The Rock's of Beauty by Meghan Escott (books for new readers TXT) 📕

Someone normal and someone in the background. Everybody treats me like they think they should treat me – not how I want to be treated. I am leaving here where everybody knows what I am. To go to a new home where no one has a clue.”
“When were you planning to leave?” The Head said getting slowly to his feet.
“Today.”
“Well, I better hurry up. Take my hand Lucy and I will show you things your age has never seen before.” I took his outstretched hand and we transported into to the unknown.
They were everywhere. It was like a field of them. Red roses were growing tall around us. Some were even taller than me. This was a special place like my rocks and sand. I could smell magic in the air. I turned to the Head who was rummaging in his bag for something. I drifted nearer and he looked up.
“Close your eyes.” I did as he said and he sprinkled the contents of his hand onto my eye lids. It was like a powder. Like Sam had done when he... The pain ripped through me again, just like the first time that this 'magical powder' had been used on me. “Keep your eyes closed Lucy, the two elements are fighting it out. On your eye lids.”
I screamed in pain one last time before the pain subsided. The Head blew on my eyes and I slowly opened them. The Head handed me a mirror and I closed my right eye, then the left inspecting what the elements had done this time. The water mark had decreased in size to only fill a quarter of my eyelid. The fire sign had also appeared – flames of course – and situated itself in the third quadrant of my eyelid. The Head clapped and jumped up and down in the air.
“You are of Fire too. You are truly remarkable.”
“I am of two elements? Is that even possible?”
“That is your job to research. Only this school has the resources that you can use to research and learn about the ancient magic. If you leave here, how will you learn about the ways of the ancient magic you were tested so hard to learn?”
“I am sure my new school will have the resources for me to learn.”
“I doubt that highly Lucy. Ever since the earthquake, we have had the best ratings in the continent. You are far more likely to succeed here than anywhere else.”
Suddenly, there was a bubbling sound. Both of us turned to the direction the sound was coming from. People were emerging from the red hot lava, bubbling in a pool on the ground.
“Strangers, who are you?”
“I do apologise, people of the flames, we have just discovered that Lucy is of Fire.” The Head said before I could speak.
“If this is true, she must come with us. It has been a year since we have gained a new person of the flames.” The man said that seemed to be in charge. I was surprised at the man's obvious leadership. I assumed that women would dominate the element of flames.
“She can not enter tonight.” The Head said.
“Why? She is of fire. She must enter now.” the man said.
“I'll go.” I said to the Head. I stepped away from The Head and into the flames with the man.
The flames burnt at first and I felt my skin melt and my blood started to drip into the flames. They blew up around me and started to burn my face and I felt my face start to burn. I heard The Head screaming my name and I turned towards him. He winked at me and clicked his fingers. The fire exploded around us and we were transported.
“You bitch. I wanted to go with him. I could have handled it some more you idiot.” The Head pulled my hands back and pulled me towards him, holding me back from transporting back to the fire people who were probably distraught.
“You stupid girl. You can't enter the flames. You smell of salt. Salt Water. They would think it an ambush attack.” The Head said to me angrily.
I slowly calmed down and The Head let go of me and let me turn to face him.
“The people of the flames are kind to their own people but to strangers, they are mean. You can go into the flames and the blood red roses will engulf you in their flames but for now, look around you and inhale the air.”
The white snowdrops had started to grow as soon as we had landed in the barren meadow. They had blossomed and were growing as high as my thighs.
“The air?” I said aloud still looking around and touching the tops of the snowdrops while the Head rummaged around in his bag for the correct bag. “This place represents air doesn't it?” I said, forgetting everything apart from the elements. “You're taking me to the elements because...?” The Head had fished the bag out of his bag and he looked at me. “Because I could be of all of them? I can't be. One is more than enough.” I looked around worried but I was also excited.
“Stop pacing and come here Lucy.” The Head said. He was looking at me as I stopped pacing around the beautiful meadow of white shining snowdrops and walked slowly towards him. As I got closer, I could not stop myself smiling. I then started to hurry towards him and I closed my eyes when I got to him.
