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?"

admit, "Not exactly. Nothing happened,

cool, when

murmurs. "And were you having memories again,

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Ava: Magic Training

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

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 of it, but that it's coming up

me on its own."

through my explanation

the feelings in my body. I don't even

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

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

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

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Ava: Magic

about to ask what he means when he continues, his voice rising. "Florice can take

widen. It's jarring, like

swear.

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

escapes me, awkward and uncertain. Is he

an exaggeration than it is," he mutters,

Fae bureaucracy, Magister Orion's demeanor

after him to the back of the building. He stops in front of a blank wall, and I'm about to ask why when, like magic,

They are magic. The wall shimmers and parts, revealing

nothing before

Ava: Magic Training

like a forested grove, trees stretching up towards... I blink, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. The ceiling-if you can

once.

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

to the training

announces.

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

I ask, my voice barely

to the needs of its owner," Magister

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

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Magic

looks like a

I blink, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. The ceiling-if

beams like

once.

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

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 looks like a giant metal box. "What just happened?" I ask, my voice

of its owner," Magister Orion explains. "But it won't change

all in. The

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Magic Training

arms stand up, sends a

you should be safe to practice your magic,"