"Our daughter could not have possibly... Eli," Shannon said, although it was almost a plea. This whole magic business was mostly beyond his ken and their daughter suddenly displaying all the right qualities for possessing it was not something he wanted to consider. As far as he knew, there was only one way for someone to possess magic and the idea that they had adopted one of eleven people in the entire world was daunting.

Putting a hand to his forehead for a moment, Shannon moved to place the cup in the sink to thaw and started to retrieve another one. He needed something to do with his hands while he let his thoughts run. "Thomas? Don't tell me you're calling him. No, wait, actually, if you do I want to talk to him, too. How in the—H-E-double-hockeysticks does this happen?"

As he got to the cup again, Shannon paused and turned toward Alyssa. She had frozen the milk, probably as a way to get out of drinking it. He could see no other reason for the obstruction. "Sweetie, why did you freeze the drink?"

Lyssa grinned and raised her arms high in amusement. "Soda!"