Tangled

Unshift 235

Unshift 235

235 Ava: Magic Training (1)

235 Ava: Magic Training (1)

Magister Orion clasps his hands in front of him and beams in my direction. "And now, we have you, Ava Grey. The first wizard in a very long time."

Feeling the intensity of his gaze, I shift my weight, settling a little deeper into my chair as though that will somehow shield me from his excitement. "I don't want

you to see me as something special. I'm just me."

"You can't get away from being special, Ava Grey." He sighs. "It's unfortunate, but you'll never be able to escape that. Even without your magic, you're mated to an alpha, correct?"

I nod.

"Then you were already special to begin with." He spreads his hands with a little shrug. "Your magic is

like confetti on a cake."

Confetti?

Oh. He must mean sprinkles.

"Sprinkles are disgusting," I point out.

They are not. I like them. Selene's little whisper in my

09:31

1/8

<

235 Ava: Magic Training (1)

mind has my nose wrinkling

Sprinkles are just crunchy wax covering delicious icing. They have no business being within a mile of a decent

cake.

"Yes, well, there are those who love their sprinkles."

Magister Orion claps his hands. "So. Fire was your first element. I'm a little surprised. I thought it would be

water."

Tilting my head, I ask, "Does it matter?"

"Matter? No. It's a simple bit of curiosity. A personal theory, I suppose. Have you had any success with

other elements?"

"Water," Vanessa offers.

"Oh?" That sparkling look in his eyes is back. "You

touched water?"

my head, I admit, "Not exactly. Nothing happened, but I could

refreshing and cool, when I finally stopped trying

murmurs. "And were you having memories again, when you felt

09:31 C

2/8

Ava: Magic

"I did think about water and its

wasn't enough. Then Selene told me to stop trying to force it, and I tried to relax. Once I finally did, it came to me. It doesn't really feel like I'm in control

me on its own."

through my explanation makes

the feelings in my

like a partial activation. You felt your attunement with the element. This is still good, still good.

agile as he begins to pace. His lips move, but the words are too quiet for me to catch. I

he lets out a sigh so heavy I swear I feel the air move. "Red

3/8

Magic Training

about to ask what he means when he continues, his voice rising. "Florice can take her damn applications and shove them up

widen. It's jarring, like

swear.

for my crass language," he says, noticing my expression. "I'm simply sick of how things are governed here. Did you know we even need to fill out paperwork to take a

me, awkward and uncertain. Is

were more of an exaggeration than it is," he mutters, confirming

I can process this bizarre tidbit about Fae bureaucracy, Magister Orion's demeanor shifts. "Follow me," he says, his

stops in front of a blank wall, and I'm about to ask why when, like magic, doors

are magic. The wall shimmers and parts, revealing an entrance

nothing before

Magic

trees stretching up towards... I blink, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. The ceiling-if you can call it that- cycles between sun, stars, and wooden beams like a normal ceiling. It's disorienting and beautiful all

once.

is palpable. It's in the air, in the ground beneath my feet. I can almost taste it, a tang on my tongue like ozone after

the training room,"

announces.

the words leave his mouth, the room shimmers. The trees melt away, replaced by sleek metal walls. We're suddenly standing in what

my voice barely

changes according to the needs of its owner," Magister Orion explains. "But it won't change at whim for

in a slow circle, taking it all in. The level of

5/8

<

Magic

looks like a

make sense

cycles between sun, stars, and wooden beams like a

once.

beneath my feet. I can almost taste it, a tang on my tongue like ozone after a

to the training

announces.

the room shimmers. The trees melt away, replaced by sleek metal walls. We're suddenly standing in what looks like a giant metal box. "What just happened?" I ask, my voice barely

Magister Orion explains. "But it

a slow circle, taking it all in. The level of magic surrounding us is staggering. It makes

5/8

<

Magic Training

sends a tingle down

you should be safe to practice