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son, Donavon,” Mac said to me, as he gestured to each in turn.
    “Natalia,” Gretchen greeted me warmly.  “I had some clothes made for you sweetheart.  I hope you will like them.”  I knew I should say thank you, but I couldn’t find my voice, so I simply nodded.
    “Donavon, why don’t you show Natalia to her new room and let her get settled.  I am sure she needs to rest,” Gretchen said to her son, still smiling down at me.
    “Kay, follow me.”  I looked up at Mac; he nodded encouragingly, so I followed Donavon.  He didn’t speak as we wound through the maze that was his house.  Finally, we reached a set of double doors in the very back of the house.  Donavon opened the doors and led me into a small living area with two overstuffed red couches and a small dark wooden table.
    “This is your sitting room,” he explained.  “Through that door over there, are your bedroom and bathroom.  My mom hung clothes in the closet, and there are some books on the desk.  My dad said you like to read old books.”
    “Thank you,” I croaked, in a voice that was hoarse from non-use.
    “You need anything else?” he asked.  I shook my head and he turned to leave.  He hesitated at the door.  “Is it true you can manipulate people’s minds?” he said it so fast I nearly misunderstood him.
    “Who told you that?”  I demanded
    “I heard my dad and one of his Hunters talking,” he replied, sheepishly.   “Dad says you can perform mind manipulation.”  I just stared, not sure how to react.  My parents taught me to never talk about my special abilities.
    “So, is it true?” he pressed. After a long moment, I walked towards him. His eyes widened, but he didn’t flinch as I reached out and took his hand.  I fixed his wide eyes with my own.
    “ Yes, it’s true ,” I answered mentally.  His eyes grew even wider, but he didn’t release my hand.
    “ Whoa, that’s so cool ,” his mental voice replied.  “ Can you make anybody hear what you are thinking?”
    “Only if I want them to; I can make people hear or see anything.”  He smiled.
    “ That’s so cool .”  He repeated
    “ You’re . . . not scared of me?”
    ”I don’t know how anyone could be scared of you.”
    I looked up into his shining blue eyes and smiled.  For the first time in my life, I knew that I had a friend.
    The first couple of days with the McDonough family were strange.  Mac and Gretchen continually tried to engage me in conversation, but I wasn’t ready to talk to them.  Mac would come visit me in my sitting room, and talk about my soon-to-be new life at school.  I had heard my father talk about the school when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.  I listened intently to every word Mac said, mentally filing away every detail.
    While Mac’s sole concern was making sure that I understood my new role as a student at school, Gretchen’s sole concern was making sure that I never wore the same outfit twice.  When I arrived, the closet was filled with elaborate dresses made of raw silk, soft animal hair sweaters in varying colors, and comfortable looking cotton pants.  Every day more packages arrived with fabrics that Gretchen had ordered from New York City.  She would send for one of the seamstresses from school, and the two of them would spend the day fussing over what new outfits I needed.
    Each day, after lunch, Donavon would rescue me from his mother’s fawning.  I seldom spoke when I was with Mac or Gretchen, but with Donavon I rarely kept quiet.  Donavon wanted to know all about the glamorous life I’d led, traveling around the world; he’d spent all his life living at either the School or Elite Headquarters.  I hated having to tell him that I spent most of my life inside hotel rooms, and rarely got to see anything cool.  Likewise, I wanted to know everything about his life at School, with kids and friends.  I had little interaction with kids my own age growing up, and even less interaction –