Chasing Power (41 page)

She groaned. “Tell me you didn’t seriously go there with the cheesy thief reference.”

“Afraid I did. Do you still love me?”

The breeze stopped, as if it were listening. Voices from the street below seemed hushed. It was as if, for a moment, the world had shrunk to only the two of them. “Still? I don’t think I ever said I did.”

“Then I’ll say it first: I’m in love with you, Kayla. I love you.”

Kayla stared into his eyes, so intensely fixed on her. “I think I love you too.”

“Just ‘think’?”

“Well, you’re still an asshole.”

“I’ll try to change,” he vowed.

She began to smile. “Don’t. It’s one of your finest attributes.”

He smiled back. “Okay, then I accept your proposal: no thinking about any of our crazy relatives until we’re finished seeing the world.”

“Deal,” she agreed. Leaning against him again, she kissed him.

She’d leave the third stone somewhere around here, when
Daniel wasn’t looking. Maybe she could convince him to swing by some uninhabited part of Siberia. Or she could drop it down a deep crevasse in Antarctica or bury it in the jungles of Madagascar …

There was no rush to decide. They still had a lot of world to see.

I love the question “If you could have any power, what would it be?” Over the years, I’ve given this a lot of thought. And I mean a
lot
of thought.

The true answer is that I’d want the power to keep everyone I love happy and healthy for all time. Also, to bring about world peace and to end world hunger. And the power to avoid saying anything stupid ever. But assuming all of those were off the table …

Not flight. I’m kind of afraid of heights, or at least afraid of flying into power lines. Not shape-shifting. With my luck, I’d change into a mouse, and my cat would eat me. Not weather control. Way too much responsibility. Not invisibility. People would constantly step on my feet. And run me over with cars. But telekinesis … That would be
awesome
.

And that’s where this book began, simply playing with telekinesis. In fact, for a while, before this book had an actual title (or plot or characters or anything), I called it, in my notes, “Telekinesis Girl.” So I’d like to begin by thanking everyone who ever asked me that question.

I’d also like to thank the people who made this book a reality: my fabulous agent, Andrea Somberg; my wonderful editor, Emily Easton; and all the fantastic people at Bloomsbury, including (but not limited to) Erica Barmash, Beth Eller, Courtney Griffin, Linette Kim, Cindy Loh, Lizzy Mason, Jenna Pocius, and Emily Ritter. If I could use telekinesis to send you all daily chocolates, I would.

Special thank-you to my mother, who answered my many random questions about the Maya and who taught me to love books in the first place (and, you know, gave birth to me and is all-around incredible); to my family and friends, who have loved and encouraged me from the beginning; and to my husband and children, who share my dreams and make my world magical every day. I love you all more than chocolate.

Conjured

Copyright © 2014 by Sarah Beth Durst

All rights reserved.
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

First published in the United States of America in October 2014
by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Electronic edition published in October 2014
www.bloomsbury.com

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Durst, Sarah Beth.
Chasing power / Sarah Beth Durst.
pages          cm
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kayla, whose telekinetic ability allows her to be a master shoplifter with enough money to flee with her mother if her father finds them again, meets Daniel, who has the ability to teleport and needs her help to find and steal an ancient incantation that can help rescue his kidnapped mother—but may lead to great danger for Kayla.
[1. Psychic ability—Fiction.     2. Shoplifting—Fiction.     3. Single-parent families—Fiction.
     4. Kidnapping—Fiction.     5. Mystery and detective stories.]     I. Title.
PZ7.D93436Ch 2014             [Fic]—dc23             2014005595

ISBN: 978-0-80273-756-4 (e-book)

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