Mom actually gasped and spun around when I walked in the kitchen, staring at me with her huge blue eyes like I'd attacked her or something. Craptastic. I realized I had to be broadcasting again. Roping in my magic was still hard.

"Syd," she said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I grumped. "Sorry."

She stepped forward, tried to hug me, but I wasn't in the mood to be comforted.

I escaped her and ran up to my room, spending the next several hours trying to focus ...