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

I'm surrounded by five

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

Vanessa and Marcus

and again. There's nothing that happens when I touch them: no

these five papers

vague instructions, it's no surprise I've

how I try to commune with

with fighting. Learning to center, to focus only on what matters. Maybe

you

dubious look-it's not like I haven't tried that before-I grab the one that means fire, close my eyes, and focus

SVR XS. FIR

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

of reach.

out to touch it. Nothing happens. I try to visualize tugging at it, like pulling on a string,

either.

inside me. How am I supposed to access this power if nothing works? Taking another deep breath, I force myself to relax. Maybe

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

it consumes,

Burning.

memory surfaces, unbidden. Not a memory of this life, but of another. A dream? A vision? Whatever

anything I've experienced.

fiber of my being. I couldn't move, couldn't scream, couldn't see. There was nothing but the all-consuming agony of flesh melting from

as the phantom sensations wash over me. I want to pull away from the

17.50

220 Ava. Fire

matters.

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

power.