The powder was flicked onto my eyelids again and the pain radiated through my head again as the powder seared the air sign onto my eyelids. The pain stopped and The Head blew on my eyelids and then started touching my face. It reminded me of Eric and a tear drop fell from my eye. The Head whipped it away and opened my eyes.
He bent down and kissed my cheeks.
“Your the most extraordinary elementist I've ever known. You're going to do amazing things with your life Lucy. You don't need him or anyone to succeed. You can do it on your own.
“What are you talking about?” I said looking in the mirror at the smoke branded on my eyelids. The smoke was between the water and the fire, keeping the representations away from their enemies.
“Sam, Eric and Josh.” The Head said pushing my mirror to the ground. “Don't leave with Samuel. I can support you much better than he can.” The Head was starting to sound desperate now,
“I don't understand why you're getting so upset. I've caused too much harm to your school so I'm moving on.” I said back, picking up the mirror manually and using my sleeve to brush away some soil.
“Okay,” The Head said to himself. “One last try.” He looked sadly at me then grabbed my hand and we transported again.
We landed in another meadow and for a moment, I thought we were back in the place of air, but then I turned around and saw a field of green – bright, amazing green that shimmered in the sunlight. The clovers were blossoming well so I bent and looked at them. I counted the leafs and their were four. Four on every single one.
“Earth. The Earth is beautiful. The clovers are blossoming well for you.” The Head said from behind me, inhaling the air.
“Do you come to these places often?” I wondered aloud.
“I come to these places all the time, but I am not of any element. I would have you teach me everything. Everybody will look up to you in awe. Especially now.”
Right on cue, I turned to face him and he flicked the powder onto my blinking eyes. The Head took my hands in his and started muttering under his breath. The pain flooded through my head as the mark of Earth was burned onto my eyelids. The Head breathed a sigh of relief when he brushed the powder off of my eyelids and opened my eyes.
“You are too remarkable to loose Lucy.” The Head said. “Take my hand. We can come back another time.” I took his hand and we transported back to The Head's office.
I was sat opposite from him with only a desk between us. I slammed my hand down and stood up, pushing my chair back so it his the wall of the opposite side of the room.
“Fine. I shall stay. But I am not responsible for anything that's going to kick off when people know that I'm staying.”
“I will take full responsibility for everyone's actions. But they will not take action towards you. I will make sure of that.”
Chapter Twenty One

I walked out of The Head's office frustrated. I ran my fingers over my lips where Josh's kiss still lingered and tried to lock his words away in a unknown part of my head.
“Where have you been?” Eric said from the shadows.
“With The Head.” I answered him softly. “How long,”
“Please don't go Lucy.” Eric interrupted me.
“What?” Eric grabbed my hand and pulled me into an empty room in the next hallway. I sat on the floor against the wall and Eric sat down in front of me.
“You've been gone for almost two days. I was worried that he might have killed you or put you in isolation.”
“I've been gone for two days? How can that be? I'm not hungry.”
“The Head must have done something to stop your hunger temporarily.” I closed my eyes and rubbed my face with my hands.
“Oh my god. I'm such a shit mother. Where's Kahn? How is he?” I said getting up and making towards the door.
“He is with Sam. He is packing. He did not give up on you when so many of us did. Josh is in tatters. He sits outside your room waiting for you to come back. You should not have given him hope. “
“How could I have not given him hope. I wanted to kiss him Eric. I did it because I wanted to not because he forced himself on me.”
“That is not what I told Samuel.” That sentence stopped me from going to the door.
“What did he do to him?” I asked in a whisper.
“He nearly killed Josh but Josh was ready and waiting. Energized by your blood, he managed to win in a duel against Sam. The whole school seem to think that you and Josh are together now and you and Sam are over.”
“I better go and sort this mess out.”
“Josh thinks that you have gone. Do not hurt him any more.” My mobile vibrated and it was a message from Josh.
I feel that you are back. I am waiting for you.
“Too late. He knows I'm back and so must Sam.” I turned the handle on the door and followed the corridor to the end where Eric was waiting, obviously using vamp speed to stop me.