I shifted uncomfortably. She was right. Lately, I’d noticed the shadows responding to me even when I wasn’t calling them. Following me like eager pets, stretching toward me when I entered rooms, darkening in my presence.
“Yes,” I admitted. “It’s getting harder to ignore… their call.”
“As I suspected.” She nodded, as if confirming something to herself. “Your connection to the other realms is deepening. This is natural for someone with your gifts, but it can be dangerous if left unguided.”
“Dangerous how?” I asked, suddenly nervous.
“Shadow magic draws power from the spaces between worlds, Mr. Vale. The deeper your connection grows, the more you might find yourself... slipping between those spaces unintentionally.” She leaned forward, her gaze intense. “Have you experienced any episodes of involuntary shadow walking? Have you ever stepped through a door only to find yourself in a place you didn’t expect? Have youseenanyone looking back at you from the shadows?”
I hesitated, my hands gripping the book tighter. The truth was, I had been experiencing strange things lately. Just last week, I’d been walking through my neighborhood back home when I stepped through a patch of shadow and suddenly found myself in the lobby of a local bank two miles away. And there had been moments when I’d caught glimpses of... something watching me from the darkest corners of my room.
“I... yes,” I admitted reluctantly. “A few times. I thought maybe I was just tired or stressed.”
Professor Blackwood’s expression grew grave. “It’s more serious than that, I’m afraid. Your magic is seeking outlets, and without proper training, it could pull you into places you’re not prepared to navigate.”
“You mean like other realms?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Among other things.” She stood and walked to a cabinet that I’d never seen her open before. With a complex gesture and a muttered incantation, the lock clicked open. “The spaces between worlds aren’t empty, Mr. Vale. There are entities that dwell there, entities that might take notice of a young shadow mage stumbling through their domain.”
A chill ran down my spine. “What kind of entities?”
She withdrew a small object from the cabinet and closed it carefully before turning back to me. “The kind that hunger for connection to our world. The kind that would gladly use you as a doorway if given the chance.”
She placed what looked like a simple silver ring on the desk between us. It was unadorned except for strange symbols etched into its inner band.
“This is a tether. It will help ground you to this reality while you learn to control your expanding abilities.” She pushed it toward me. “Wear it at all times, especially when you sleep. That’s when you’re most vulnerable to drift.”
I picked up the ring, feeling a subtle vibration as it touched my skin. “Will it stop the shadow walking completely?”
“No, nor should it. That ability is part of who you are.” Professor Blackwood returned to her seat. “But it will prevent involuntary transitions and alert you when something is attempting to use your connection to cross over.”
I slipped the ring onto my finger, surprised by how perfectly it fit. A cool sensation spread up my arm, and I could feel the shadows receding slightly, becoming less responsive.
“It feels... restrictive,” I said, flexing my fingers.
“It’s meant to be. Think of it as training wheels.” Professor Blackwood gave me a rare smile. “You wouldn’t give a child unlimited access to fire magic before they learned not to burn down the house.”
“I guess that makes sense.” I didn’t like it though.
“Don’t worry. It’s not forever.” She gestured to the granite paperweight on her desk. “After what you’ve shown me today, it won’t be long before?—”
A sudden sharp crack interrupted her, and we both watched as the stone shattered into several pieces. We stared at it for a long moment before I let out a long sigh.
“Fuck.”
Chapter 6
Silver
“Jackson,” I barked. “Will you put your cock back in your pants and get over here so I can go over the plays? I can’t concentrate with something that small wiggling around in the background.”
“It’s not small!” Jackson cried back, putting it on full display for the whole team to see. “It’s just in its sheath! I’m well above average!”
“Sure Jan,” I nodded. “Put your dick away and get over here.”
Jackson scowled but tucked himself away, zipping up his pants with an exaggerated huff. “You’re just jealous because my knot is bigger than your entire dick.”
“In your dreams, wolf boy,” I shot back, tapping my clipboard impatiently. “Now can we please focus? Coach is counting on me to get you idiots ready for the Moonhaven game, and I don’t want to fuck up my first meeting as captain.”
