She catches me staring and I look away, face as hot as the flames Natalie conjures from her fingertips.

“Out of the way.” Sini shoulder checks me to join the water kids in House Akvo. Sini’s family originates from a Karelian lake goddess, or monster—depending on which version of the story you believe—although I don’t see how it can possibly be the former.

With a flick of long dark hair, Aysha sashays over to the rest of House Aero. Her magic is a more mystical sort and not technically even elemental. She controls energy by humming. Since humming requires breathing, she got lumped in with the rest of the air users.

Of course, I’m all alone. Thanks to the school’s “Everyone in their element” motto, I’ve been dumped in House Tero with the rest of the earth elementalists. Mostly it’s so I can wear a house shirt when required, but having a green T-shirt doesn’t mean I belong.

“Budding mages!” Emmi claps her hands. “Today each of you will receive a simple amulet.” She gestures to the bag I forgot I was holding. “Your task is to imbue your amulet with pure elemental energy.”

“Why?” Juan asks from the back.

“Because your magic is only as strong as the amount of energy you can manipulate. When you’re young and healthy, that might seem like a lot, but as you age or if you’re injured or need to perform a big spell, you may need more energy than you can muster yourself.”

“That’s when you can draw on external sources, right?” Aysha asks.

“Some external sources.” Emmi nods. “Like amulets, talismans, or natural springs of magic, if you can find them.”

“Easy enough here,” Sini adds.

“We’re lucky in Finland,” Emmi says.

“That’s why we’re here,” Juan chirps again.

“And when you’re not in Finland, blessed with access to the last vestiges of raw, elemental energy, then what?” Emmi’s tone turns serious. “Don’t assume you’ll always have power. Don’t assume there will always be magic, because at the rate we’re consuming—” She bites her lip, silencing the tirade—a word my brother Toivo often uses to describe Emmi’s lectures on the conservation of natural energy.

Emmi takes a breath, seems to force a smile, and asks, “Tell me class, where else in the world can we still find viable wells of natural energy?” She scans the students. “Yes, Natalie?”

“Mostly remote areas like the Outer Hebrides, parts of southern Chile, areas in Nunavut, Svalbard, the forests of Brunei, Kamchatka in Russia, and—” Natalie blinks, then shakes her head.

“Taika?” Emmi says.