“Of course that’s what they’re going to do!” Eva rubbed her hands together, chipper as she always was in the morning. “Why else would we be in such an empty room?”
My eyes widened.Warp us? Holy crap!
I’d never seen warping done or known anyone with the skill to create a warphole. Like necromancy, spirit walking and talking, or telepathy, warping was a rare and dangerous magical skill.
“Wow,” I breathed. “That’s awesome.”
“What, Legacy? Your parents don’t have any fancy friends in Beverly Hills who warp? And I thought it was all about who you know.” Diana had shuffled closer without my noticing, and I released an irritated sigh.
“I’ve never met anyone who could do it.”
She snorted. “And once again, it’s revealed to me that money can’t buy everything. Even if it can get a lackluster witch into an elite school.”
I whipped around, ready to retaliate, but Diana had slipped through the crowd of peers at my back.
Suddenly, the doors to Kyteler Hall slammed open, and Headmistress Wake strode into the room with Professor Tittelbaum behind her. My mouth fell open. The thin, severely academic looking professor of Magical Languages was a warper? Talk about unexpected.
“Initiates, gather ‘round!” Headmistress Wake clapped once. Her appraising gaze ran over the crowd. “Who here has never warped before?”
My hand shot up, but no one else had raised their hand. I pressed my lips together firmly, trying to hide my embarrassment. How was it that out of a class of thirty people, I was the only one who had never warped before?
Someone way in the back of the group sniggered, and I knew without looking that it was Diana. But instead of getting all riled up, which was what she wanted, I kept my hand proudly in the air and stared the headmistress straight in the eye.
Unlike her daughter, Headmistress Wake didn’t seem bothered. “Fewer than normal, but I suppose that’s to be expected in a class this small. This way, Dane.” The headmistress waved me forward, and I moved to join her. “Professor Tittelbaum is highly skilled at warping and it is something you will be expected to have undergone before the Samhain Trial. I always like to give students lacking in this experience first choice. So, Miss Dane, would you like to go first or last?”
“First,” I blurted out. No way in hell did I want to wait around and watch everyone go while my nerves mounted.
“Excellent,” Professor Tittelbaum stepped forward to stand in front of me. “Now, there’s no need to worry. Creating warpholes is just a manipulation of energy, like any other magic we work. It simply dives deeper into our being.”
“Then why is it so rare?”
The professor studied me for a moment before answering. “Warping costs more than most can bear.”
I pressed my lips together. “Does it hurt you to warp us?”
He shook his head. “Not anymore. Many new warpers have died from overextending themselves, but I was always careful. In my opinion, the pain of learning was worth it. Warpers are the only witches who can transcend two levels with their magic—spaceandtime. Alas, I’m not a time traveler, but I can move you from one place to another.”
My eyes widened at his mention of time travel.
Professor Tittelbaum’s face softened. “Now, as it’s your first time, I suggest that you take ten long breaths in and out. Double the length of your exhale compared to your inhale. This relaxes the nervous system, and reduces the chance that your magic will fire and interfere with my manipulation of energy.”
I nodded, knowing what he meant. Breath-work was a relaxation technique my mother had learned in yoga. She’d taught it to me when I started theater. I closed my eyes and focused on inhaling and exhaling. My pounding heart slowed and the tingling sensation of my skin lessened within seconds. After a dozen long exhales, I opened my eyes to find Professor Tittelbaum smiling.
And a freaking swirling vortex of light right next to him.
I jerked back.How did I not feel him create the warphole?
“Shh,” Professor Tittelbaum cooed. “We wouldn’t want to spike that lovely, calm heart rate you’ve achieved, now would we?”
My eyebrows knitted together. The professor of Magical Languages wasmuchmore powerful than he let on if he could create warpholes and suss out how fast my heart was beating.What kind of wizard is he?
But I didn’t get to ask, for the next second, the professor gestured toward the vortex. “Keep calm and walk through. People are waiting on the other side for your class to arrive.”
This is so weird,I thought, but instead of asking all the questions swirling around in my head, I figured I might as well get it over with. People were waiting, and I was curious to learn who.
Taking one more long inhale and exhale, I squared my shoulders and walked toward the light.
Chapter Eighteen
