Even my siblings have only seen him a few times outside of state functions. Maybe if I’m on my best behavior, I can convince him to let me go on the missions, just like I told Sophia. Or maybe — the thought seems to good to be true — but maybe he’s seen how hard I’ve worked in school, and he’s coming to tell me I’m ready! This is my big chance, I just know it!

I wriggle into my nicest dress before Mom calls us into the living room for a quick pep talk and instructions. I zone out for most of her speech, which I’ve heard about a million times. Greet with a smile, stand straight, be polite, be quiet. Then I hear my name.

“…and after I serve tea, Angelee will go to her room. Head Mage Ashford says this mission is on a need-to-know basis, and you’re too young to be involved.”

My mouth falls open. “But—!”

Dad shoots me a stern look. A lump forms in my throat as I stare at the toes of my fancy black shoes. Why won’t Head Mage Ashford give me a chance? It isn’t because I’m young, because Selene and Jordan started the missions when they were nine, and I’m almost eleven. No, Head Mage Ashford doesn’t want me because I don’t have magic.

Whatever. I don’t have to wear a stuffy old dress and sit still for hours on end. Who cares about some dumb old meeting with Head Mage Ashford?

When Mom is done with her speech, the family scatters, leaving Selene, Jordan, and me in the living room. I throw myself onto the floor, pouting. Jordan plops down beside me.

“What do you think the Head Mage wants?” I ask Selene.

She shrugs, fixing a strand of dark red hair so it falls more perfectly around her face. Ever since she started high school, she’s so carefully made-up I feel sometimes like I don’t recognize her.

“The few times we’ve met with him, he’s wanted us to go to the White House,” she says. “I don’t know why he would come all the way out here to Colorado. Edwin didn’t even warn us about this visit.”

“Must be a security breach,” Jordan says from where he lies on the living room floor, his suit wrinkling around him.

I scowl. I know I should be happy to meet the Head Mage, but if I’m not going to be at the meeting, I’d rather be out with Sophia. At least she wants to see me.

“I’ll be happy when the debriefing is over,” Jordan says, pulling at the collar of his suit. “I hate these stupid clothes.”

“You know, Mom spent fifteen minutes ironing them,” Selene says. “If she sees you on the floor, she’ll kill you.”

“Whatever,” says Jordan, but he gets up and sits on the couch.

I wrap my arms around my legs and rest my cheek on my knees. I know Jordan would rather wear the suit than be left out of this mission, whatever it is. I bet he doesn’t even need a suit. No matter how much I dress up, I won’t hear a word.

“You’ll tell me what it’s about, Selene, won’t you?” I say.

Selene looks at me, her brown eyes filled with pity. “You know I can’t, Angelee.”

The backs of my eyes feel tight. I stand up and say as brightly as I can, “Oh well, it’s not like I care anyway.” Then I flee to my room and throw myself onto my bed, shaking as my pillow grows two wet spots right beneath my eyes.