The fluorescent lights in Mrs. Henderson's calculus classroom buzzed with the particular frequency that made Jazz's teeth ache, though she suspected the discomfort had less to do with electrical interference and more to do with the way her newly awakened supernatural senses were processing everything around her with uncomfortable intensity. The familiar routine of morning announcements and assignment distribution felt surreal after Andi's revelations in the parking lot, as if she were watching her normal life through a pane of glass that had developed hairline cracks.
"Miss Knight-Montez?" Mrs. Henderson's voice cut through Jazz's spiraling thoughts with the precision of a woman who'd spent twenty years managing teenage attention spans. "Perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts on the derivative of the function we just discussed?"
"Sorry, Mrs. H," Jazz replied, forcing herself to focus on the equation scrawled across the whiteboard. "Could you repeat the question?"
"I asked about the chain rule application in problem seven," Mrs. Henderson said, though her tone carried more concern than irritation. "Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."
Jazz felt the familiar warmth building in her chest as embarrassment flooded through her system, and she had to consciously regulate her breathing to prevent what her father euphemistically called "incidents." The last thing she needed was to accidentally demonstrate her telekinetic abilities in front of thirty classmates and a teacher who already suspected something was off.
"I'm fine," she said, though the words felt like lies. "Just didn't sleep well last night."
"Senioritis hitting early?" called out Tyler Miller from the back row, his comment earning a few scattered laughs from their classmates.
Tyler Miller. Maddie's twin brother. Jazz found herself studying his face with new intensity, wondering if the Miller family carried supernatural abilities that would explain Maddie's uncanny talent for social manipulation and her seemingly intuitive understanding of other people's weaknesses and desires.
"Something like that," Jazz replied, though she was beginning to suspect that whatever was affecting her had nothing to do with academic burnout and everything to do with magical abilities that were becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.
The classroom door opened with a soft click, and Principal Blackwood stepped inside with the kind of fluid grace that Jazz was now recognizing as potentially supernatural rather than merely professional poise. Alistair Blackwood was one of those men who seemed ageless in the way that suggested either excellent genetics or something more mysterious – his dark hair showed no traces of silver despite his presumed age, and his pale eyes held the kind of depth that spoke to experiences far beyond typical educational administration.
"Mrs. Henderson," he said, his voice carrying the slight accent that Jazz had never been able to place despite years of hearing him speak at school assemblies. "I need to borrow Miss Knight-Montez for a few minutes. Administrative matter."
Jazz felt her stomach drop as thirty pairs of eyes turned to focus on her with the particular intensity that teenagers reserved for witnessing someone else's potential trouble. Being called out of class by the principal was never a good sign, but given everything Andi had revealed about supernatural communities and hidden agendas, it felt potentially catastrophic.
"Of course," Mrs. Henderson replied, though Jazz caught the questioning look she directed toward her student. "Jazz, take your things. We'll catch you up on what you miss."
"Thanks," Jazz managed, gathering her calculus book and backpack with movements that felt wooden and disconnected. Around her, she could hear the subtle shift in classroom atmosphere that meant her fellow students were already speculating about why she was being summoned.
Principal Blackwood held the door for her with old-fashioned courtesy, but as she passed him, Jazz caught a scent that made her newly sensitive instincts prickle with unease – something that reminded her of winter nights and old leather and shadows that moved independently of their light sources.
"Don't look so worried, Miss Knight-Montez," he said quietly as they walked down the hallway toward the administrative wing. "This isn't disciplinary. More of a... consultation."
"Consultation about what?" Jazz asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.
"About the incidents that have been occurring around you and your brothers over the past few months," Principal Blackwood replied, his tone carrying the kind of matter-of-fact directness that suggested he was accustomed to discussing supernatural phenomena as casually as other people talked about the weather. "About the fact that your family's magical heritage is manifesting in ways that are becoming increasingly difficult to explain away."
Jazz stopped walking, her sneakers squeaking against the polished linoleum floor with a sound that seemed unnaturally loud in the empty hallway. "How do you know about that?"
"Because," Principal Blackwood said, turning to face her with an expression that was equal parts paternal concern and professional assessment, "it's my job to know. It's my job to monitor and protect every supernatural student in this academy, and to ensure that magical incidents don't escalate to the point where they threaten the security of our entire community."
