“Yeah, sorry, I felt something weird and…well…freaked out," I run my hand through my sleep mussed, and now windblown, hair.
“Shit, that’s on us," Lachlan admits, and I look at him confused. “We just passed through the boundary. It would have pulled on your magic. We’re used to the sensation, but you’ve never experienced it before. It can feel alarming.”
Realization dawns on the faces of the paladin around me.
“I didn’t even think about that," Evrin admits sheepishly, and the others agree.
Aydin lets out an excited squeal, and I look at him like the mental case he clearly is. I didn’t know a grown man could sound like that.
“I am just so excited to see all of the things you can do. It has me giggling like a kid on Christmas morning! A staff, a sword, throwing knives, baby swords…what else do you carry in that magical arsenal of yours?” Aydin wonders, his blue eyes bright and eager.
“Wouldn’t you like to know," I reply evasively, and Aydin giggles.
“Little Badass, you live up to your new nickname more and more as I get to know you.”
A smile lights up Aydin’s face, and the girlish giggle coming out of this auburn-haired, seven-foot-tall giant, is contagious. I’m trying so hard not to laugh, but I can’t seem to help it.
“Do you know how to use all of those weapons?” Lachlan probes with feigned nonchalance.
“Yes.”
“Who trained you?” he presses.
“YouTube.”
Aydin and Lachlan scoff and laugh like I’ve just told the best joke. Laugh it up, bitches. They’ll be choking on those chuckles when they realize that endless hours of videos can teach you to do practically anything. With my ability to mimic the things I see, I’ve developed quite a diverse range of skills.
We pull off the road we’ve been on and head deeper into the forested landscape. We drive through a valley, and there are trees and hills all around us. An occasional house pops up in the distance, but for the most part, everything seems to be spread out. It’s incredibly green and beautiful, and I can see why someone would name this placeSolace.
“In about ten minutes, we’ll pass through another barrier," Aydin informs me. “The wards start about ten acres from the house. You might feel a rush or a pull on your magic. It can feel different depending on the type of magic you have, and we won’t know that until you have your reading.”
“My reading?” I repeat, and I can’t help but feel like I’m drowning in a sea of unknown. For every answer I get, a thousand more questions arise, and it feels never-ending.
“It’s a ritual that identifies the kind of magic you possess and determines the level of strength you’ll exhibit when wielding it," Keegan clarifies.
“What kind of magic do each of you have?”
“I have Elemental magic." Aydin holds up a tiny ball of fire as proof. “Lachlan has Offensive magic.”
I snort and try to swallow my laugh. Everything I discovered about my uncle thus far has been offensive, so it’s only right that his magic is too.
“Evrin has Healing magic, Keegan has Spell magic, and Silva has Defensive magic," Aydin finishes ticking off his fingers.
A gate swings opens on its own as we approach it. We drive through the stone pillars, and I admire the intricate details of the black iron gate when a warm sensation envelops me and the runes on my body all start to tingle.
“Something is happening,” I announce and stare at my runes.
“Don’t worry, we’re approaching the barrier, it’ll be over in a minute," Lachlan says dismissing my concern.
Without any additional warning, the runes on my body start to glow…well shit, here we go.
“What the…” someone exclaims, and the SUV suddenly stops.
I stare at the glowing runes and start to feel the now familiar sensation of magic building inside of me. I fling open the door and scramble out of the SUV. My runes feel like they’re heating up. It’s not painful, just odd. The sensation building within me plateaus, and I hold my breath and wait to see what the fuck is going to happen.
“Do you feel that?” Aydin asks.
Everyone nods and mumbles affirmation. I stare at them, waiting for someone to fill me in.
