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

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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?"

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

and cool, when I

were you having memories again, when you felt

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Magic

I think back. "I did think about water and its properties, but it felt

it wasn't enough. Then Selene told me to stop trying to force it, and I tried to relax. Once

me on its own."

through my explanation makes

the words to use, or how to describe the feelings

a partial activation. You felt your attunement with the element.

massive frame surprisingly agile as he begins to pace. His lips move, but the words are too quiet for me to catch. I strain my ears, leaning forward slightly, but it's no use. Whatever's going through his mind, he's keeping it

this, he lets out a sigh so heavy I swear I feel the air move. "Red tape," he grumbles. "Always with

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Magic

continues, his voice rising. "Florice can take her damn applications and

It's jarring,

swear.

how things are governed here. Did you know we even need to fill out paperwork to take

laugh escapes me, awkward and uncertain.

wish it were more of an exaggeration than it is,"

process this bizarre tidbit about Fae bureaucracy, Magister Orion's demeanor shifts. "Follow me,"

to the back of the building. He stops in front of a blank wall, and I'm about to

not like magic. They are magic. The wall shimmers and parts, revealing an entrance where there

nothing before

Magic

looks like a forested grove, 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

once.

I can almost taste it, a tang on my

the training room," Magister

announces.

leave his mouth, the room shimmers. The trees melt away, replaced

ask, my

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

slow circle, taking it all in. The level of magic surrounding us is

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Ava: Magic Training

looks like a

up towards... I blink, trying to make sense of what I'm

and wooden beams like a normal ceiling. It's disorienting and beautiful

once.

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

training room," Magister

announces.

trees melt away, replaced by sleek metal walls. We're suddenly standing in what looks like a giant metal box. "What just happened?" I

to the needs of its owner," Magister Orion explains. "But it

in. The level

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Magic

stand up, sends a tingle

room, you should be safe to practice your magic," Magister Orion