"Our community?" Jazz felt like a parrot, repeating phrases that carried implications she was still struggling to process.
"Silverwood has been home to integrated supernatural families for over a century," Principal Blackwood explained, resuming their walk toward his office. "We've developed systems and protocols for managing magical abilities while maintaining the appearance of normal academic life. Your family's situation is... unique, but not unprecedented."
They passed classroom doors behind which Jazz could hear the familiar sounds of morning lessons beginning – teachers explaining concepts, students asking questions, the comfortable rhythm of education proceeding exactly as it had every day since she'd started attending Silverwood Academy six years earlier.
Except now she knew that beneath the surface of academic normalcy was a hidden infrastructure designed to manage supernatural students and magical incidents. The revelation was both reassuring and deeply unsettling, like discovering that the house she'd lived in her entire life had secret rooms she'd never known existed.
"What makes my family's situation unique?" she asked as they approached the administrative wing.
"Your father's sacrifice," Principal Blackwood replied, using his keycard to unlock the door that separated the main academic building from the offices. "Marcus Knight-Montez gave up enormous magical power for love – power that should have been permanently severed from your bloodline when he transferred it to your uncle. The fact that you and your brothers are manifesting abilities of this magnitude suggests that supernatural heritage runs deeper than traditional magical theory accounts for."
Jazz followed him through a reception area where the school secretaries were engaged in their usual morning routines of answering phones and processing attendance reports. They smiled and waved at her with the familiar warmth of adults who'd watched her grow up, but now she found herself wondering how much they knew about the supernatural students they served on a daily basis.
"In here," Principal Blackwood said, opening the door to his private office.
Jazz had been in Principal Blackwood's office exactly twice before – once in eighth grade when she'd been caught organizing an unauthorized fundraiser for the animal shelter, and once in tenth grade when she'd been nominated for a regional academic achievement award. Both visits had been brief and focused on practical matters that had nothing to do with magical abilities or supernatural communities.
Now, stepping into the space again, she realized how much she'd failed to notice during her previous visits.
The office was larger than it appeared from the outside, with tall windows that offered a view of the academy's eastern courtyard but somehow seemed to let in more light than should have been physically possible. The walls were lined with bookshelves that held not just educational texts but volumes that looked ancient and mysterious, their leather bindings bearing symbols that seemed to shift and change when she wasn't looking directly at them.
Behind Principal Blackwood's desk hung a painting that Jazz had always assumed was some kind of abstract landscape, but now appeared to show a scene of figures moving through a forest under a sky that held two moons instead of one.
"Please, sit," Principal Blackwood said, settling behind his desk with movements that reminded Jazz uncomfortably of predators arranging themselves before striking.
The chair across from his desk was more comfortable than it looked, but Jazz found herself perched on its edge, every instinct telling her to be ready to run even though she couldn't articulate what she might be running from.
"You're afraid," Principal Blackwood observed, his pale eyes studying her with the kind of intensity that made her feel simultaneously seen and exposed. "That's understandable. Learning that everything you thought you knew about your world is incomplete tends to be disorienting."
"Incomplete is one way to put it," Jazz replied, though her voice came out smaller than she'd intended. "This morning I thought I was just a regular teenager with some weird stress responses. Now I'm apparently part of some supernatural community that's been hiding in plain sight my entire life."
"Not hiding," Principal Blackwood corrected gently. "Integrating. There's a difference. Hiding suggests shame or fear. Integration suggests choice and community building."
"And which one is actually happening here?"
Principal Blackwood leaned back in his chair, and for a moment his expression carried a weariness that seemed far older than his apparent age. "That depends on who you ask and what they have to lose if integration fails."
Jazz felt a chill that had nothing to do with the office's air conditioning. "What do you mean, if integration fails?"
"Your family represents something that challenges traditional supernatural authority structures," Principal Blackwood explained. "Your father's decision to give up his magic for love, combined with your manifestation of abilities that should have been impossible, suggests that magical heritage isn't as controllable as certain factions prefer to believe."
"The factions Andi mentioned?"
