Tangled

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238 Ava: A History of Magic

"That makes sense. Finished with my vegetables-all crunchy and drowning in garlic, which. seems to be a favorite Fac flavor-I attack the first steak on my plate. It looks similar to chicken, and has some sort of thick layer of cheese melted over it.

Once it enters my mouth, I have to bite back a groan.

Delicious.

Everything I eat here is good. I need to ask Magister Orion about learning how to create food. out of nowhere, but I'm too busy shoveling the food in my mouth to ask something so practical. Besides, I'm not able to replicate the magic anyway.

Later.

I'm definitely going to learn it later.

It would really come in handy.

"When we introduce ourselves, we rarely include our family names. It is always our full name and title, if we have one. You humans have both names as your identity, and so we often use them. If it bothers you, I can always call you by your short name."

"It doesn't bother me at all, I assure him, stabbing into another bite. "If you use titles, I should probably mention that Vanessa is a Healer in the Westwood Pack." But I can't remember her last

name.

What's her last name? Shit, I'm a terrible person. I'm pretty sure she introduced herself with her full name when we first met. Then again, I was pretty out of it.

Still.

I should know this.

Orion turns to Vanessa, his expression softening. "My apologies, Healer Vanessa. I've been remiss in my manners. May I ask your full

someone else with that

You've met him a time

his sister. Maybe

and I didn't even know she had a brother/

even made a decision to grow closer to my people and learn

friend and ask them a thousand questions about their family life and histories? Such things come out in time. Vanessa doesn't

her mate; it's no surprise she doesn't

chest. That's right. I didn't even know she was mated to Vester for ages. They

deeply, but their relationship is very different from many mated couples. Then again, as I think has

his eyes twinkling. "A pleasure to make your proper acquaintance, Healer Vanessa Thorn. And you, sir?" He turns

Finley," he says, his voice gruff but respectful. "Just Marcus is

on duty-which, right now, is literally every

that I properly introduce myself as well. He stands, his massive frame seeming to fill the entire room. "I am

Sorcerer? I knew Magister Orion was important, but this sounds like a lot more than just some old man with an enthusiasm for human magic. It sounds awfully

asks, coming in clutch with the important questions. "I've heard of

of years, many names have come about for humans with magic. Illusionist, arcanist, shaman. While every school of

and human magic, then?" Vanessa's forgotten all about her food, leaning over the table

magic from birth. We are attuned to the world around us. To nature. To the air we breathe. We cannot create from nothing, but we can encourage or manipulate what already exists.

you can't create from nothing, then how did you make this food appear?" Marcus interjects, also drawn into

meat into my mouth, grateful for them both for asking the questions my sluggish brain can't come

saying is interesting, but my eyelids threaten to droop and leave me asleep on my

Ava: A History

struggle to stay

within us. But it is incredibly rare. There are those who believe that I have human blood within my veins. It's always. possible, though I have yet to find where in

clearly unconcerned. "While my magic is not terribly powerful, I've spent my entire life trying to gather as much knowledge as possible about the magic taught by humans. And thus I am also a Magister. A teacher of magic. As a