Channeler's Choice Read Online Free Page A

save that for your alone time. You’re going to corrupt me,” Fane groaned.
    “ Impossible. You’re a gentleman who is beyond reproach,” Eren teased.
    “ For now!” Fane laughed.
    For a moment, Eren thought about telling them what happened when she’d walked Aiden home. But she’d been thinking it over, and no matter how she thought about saying it, it sounded like she was being paranoid. Which she realized, was probably true. She was still shook up over things and had let her imagination get the best of her. No, she wouldn’t ruin their fun tonight.
    “ Sounds like you kids are already having fun without us,” Aunt Sylvia said as she, Uncle Alin, and Zolin—Eren and Fane’s grandfather—walked over from the side of the roof where the greenhouse was.
    They vaulted effortlessly over the four foot wall that separated the two different sections of the roof. Even Zolin made it look easy with a little push of his power. Eren could see traces of it like a mist trail behind them.
    True to Eren’s teasing about him being a gentleman, Fane stood immediately. Aiden was quick to follow his example. Eren hid a smile as she wondered who was corrupting who now.
    “ You guys are just in time. We were about to open another bag of marshmallows,” Aiden said.
    “ Another? Guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering you boys will even eat my cooking,” Aunt Sylvia asked, eyes widening.
    Eren laughed at the incredulous look on her aunt’s face.
    Fane gave Aunt Sylvia an adoring look. “Your cooking is great Mrs. M. Besides, Fane here is starting to fill out like a cage fighter, he needs a lot of food,” he said.
    Red stained Fane’s cheeks. “Not hardly! A growth spurt at most. You’re the one who looks like a cage fighter, Aiden,” he said.
    Popping a marshmallow in his mouth, Uncle Alin raised an eyebrow and titled his head. “Come on, it’s almost time for the fireworks.”
    Fane dashed to his side and Alin put his arm around his son’s shoulders as he started toward the eastern edge of the roof. Smiling, Aunt Sylvia reached her hand out to Eren. Wrapping the blanket tight around her, Eren stood and took her aunt’s hand. She let Sylvia lead her over to stand with Alin and Fane. Behind her, she could hear Aiden and her grandfather following.
    Snow covered the evergreen hedge that lined the roof, adding to its privacy by making the hedge nearly four feet tall. It made it almost impossible to see the street and city center below. A gap in the hedges gave her a peek of the roundabout below where they would be setting them off.
    “ This is a very special show put on by the Tibetans. You’ll love it, my dear,” Zolin said.
    “ Isn’t their new year at a different time of year?” Eren asked.
    “ It is, but each of the four cultures in Spruce Knoll honors the American tradition as a town. Besides, it’s easier for the town to hold one big celebration instead of four,” he said.
    Aiden came up behind Eren and put his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him, surprised at how warm he was despite the freezing cold. He wore only sneakers, blue jeans, and a sweater. Back at the fire pit, he’d had his feet up on the stones next to the flames but now they were standing upon the icy flakes that had fallen onto the terra cotta tiles. He had to be channeling energy to stay so warm.
    Suddenly people from every business and residence in town began to count down from ten, Eren’s family and Aiden included. Eren joined them. The din of voices was almost enough to drown out the sound of a frantic hissing; almost. At the call of one, the hissing of the fuse ended with a ground shaking boom. A line of fire traced up into the sky and exploded into a shower of bright orange and red sparks that mushroomed out and rained down. The falling snow acted like millions of tiny prisms, reflecting the light everywhere.
    More followed, but Eren didn’t see them. She turned and tilted her head back to look up at Aiden. Even the