Tangled

Unshift 229

Unshift 229

229 Ava: Fire

Bureaucracy in the Fae Ward moves with the pace of a paralyzed sloth, leaving me with an itchy feeling between my shoulder blades, as if staying here is the worst decision I've ever made.

Selene spends most of her time slinking around the Fae Ward, finding pockets of space with less wards to sneeze over. Vanessa and Marcus stick with me, with Vanessa sharing my bedroom. Our first lesson doesn't happen for three days. Why?

Application for Unlicensed Magus to Practice Dangerous Magic Within Residential Areas.

It's an actual title of a piece of paperwork Magister Orion had to file. Apparently, new wizards (though the official Fae-paperwork term is magus, unknown origin) are deemed a deadly force.

Whoever runs this place has a serious stick up their butt about me learning magic.

"I don't like it," Vanessa says, staring out the window. "They'll have your name on official paperwork. We have no idea how deep Renard's influence lies."

"It's only within the Fae Ward," I point out, like I have the other thirty times she's mentioned it. "If they're going to find me here, the paperwork won't be the only reason."

Marcus, of course, is quiet. We already know how he feels. He hates it and doesn't trust the paperwork, either.

Not that I disagree with either of them-it's just that, like them, I feel stuck.

17:05

that I've been unable to reach Lucas for three days.

ty

Knowing that they're fighting over there, not knowing the full

us on edge.

you made any progress" Vanessa changes the subject to

I'm surrounded by

written on them. Unlike the magic book I'm still kicking myself over for leaving in my room at the

disappear, and Vanessa and

papers, looking them over again and again. There's nothing that happens when I

red tape, gave me these five papers and

instructions, it's no surprise

how I try to commune with a single element within me,

Marcus advises, grimacing at the papers before me. "It helps with fighting. Learning to center, to focus only on what matters. Maybe you're too in tune

you

grab the

SVR XS. FIR

out a slow breath as I center myself. The sounds and scents of the world fade away, leaving only the sensation of my own body, its thudding heartbeat vibrating through my chest, and the pulsing core

of reach.

me from within, I imagine myself reaching out to touch it. Nothing happens. I try to

either.

supposed to access this power if nothing works? Taking another deep breath, I force

the silence of my meditation, my thoughts drift to the rune for fire sitting on the paper in front of

I think about its properties-how it consumes,

Burning.

Not a memory of this life, but of another. A dream? A vision? Whatever it was, it feels as

anything I've experienced.

of my being. I couldn't move, couldn't scream,

over me. I want to pull away from the memory, to escape the torment, but something holds me

17.50

220 Ava. Fire

matters.

and powerful. I focus on that feeling, on the memory of being unmade by fire. The bright core of magic within me pulses in response, as if recognizing a kindred spirit. For the

power.