Chapter 10
The next day, my mates and I returned to the center island bright and early to start training with clear magic.
My nerves were shaky and unsettled, since I didn’t know how this would go. It was possible I could fuck this up just I’d messed up the other four elements. But I couldn’t afford to mope around and doubt myself anymore. Ineededto get this right.
Eric didn’t seem too keen on coming with us--he had business to deal with as a pack leader, and he was still watching his borders carefully for any signs of trespassing humans, but he reluctantly came along when I begged him to join.
“Maybe my magic will actually work if all three of my mates are there,” I’d said with a grin.
Noro stood in the clearing with his wings lazily stretched out. In front of us lay the little leather pouches he’d given me earlier to practice with, which were all but useless now. They weren’t helpful but at least they gave me something to focus on while trying to practice, unlike clear magic which apparently didn’t have a corresponding earthly element.
Eric and Ramsay sat together on a log around the ashes of the bonfire nearby, watching us intently. The wound on Eric’s arm had healed enough for him to remove the bandage and air it out, but it was still obvious against his pale skin. Colton sat on the ground a little closer to us with a book in his hands, the same one he’d shown me earlier at the Meeting.
I faced Noro, clenching and unclenching my fingers. “Okay. I’m ready to start.”
Noro nodded. “First, I must tell you that I’m not well-versed in clear magic. I wasn’t even aware of its existence until reading about it in Colton’s book.”
“Where did that book come from, anyway?” I asked Colton, whose nose was buried in the pages. “If Noro hadn’t told us about magic, I would’ve thought all that stuff was a fairy tale.”
Colton made a contemplative noise as he flipped to the first few pages. “I think it’s from a place called Cinderhollow. Someone named Halo Fire-Eater wrote it. It says it's dedicated to his children.” He raised his head to look at me. “Maybe he’s an omega too.”
Great. If only he were here to help me,I thought.
“According to the book, only a few can wield it, and it’s an innate ability,” Noro said. “You either have it, or you do not.”
My heart sank. That didn’t sound too good for me and my bad track record so far. I sighed. “Well, then let’s get this over with. What am I supposed to do, Noro?”
“Try focusing your energy, the same way you did with the other elements,” he suggested.
Although it obviously hadn’t worked before, I shut my eyes and tried to do it again now. I concentrated, listening to the rhythmic thump of my own heartbeat and imagined power coursing through my veins.
I let a slow breath. I wasn’t sure if anything was working or not, but I did feelsomething, like the flickers of magic inside me were awakening again.
Everything around me was silent, no disappointment or encouragement, so I finally gave up and opened my eyes.
“Anything?” I asked in exasperation.
But then I saw the looks on their faces. They were all staring at me like I’d grown a second head.
I really hoped I did not grow a second head.
“Uh, guys?” I asked.
Glancing to Noro, I noticed that even his stoic eagle eyes had widened in surprise. I looked down at my own hands and nearly choked.
They were glowing.
It wasn’t a flashy, bright glow--more of a visible pale vibration hovering just above my skin, like someone had made a translucent copy of my body that existed slightly outside of me.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Once I had stared at it for too long, my brain freaked out. I let out a yelp and stumbled back, falling on my ass. The glow disappeared.
“You okay?” Ramsay asked, running to me.
“Yeah,” I said. “Just weirded out.”
He helped me to my feet. “So are the rest of us.”
“Did I do it?” I asked Noro. My heart hammered from a mix of excitement and bizarre wonder.