"Among others." Principal Blackwood opened a desk drawer and withdrew a file folder that looked far too thick to contain normal academic records. "There are supernatural authorities who believe that magical abilities should be carefully monitored and controlled through traditional hierarchical structures. They see integrated communities like Silverwood as potential security risks."
"Security risks to whom?"
"To the separation between supernatural and mortal societies that has been maintained for centuries," Principal Blackwood replied, opening the folder to reveal documents that Jazz couldn't read from her position across the desk but which appeared to contain photographs and detailed written reports. "Some believe that integration inevitably leads to exposure, and exposure leads to conflict that benefits no one."
Jazz stared at the folder, realizing that it likely contained information about her family that went far beyond typical school records. "How long have you been watching us?"
"Since your abilities first began manifesting," Principal Blackwood admitted. "Since Alex accidentally froze the water in his chemistry beaker solid during a particularly stressful exam last spring. Since Joaquin's locker door warped from heat exposure after he received a disappointing grade on his history paper. Since you telekinetically shattered three windows in the girls' bathroom during your panic attack about college applications."
Each incident he described hit Jazz like a physical blow, memories she'd tried to rationalize or forget suddenly taking on new significance as evidence of abilities she'd been trained to deny.
"We covered those up," she said weakly.
"We helped you cover them up," Principal Blackwood corrected. "The maintenance reports about faulty plumbing and defective window installation and old building settling – those were coordinated efforts to provide plausible explanations for supernatural incidents."
"Why?" The question emerged as barely more than a whisper.
"Because your family deserves the chance to choose your own path," Principal Blackwood replied, echoing Andi's words from the parking lot. "Because integration works when it's supported properly. Because you and your brothers represent hope for a future where supernatural abilities enhance rather than threaten normal human communities."
Jazz felt tears threatening at the corners of her eyes, though she couldn't tell if they were born of relief or terror. "What happens now?"
"Now," Principal Blackwood said, closing the folder and leaning forward with an expression of paternal concern, "you learn to control your abilities properly. You discover the community that's been supporting your family without your knowledge. You make informed decisions about what kind of life you want to build."
"And if the factions you mentioned decide that's not acceptable?"
Principal Blackwood's expression grew grave, and for a moment Jazz caught a glimpse of something in his eyes that looked distinctly non-human – a flash of otherness that reminded her of nocturnal predators and ancient powers that existed beyond human understanding.
"Then," he said quietly, "we protect you. All of you. By whatever means necessary."
The intercom on his desk crackled to life, interrupting the conversation with the school secretary's cheerful voice. "Mr. Blackwood? There's been an incident in the pool area. Maintenance is requesting your immediate assistance."
Jazz felt her stomach lurch. "The pool area?"
"Your brothers have second-period physical education," Principal Blackwood said, already rising from his chair with fluid grace. "Which means they're currently in the aquatic facility with thirty other students and two teachers who don't know that they're dealing with teenagers whose elemental abilities are triggered by emotional stress."
"Oh, god," Jazz breathed, imagining all the ways that Joaquin's fire powers and Alex's water manipulation could interact catastrophically in an enclosed space surrounded by witnesses.
"Stay here," Principal Blackwood instructed, moving toward the office door with the kind of controlled urgency that suggested he'd dealt with supernatural emergencies before. "I'll handle this."
"No," Jazz said, standing up so quickly that her chair rolled backward into the bookshelf behind her. "Those are my brothers. I'm coming with you."
Principal Blackwood paused at the door, studying her with an expression that seemed to weigh multiple factors she couldn't identify. "Miss Knight-Montez, if you're present during a magical incident involving your brothers, your own abilities could react sympathetically. That could turn a manageable situation into something much more dangerous."
"And if I'm not there, and something happens to them, my abilities are going to react anyway," Jazz replied, surprised by the steel in her own voice. "Either way, you're dealing with my telekinetic responses. At least if I'm there, I can try to help instead of just making things worse from a distance."
Principal Blackwood nodded slowly, and Jazz caught a glimpse of something that might have been approval in his pale eyes. "Very well. But you follow my lead, and if I tell you to leave, you leave immediately. Understood?"
"Understood."
