I looked down at the obsidian bands, remembering how they’d barely held against my magic last night. “And you think I’m ready for that?”
“I think you’re more than ready,” she said firmly. “Your power is remarkable, Mr. Vale. Possibly some of the strongest magic I’ve encountered in my tenure here at Widdershins Academy. But power without control is dangerous, as you’ve already experienced.”
She wasn’t wrong. I thought about the hole I’d punched in the wards, the way my shadows had exploded during the football game, how they’d filled Silver’s room last night until we could barely see.
“What exactly would this training involve?” I asked cautiously.
“Shadow walking, primarily,” Professor Blackwood replied. “It’s your most volatile ability and the one most likely to cause problems if left unchecked. We’ll start small—controlled jumps within protected spaces. Eventually, you’ll learn to walk between realms intentionally rather than accidentally.”
The idea both terrified and excited me. “When would we start?”
“Right now, if you’re willing.” She gestured to the silver bands. “We’ll swap out the bracers, and I’ll take you somewhere safe to practice outside the wards.”
I hesitated, my fingers moving to touch the obsidian. They’d been uncomfortable, restrictive, but they’d also been safe. Without them, what if I lost control again? What if I hurt someone?
“What about Silver?” I asked. “Will being apart from him make this harder?”
Professor Blackwood’s expression softened slightly. “You’ll need to learn to control the magic without him first. He’s a catalyst, not the source. So, let’s start with just us, it’ll be easier to control that way.”
I swallowed hard, knowing she was right even if I didn’t like it. The thought of being away from Silver made my chest ache in a way that felt almost physical, but when he was around, I couldn’t control anything. He was the gasoline to my fire. It would be safer for both of us without him there.
“Okay,” I said finally, extending my arms. “Let’s do this.”
Professor Blackwood moved with practiced efficiency, murmuring an incantation as she touched the obsidian bracers. They grew warm, then hot, before suddenly dissolving into black smoke that dissipated into the air. The moment they were gone, I felt my magic rush back like a dam breaking.
My shadows exploded outward, filling every corner of the office in an instant. I gasped at the intensity of it, at having my full power back after days of suppression. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, terrifying all at once.
“Breathe, Mr. Vale,” Professor Blackwood instructed calmly, seemingly unbothered by the darkness now consuming her office. “Feel your magic, acknowledge it, but don’t let it control you.”
I tried to focus on her words, on my breathing, but my shadows were everywhere at once. They crawled up the walls, wrapped around furniture, reached for the windows. I could feel every tendril like an extension of my own body, and it was too much information, too much sensation.
“I can’t—” I started, panic rising in my throat.
“Yes, you can,” she said firmly. “Your magic is yours, Ash. You are the source. Command it. Don’t ask, don’t beg. Command.”
I closed my eyes, trying to center myself the way she’d taught me in class. My magic wasn’t separate from me. It was me. An extension of my will, my emotions, my very being. I just had to remember that I was in charge.
“Come back,” I whispered, then stronger, “Come back to me.Now.”
The shadows hesitated, then slowly began to recede. They pulled back from the walls, released the furniture, gathered around my feet like obedient pets. It wasn’t perfect. They still writhed and twisted restlessly… but they were contained.
“Good,” Professor Blackwood praised, and I opened my eyes to see genuine approval on her face. “Very good. Now, let’s get these on you before we lose that control.”
She picked up the silver bands and fastened them around my wrists. They were surprisingly light compared to the bracers, almost delicate. The moment they clicked into place, I felt my magic... settle. Not disappear, not get locked away, but calm to a manageable simmer.
“How does that feel?” she asked.
I flexed my fingers experimentally, watching my shadows respond. They still moved, still swirled around my ankles, but in a way that felt natural rather than chaotic.
“Better,” I admitted. “Different, but better.”
“Excellent. Now then, shall we begin your first lesson in controlled shadow walking?” She moved toward the door, beckoning me to follow. “Come with me. There’s a small training area just beyond the academy wards that’ll be perfect for this.”
I stood, following her out of the office and down the corridor. My shadows trailed behind me like a living cloak, and I was acutely aware of every student who stepped aside as we passed. But it wasn’t long before we were out of the building, across campus, and standing at the edge of the wards.
“You have your student identification?” she said, glancing back at me. I nodded in reply. “Good. Keep it with you at all times. That’s how I’ll track you if this goes…differentlythan expected.”
We stepped through the academy wards together, the magic washing over me like ice. Any student could exit campus, but the ID card was required to get back through. And clearly there was even more magic in that little plastic card than I thought if I could be tracked with it.
