The story goes that when the Gi cauldron was asked for my elemental balance, it sat silent and idle for an impossibly long time. Eventually, it spluttered and wheezed as if it had swallowed a fireball. Then it delivered its final answer.

First element: fire.

Second element: fire.

Third element: still fire.

Fourth element: Yup, you guessed it. Fire.

Then, instead of forging my Gi, the cauldron caught on fire. Literally. The entire thing lit up like the Christmas tree at the Grove.

The thing is, no one ever gets two of the same elements, let alone four. That’s just not how it works. So the council considered the mishap proof that the saram shouldn’t be part of the community, and I was deemed a fiery freak of nature. Sigh. As you can imagine, that was the beginning of the end for me.

“Who cares about Gi ceremonies when we have a magic-sharing spell to cast?” Hattie whispers in my ear. “Forget about back then. We have the future to look forward to.”

I bite my lip. “But what if sharing means you’ll lose your power? And remember, Eomma said it was dangerous.”

“Sometimes you gotta burn your fingers to enjoy the s’more.”

But it’s different for me, I think. I love Hattie with all my heart, but she doesn’t understand that things aren’t as simple for me as they are for her. One false step and the council could ban me from temple altogether. Or, Mago forbid, what if they decided to wipe my memory with a strong dose of Memoryhaze potion? There’s a reason I keep my head down and my mouth shut. It’s safer this way.

Then again, seeing Mira get her Gi, and knowing Hattie’s going to be initiated soon, it makes me wonder…. If I don’t take this chance now, will another ever come again? Will I live the rest of my life regretting the one opportunity I had to fulfill my potential?

It’s probably a result of my burnt nerves, but after a moment, I give in to Hattie’s enthusiasm. As the sweet taste of hope returns to my mouth, I whisper back, “Guess we have to figure out how to open Eomma’s safe, then.”

Hattie’s eyes light up so bright, I can see my reflection in them. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said in years.”

We both sit there pondering the mechanics of enchanted safes, when Mr. Hong, the Miru elder, begins making the community announcements. The first piece of news is that the date for the gifted library’s grand reopening will be announced soon. The library has been closed for over ten years, so it will be a massive celebration for all clans around the world.