They left the office together, moving through the administrative wing at a pace that appeared casual but covered ground with supernatural efficiency. As they walked, Jazz found herself studying Principal Blackwood with new eyes, noting details she'd never consciously registered before – the way his footsteps made no sound despite his leather dress shoes, the way shadows seemed to bend around him in patterns that defied the hallway's lighting, the way other staff members unconsciously stepped aside to let him pass as if responding to an authority they couldn't articulate.
"Principal Blackwood," she said as they approached the doors leading to the athletic facilities. "What are you?"
He glanced at her with an expression that was equal parts amusement and resignation. "I'm someone who's spent a very long time learning that the most important question isn't what someone is, but what they choose to do with what they are."
"That's not really an answer."
"No," he agreed, pushing open the doors to reveal the corridor that connected the main academic building to the gymnasium and pool complex. "But it's the only answer that matters right now."
The scent of chlorine and the sound of splashing water grew stronger as they approached the aquatic facility, but underneath the normal sounds of pool activity, Jazz could hear something else – raised voices carrying the particular edge that suggested controlled panic.
"Mr. Blackwood!" Coach Martinez's voice echoed through the hallway as they rounded the corner to find the athletic director standing outside the pool entrance, his usually composed demeanor replaced by the kind of barely contained stress that suggested he was dealing with something well beyond typical teenage swimming mishaps.
"What's the situation, Coach?" Principal Blackwood asked, his tone carrying the calm authority of someone accustomed to managing crises.
"I don't know how to explain it," Coach Martinez replied, running a hand through his graying hair. "The twins were doing warm-up laps, everything perfectly normal, when suddenly the water temperature spiked and the pool started... well, it started boiling. Not everywhere, just around Joaquin. And then Alex jumped in, and somehow the water temperature dropped so fast that ice crystals started forming on the surface."
Jazz felt her knees threaten to buckle as the implications of Coach Martinez's description sank in. Her brothers' abilities hadn't just manifested – they'd manifested simultaneously and in direct opposition to each other, creating the kind of supernatural spectacle that would be impossible to explain away as equipment malfunction or normal teenage behavior.
"Where are they now?" Principal Blackwood asked.
"In the pool office," Coach Martinez replied. "I cleared everyone else out and told them it was a chemical imbalance in the filtration system. But sir, the water is still doing... things. It's like it can't decide whether it wants to freeze or boil."
"And the other students?"
"Changed clothes and sent to study hall. They're asking questions, but so far they're buying the chemical spill story."
Principal Blackwood nodded, and Jazz caught the subtle relaxation in his posture that suggested the situation was manageable rather than catastrophic. "Good thinking, Coach. We'll take it from here."
"Sir?" Coach Martinez's voice carried the particular uncertainty of someone who sensed there were aspects of the situation he wasn't being told about. "Is there anything else I should know about the Knight-Montez boys?"
Principal Blackwood exchanged a quick glance with Jazz, and she saw him make the kind of calculated decision that suggested he'd been navigating supernatural politics for a very long time.
"They're dealing with some stress-related issues that can manifest physically," he said carefully. "Nothing dangerous, but sometimes it affects their interaction with their environment in unexpected ways."
Coach Martinez nodded slowly, though Jazz could see that the explanation didn't fully satisfy his concerns. "Should I be taking any special precautions during their athletic activities?"
"Just be aware that emotional stress can trigger... unusual responses," Principal Blackwood replied. "If you notice anything concerning, contact me immediately rather than trying to handle it yourself."
"Understood, sir."
Principal Blackwood gestured for Jazz to follow him toward the pool office, but as they approached the door, she could hear her brothers' voices through the thin walls – Joaquin's tone carrying the particular edge that meant he was fighting for emotional control, Alex's responses tight with the kind of anxiety that preceded his most dramatic supernatural episodes.
"This is bad," she heard Alex saying. "This is really, really bad. Dad's going to kill us."
"Dad's not going to kill us," Joaquin replied, though his voice lacked conviction. "He's going to transfer us to some supernatural boarding school in the middle of nowhere and pretend we never existed."
"That's worse than being killed."
"Yeah, probably."
Jazz looked at Principal Blackwood, seeing her own concerns reflected in his pale eyes. Her brothers weren't just dealing with supernatural abilities they couldn't control – they were terrified of the consequences of having those abilities discovered.
