GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy
LENGTH: 60,330 words
RATING:

Three’s a crowd. At least that’s what I’ve heard, and I’ve definitely come to learn that it’s true. My best friend’s new girlfriend is a complete pain in the ass, and if it wasn’t for me being on my last warning at Gilford High, I’d definitely do something about it.

The consequences of my doing so aren’t just your usual slap on the wrist kind of punishments. When strange things begin to happen, and my eyes start to freaking GLOW, I’m whisked away to ... you guessed it ... the Winterwood Academy for the ‘Gifted.’

I don’t feel very gifted. In fact, I feel like the biggest freak in an entire school of freaks. As the hottest guy at the Academy would say, “I’m the Queen of Freaks,” but coming from him, it’s actually kind of sweet.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that not only am I having strange encounters with a Goddamn Goddess, I’m also hearing voices in my head, and there’s a book in the Academy library that’s actually TALKING to me!

They say that only a true Winterwood Witch is capable of opening that book, so why the hell does it want anything to do with me?

EXCERPT:

“Show her who’s boss, Lo!” Kelly jeered her on, and Lola raised her hands as though she was going to shove me again.

“I’ll let you have that first one, but I swear if you shove me again, I won’t be held responsible for my actions,” I warned her.

Anger welled up inside me when I saw the enticed, almost excited expression on her face.

Maybe I should have just stayed quiet and taken the beating, but that wasn’t me. I wasn’t a Dorky Debbie.

“Or what? What are you going to do? Ging!” Lola snarled back at me, and not for the first time, I realised how ugly she was when she wrinkled her nose like that. For a moment, she reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz.

When she shoved me again, I grabbed for my towel, fearful that it was going to slip off my body.

A sudden wind whipped up, seeming to resonate from around me, and Lola squealed like a little pig as she was flung backwards by some kind of invisible force. She barely managed to catch herself with her hands on the countertop.

“What the hell!” She glowered at me. “Did you just do that?”

“I didn’t touch you,” I pointed out, yet something inside me, something connected to that odd tingling sensation, told me that whatever it was, it had come from me.

The tingling sensation had grown to a powerful throbbing. It thrummed all around me, and I was sure that if I looked close enough, I could see it, like a glowing silver shield all around me.

“Look ... look at her eyes!” Kelly gasped.

My attention was instantly drawn to the mirror that hung over the sink behind Lola.

My heart jumped into my throat when I saw my face. I was a familiar stranger. My usually grey-blue eyes sparkled with dancing lilac specks that lit up my entire face, and I could have sworn that there was the wind whipping through my hair even though there was no open window.

At the sight of myself, one word came to mind. Powerful.