Free Conrad Edison and the Anchored World (Overworld Arcanum Book 2) by John Corwin Page B

kids from different packs."
    I considered my next question and hoped it wasn't impolite. "What exactly do they teach to lycans? You already know how to change, right? Is there more to it?"
    Blue swallowed and nodded. "Sure. Most lycans are born that way, but older ones can turn people into one of us. There's also the possibility that some of us can learn to be free-changers."
    "Free changers? You mean like different animal forms?"
    "Yep." She jabbed a fork into the meat and bit off a chunk. "One of the professors here can do that."
    I considered the possibilities. "Can he look like other humans?"
    Blue stopped chewing for a moment. "I suppose so." She shrugged. "But why would you want to do that when you could shift into a bird?"
    I'd change my face so my parents couldn't find me. "I still don't understand where all the extra mass goes when someone shape shifts. Matter is neither created nor destroyed, so where does it go?"
    That drew a long silence and confused look from her.
    "I'm sorry, I think that was something from my father's knowledge." It wasn't. I'd studied science nearly as much as magic.
    "Magic doesn't always make sense," Blue finally said. "You just have to accept that it's not science and deal with it."
    I smiled. "Sure."
    "You're really smart, though," Blue said with a smile. "And you're strong." She touched my arm. "I'll bet there aren't any other kids who could beat a whole gang of vampires like you did."
    Not many other kids carry around parts of their evil parents' souls either. "I'm not really that strong."
    "I wish the lycan kids were as nice as you." She sighed and stabbed her fork in the asparagus. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever find a place to fit in."
    "You fit in just fine with us," I assured her.
    She put her head on my shoulder, unaware a piece of asparagus was stuck in her teeth. "Do you really mean that?"
    My face grew warm. "Y-yes."
    "Ahem!"
    I looked up and saw Ambria standing across the table from us, arms akimbo. "I see you started lunch without me, Conrad."
    "But you weren't here," I said. "I didn't know how long you'd be."
    "Did you even wait a moment before sitting down?" She dropped into the chair to my left. "It doesn't matter. I suppose you have a new best friend now."
    "You sound cranky," Blue said to her. "I think you're just hungry." She took a slice of bread. "Would you like me to put some jam on this for you?"
    Ambria leaned forward and looked past me at Blue. "While you and the other shifters frolicked around, I was put through a distressing psychological test and a written exam."
    "Um, I'm done eating," I said and pushed my chair back from the table, desperate to get out of there.
    Ambria grabbed left hand. "Conrad, stay. I could use some company during lunch."
    Blue stood and clasped my right hand. "Would you like to take a walk? It's lovely outside."
    I froze and stared at the instruction sheet on the table, praying it would give me new instructions. When it didn't, I decided to change the subject entirely. "Have you seen Max?"
    Ambria frowned. "Yes, I saw him enter the examination hall when I was leaving. He said he had to wait in a long line for the gauntlet room."
    "Me too," I said, praying the girls didn't feel the sweat breaking out on the palms of my hands.
    She frowned. "That awful Baxter boy came in behind him and started throwing insults at him, but Professor Grace didn't say a thing about it."
    "Gideon Grace hates Max's family," I said. "He told me so."
    "How about that walk?" Blue asked, squeezing my hand.
    I struggled for something more to say, when I noticed the instruction paper finally changed.
    Report to the Underground.
    Repressing a cheer, I freed my hands and reached for the sheet. "Well, it looks like I have another test to take."
    "The Underground?" Ambria's forehead wrinkled. "I don't recall reading about that."
    "I can help you find it," Blue said.
    "No, that's all right." I held up my phone. "This should take me there."
    "Wish I had a phone," Ambria