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.

made any progress" Vanessa changes the

me, where I'm surrounded by five papers

magic book I'm still kicking myself over for leaving

and Marcus are able to

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

red tape, gave me these five papers and told me to find

vague instructions, it's no surprise

to commune with a single element within

grimacing at the papers before me. "It helps with fighting. Learning to

you

tried that before-I grab the one

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 magic within me.

of reach.

happens. I try to

either.

this power if nothing works? Taking another deep breath, I force myself to relax. Maybe

to the rune for

properties-how it consumes, how it transforms, how

Burning.

life, but of another. A dream? A vision? Whatever

anything I've experienced.

that raged through every 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

I want to pull away from the memory, to escape the

17.50

220 Ava. Fire

matters.

else emerged. Something primal and powerful. I focus on that feeling, on

power.