"They don't know," she realized. "They don't know about the community, about the support systems. They think they're freaks who are going to destroy everything our family has built."
"Which is exactly why this conversation needed to happen sooner rather than later," Principal Blackwood replied. "Fear and isolation make magical abilities exponentially more dangerous and harder to control."
He knocked on the office door with gentle authority. "Joaquin? Alex? It's Principal Blackwood. I'm coming in, and I'm bringing your sister."
The voices on the other side of the door went silent, and Jazz could practically feel her brothers' panic radiating through the walls.
"We're not in trouble?" Joaquin's voice carried the particular hopefulness of someone who expected to be disappointed.
"You're not in trouble," Principal Blackwood confirmed. "But we do need to talk."
The door opened to reveal Alex, his sandy hair still damp from the pool and his green eyes wide with the kind of fear that made him look younger than his seventeen years. Behind him, Joaquin was pacing in the small office space with movements that spoke to barely contained energy and emotional turmoil.
"Jazz?" Alex's voice cracked slightly as he saw his sister. "What are you doing here?"
"Learning the same things you're about to learn," Jazz replied, moving past Principal Blackwood to wrap her younger brother in a hug that she hoped conveyed reassurance rather than her own uncertainty. "It's going to be okay."
"Is it?" Joaquin stopped pacing to fix Principal Blackwood with a direct stare that reminded Jazz of their father when he was preparing for difficult conversations. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like my twin brother and I just demonstrated supernatural abilities in front of half the junior class, and I'm pretty sure that violates every rule our parents have drilled into us since we were old enough to understand the concept of keeping secrets."
"Your parents' rules were designed to protect you during a time when you weren't ready for the full truth about your heritage and your community," Principal Blackwood replied, settling into the office's single chair with movements that somehow made the cramped space feel less claustrophobic. "But circumstances have changed. Your abilities are manifesting at a level that makes continued secrecy both impossible and dangerous."
"What do you mean, our community?" Alex asked, though he remained pressed against Jazz's side as if her presence could anchor him against whatever revelations were coming.
"I mean the integrated supernatural community that has existed in Silverwood for over a century," Principal Blackwood replied. "The network of magical families, supernatural individuals, and human allies who have chosen to build lives that honor both their extraordinary heritage and their desire for normal human experiences."
Jazz felt Alex's tension ease slightly against her, and she realized that the relief of learning they weren't alone in their supernatural struggles was beginning to outweigh his fear of the unknown implications.
"So we're not freaks?" Joaquin asked, his voice carrying a vulnerability that made Jazz's chest tighten with protective anger.
"You're not freaks," Principal Blackwood confirmed. "You're young people with extraordinary abilities who are learning to navigate the intersection between supernatural heritage and human community. It's challenging, but you're not the first to face these challenges, and you won't be the last."
"What about our parents?" Alex asked. "Do they know? About the community, I mean?"
Principal Blackwood's expression grew complicated, and Jazz realized they were approaching territory that involved adult secrets and political considerations beyond typical teenage concerns.
"Your father knows more than he's told you," he said carefully. "Your mother knows less than she suspects. The situation is... complex."
"Complex how?" Joaquin demanded, his protective instincts engaging with the particular intensity that had made him the unofficial guardian of his siblings since childhood.
"Complex in ways that involve supernatural politics and family loyalties and choices that were made long before any of you were born," Principal Blackwood replied. "But those complexities don't change the fundamental reality that you are part of a community that will support and protect you as you learn to control your abilities and decide what kind of life you want to build."
Jazz felt something ease in her chest that she hadn't realized had been tightened since her conversation with Andi in the parking lot. The revelation that they weren't alone, that their family's situation was unusual but not unprecedented, felt like the first deep breath she'd taken in months.
"What happens now?" she asked, echoing her earlier question but with different emphasis.
"Now," Principal Blackwood said, rising from the chair with fluid grace, "you learn. About your abilities, about your community, about the choices available to you. And you do it surrounded by people who understand what you're experiencing and want to help you succeed."
"Starting when?" Joaquin asked.
"Starting now," Principal Blackwood replied. "I'm excusing all three of you from your remaining morning classes. There are some people I'd like you to meet, and some spaces I'd like you to see. By the end of the day, you'll have a much better understanding of what it means to be supernatural students at Silverwood Academy."
Jazz looked at her brothers, seeing her own mixture of excitement and apprehension reflected in their eyes. This morning, they'd been normal teenagers trying to hide abilities they didn't understand. Now they were apparently part of a supernatural community they'd never known existed.
The change felt both terrifying and liberating, like stepping off a cliff and discovering they could fly.
"Okay," she said, speaking for all three of them. "Show us."
Principal Blackwood smiled, and for the first time since she'd known him, the expression reached his eyes with warmth that seemed genuinely paternal rather than professionally appropriate.
"With pleasure," he said. "Welcome to the real Silverwood Academy."
The rest of the school day passed in a blur of introductions, revelations, and moments that redefined everything the Knight-Montez siblings thought they knew about their lives. Principal Blackwood had led them through hidden corridors that existed behind familiar classroom walls, introduced them to teachers who casually demonstrated abilities that ranged from levitation to mind-reading, and shown them spaces within Silverwood Academy that defied the building's apparent architecture.
Jazz's head was spinning with information about magical theory, supernatural politics, and the intricate network of protections that had surrounded their family for years without their knowledge. Alex had discovered that his water manipulation abilities were actually part of a broader elemental gift that could potentially extend to weather control, while Joaquin had learned that his fire powers were connected to emotional regulation techniques that could help him channel destructive impulses into protective ones.
By the time the final bell rang at 3:15, all three siblings felt as if they'd lived through several days' worth of life-changing experiences compressed into a few hours of concentrated education.
"This is insane," Alex muttered as they gathered their belongings from their lockers, his movements still carrying the careful control he'd learned during an impromptu lesson in managing elemental responses to stress. "This morning I thought I was just a weird kid who had panic attacks that made plumbing malfunction. Now I find out I'm part of some magical dynasty with weather-controlling potential."
"Could be worse," Joaquin replied, shouldering his gym bag with movements that didn't accidentally scorch the fabric. "You could be the guy who found out his anger management issues are actually fire magic that's been building up for months because no one taught him proper channeling techniques."
"Both of you could be the girl who just learned that her telekinetic abilities are considered 'unusually advanced for untrained manifestation' and 'potentially dangerous without proper guidance,'" Jazz added, quoting the magical theory instructor who'd spent forty-five minutes explaining the finer points of psychic energy control.
They made their way through the hallway toward the main entrance, passing groups of students who looked exactly like normal teenagers discussing normal teenage concerns – upcoming tests, weekend plans, social drama that seemed monumentally important when you were seventeen years old.
Except now Jazz found herself studying faces and conversations differently, wondering which of her classmates were hiding supernatural abilities behind facades of academic ambition and adolescent social navigation.
"Do you think everyone knows?" Alex asked quietly, his voice pitched low enough that only his siblings could hear. "I mean, everyone in the supernatural community. Do they all know about our family's... situation?"
"Some do," Jazz replied, remembering Principal Blackwood's explanations about the various factions monitoring their development. "But not everyone. And definitely not the regular human students."
"How do we tell the difference?" Joaquin wondered, his eyes scanning their fellow students with new intensity. "Between supernatural community members and regular humans?"
"Experience, I guess," Jazz said, though the prospect of learning to navigate supernatural social politics on top of normal teenage dynamics felt overwhelming. "Practice reading people differently."
They pushed through the main entrance into the afternoon sunshine, where the usual chaos of dismissal was in full swing. Students were climbing into cars, boarding buses, beginning the walk toward various after-school activities or part-time jobs. The scene looked exactly as it had every day since they'd started attending Silverwood Academy, but now it carried layers of hidden meaning that made Jazz feel like she was seeing everything through new eyes.
"There's Andi," Alex pointed toward the student parking lot, where their neighbor stood beside the familiar SUV with Jeff and Liam visible through the windshield.
But as they approached the vehicle, Jazz noticed details she'd somehow missed during the morning ride – the way Andi's eyes never stopped moving, scanning the crowd of departing students with the kind of professional awareness that had nothing to do with teenage social dynamics. The way she positioned herself beside the SUV to maintain clear sightlines in multiple directions. The way her posture suggested someone prepared to respond to threats that regular seventeen-year-olds wouldn't even recognize.
"How was your first day?" Andi asked as they reached the SUV, her tone carrying the casual warmth of a girlfriend greeting her boyfriend and his siblings.
But Jazz caught the subtle tension in her best friend's voice, the underlying current that suggested she was asking about much more than typical academic experiences.
"Educational," Joaquin replied, moving to give Andi a kiss that looked perfectly normal but somehow felt like it was being performed for an audience Jazz couldn't identify.
"Very educational," Alex added, climbing into the back seat of the SUV. "Learned things I didn't know I needed to learn."
Jazz settled into the front passenger seat, accepting Jeff's cheerful greeting and Liam's questions about their day with responses that felt increasingly automatic. How do you explain to family friends that you've just discovered you're part of a supernatural community that's been operating in secret for over a century? How do you casually mention that your magical abilities are manifesting at levels that concern trained supernatural educators?
"You three are unusually quiet," Liam observed as Jeff navigated the SUV through the post-dismissal traffic around the academy. "Everything okay?"
"Just processing," Jazz replied, which was technically true even if it didn't convey the magnitude of what they were processing.
"Senior year can be overwhelming," Jeff said sympathetically. "All those college application deadlines and scholarship requirements. Plus trying to maintain your grades while dealing with extracurricular activities."
"Junior year," Alex corrected automatically, earning a laugh from the front seat.
"Right, I keep forgetting you two are still babies," Jeff teased. "Must be because you're both taller than I am now."
The conversation continued with the familiar rhythm of adults who'd known the Knight-Montez children since they were small, questions about homework and weekend plans and whether they needed rides to various activities. Normal family friend interactions that felt surreal in the context of everything they'd learned about their supernatural heritage and the magical community surrounding them.
Jazz found herself studying Jeff and Liam with new intensity, wondering if their eighteen years of close friendship with the Knight-Montez family meant they knew more about supernatural activities than they were letting on. Were they part of the protective network that had been monitoring the family? Were they regular humans who'd been unknowingly living next door to a family with magical abilities?
"Your parents seemed a little stressed this morning," Liam mentioned as they turned onto the street that led toward both the Kim and Knight-Montez homes. "More than usual, I mean. Everything okay at the restaurant?"
Andi's reflection in the rearview mirror met Jazz's eyes, and she caught the subtle shake of her best friend's head that meant 'careful, not here, not now.'
"Dad's been working on some new menu additions," Joaquin said smoothly. "You know how he gets when he's trying to perfect new recipes. Everything has to be exactly right or he starts over from scratch."
"Perfectionist streak," Alex added. "Drives Mom crazy, but the customers love it."
"That's true," Jeff agreed. "I've never had a bad meal at Ember & Love. Your dad has this gift for combining flavors that shouldn't work together but somehow create magic."
The word 'magic' hung in the air for a moment that felt charged with unspoken meaning, though Jazz was reasonably certain that Jeff had meant it in the conventional sense rather than as a reference to supernatural abilities.
"He does have a gift," she agreed carefully.
"Speaking of the restaurant," Liam said, "Andi mentioned you three have been helping out more during the dinner rush lately. That's got to be cutting into your study time."
"We manage," Jazz replied, though she wondered if their increased presence at Ember & Love had anything to do with the protective measures Principal Blackwood had mentioned. Were they being kept closer to home as their abilities manifested more dramatically?
The SUV turned into their shared driveway, and Jazz could see Ember & Love's afternoon prep in full swing through the restaurant's large windows. Marcus was visible in the kitchen, his movements carrying the focused intensity that meant he was deep in the kind of creative cooking process that had made their establishment one of Silverwood's most popular dining destinations.
"Thanks for the ride," Jazz said as they gathered their backpacks and school equipment.
"Anytime," Jeff replied. "Tell your parents we said hello, and let them know we're still planning on dinner later this week."
"Will do," Joaquin promised, though Jazz caught the uncertainty in his voice that suggested he wasn't sure what their family dinners were going to look like now that supernatural secrets were becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
They climbed out of the SUV and stood in the driveway, watching as Jeff and Liam backed out and headed toward their own home next door. The afternoon felt both completely normal and fundamentally different, as if the physical world around them had remained exactly the same while the context for understanding it had shifted dramatically.
"We need to talk to them," Alex said quietly, his gaze fixed on the restaurant windows where their parents were visible preparing for the evening service. "About everything. About what we learned today, about what's happening to us, about the fact that we can't keep pretending our abilities don't exist."
"I know," Jazz replied, feeling the weight of the day's revelations settling in her chest like stones. "But how do we even begin that conversation?"
"Carefully," Andi said, speaking for the first time since they'd left the academy. "There are things about your family's situation that are more complicated than you realize, and reactions that could be more dangerous than you understand."
Jazz turned to study her best friend's face, seeing the familiar features shadowed by concerns that went beyond typical teenage relationship dynamics.
"What aren't you telling us?" she asked.
Andi glanced toward the restaurant, then back at the three siblings with an expression that carried the weight of responsibilities Jazz was only beginning to comprehend.
"I'm telling you that the conversation you're about to have with your parents could change everything," she said quietly. "Not just for your family, but for the entire supernatural community in Silverwood. So you need to be very, very careful about how you approach it."
"No pressure or anything," Joaquin muttered, but his arm moved to wrap around Andi's waist in a gesture that spoke to protective instincts Jazz recognized from their father.
"There's always pressure," Andi replied, leaning into Joaquin's embrace while keeping her eyes fixed on Jazz. "The question is whether you let it paralyze you or motivate you to make the right choices."
Jazz looked at her brothers, seeing her own mixture of determination and apprehension reflected in their faces. This morning they'd been normal teenagers trying to hide abilities they didn't understand. Now they were supernatural individuals who needed to navigate family relationships, community expectations, and personal choices that could have consequences far beyond their own lives.
The restaurant's back door opened, and Elena appeared with the kind of maternal radar that had been tracking her children's arrival home since they were in elementary school.
"There you are," she called, her voice carrying the warm authority of a woman who'd spent years managing both teenagers and dinner rushes. "How was school?"
Jazz exchanged glances with her brothers, realizing that the simple question carried implications that would have seemed impossible twelve hours earlier.
How was school? School was the place where they'd learned they were part of a supernatural community they'd never known existed. School was where they'd discovered abilities that could potentially reshape their entire understanding of themselves and their family. School was where they'd been introduced to magical theory, elemental control techniques, and political considerations that extended far beyond typical teenage concerns.
"Interesting," she said finally, the understatement feeling both inadequate and somehow perfectly appropriate.
"Very interesting," Alex added, his voice carrying the particular tone that meant he was processing complex emotions he didn't quite know how to articulate.
"The kind of interesting that requires family discussion?" Elena's question suggested that she'd recognized something in their expressions that went beyond normal academic experiences.
Jazz felt her chest tighten with the realization that this was it – the moment when twenty years of carefully maintained secrets and protective lies would have to give way to truths that could transform their family's entire dynamic.
"Yeah," she said, meeting her mother's concerned gaze across the driveway. "That kind of interesting."
Elena nodded slowly, and Jazz caught the subtle shift in her posture that suggested she'd been preparing for this conversation longer than any of them had realized.
"Come inside," she said, stepping back to hold the restaurant's back door open for them. "Your father's between prep cycles. I think it's time we all sat down and had a talk about some things we've been avoiding for far too long."
Jazz felt her siblings' tension spike as they followed their mother into the familiar warmth of Ember & Love's kitchen, where the scents of cumin and garlic and fresh bread created the olfactory backdrop that had defined their childhood.
But now, approaching what might be the most important conversation of their lives, even the comfort of home felt charged with possibilities that could reshape everything they thought they knew about their family, their community, and themselves.
Marcus looked up from the paella station as they entered, his weathered face immediately registering the gravity of their collective expression.
"That kind of day?" he asked quietly.
"That kind of day," Jazz confirmed.
Marcus nodded, setting down his wooden spoon and moving to wash his hands with the methodical precision of a man preparing for a task that required his complete attention.
"All right then," he said, turning to face his family with an expression that carried the weight of twenty years' worth of secrets finally demanding acknowledgment. "Let's talk."