“Today we begin the first phase of your magical development,” she announced. “For some of you, this will feel natural. For others…” her gaze landed squarely on me, “less so.”
An itch poked between my shoulder blades, crawling under my skin. I glanced toward the viewing box, but torchlight glared off the glass, hiding whoever might be inside.
A chill wracked through me. Was someone watching again and, if so, would another weapon hurtle away from the wall and kill me this time?
But the way the skin at the back of my neck had gone hot told me a different story.
I’d bet anything Trew was up there. I didn’t need to see him to imagine his arms crossed on his chest, his mouth set in the unreadable line he wore when he was judging something and finding it wanting.
Before Nia could say anything else, teal-and-silver feathers flashed out of the corner of my eye. The minxpip flitted into the halland zipped over to hover in front of my face like a feral insect. With a quick dip of her beak, she landed on my shoulder, her tiny talons digging into my leather tunic.
She fixed me with a stare that was far too shrewd for a bundle of fluff, her head tilting the way Trew’s did when he was trying to decide if something, orsomeone, was worth his time. And just like with him, there was no missing the quiet demand in her gaze.
Prove yourself.
Maddox studied the minxpip before snorting, the sound sharp enough to make my teeth ache. My friends ignored him, but my ears burned. Compared to their beasts, the little bundle of dander on my shoulder must look absurd.
Strangely enough, I didn’t quite see her that way myself. Perhaps this was related to the bond. Or I was softening.
Nia’s expression didn’t change, but her voice lightened a fraction. “Bonding is not about size or appearance. It’s about connection. Speak to your companion with your mind. Share something true.”
True?
I couldn’t share much of anything with this minxpip. My secrets didn’t just guard my life, they guarded my purpose. I had to keep my walls up at all times.
Still, I tried. I sent a thread of thought toward the minxpip, including a few simple questions, images, even a warm welcome, but her only answer was a vague sense of irritation. Like a cat flicking its tail.
The minxpip’s annoyance needled me, but not as much as the thought that Trew might be up there, watching me flail. He didn’t have to reveal he was there for me to see the judgment on his face.
If the bird was anything like her king, she wasn’t going to make this easy. She’d wait until I gave more than I wanted to, until I let her in. If I didn’t, she’d keep her distance.
Nia circled around the room, encouraging one recruit after another, until she stopped at my side. She watched us for a long moment.
“You’re holding back, Isi,” she finally said. “Your companion can feel the walls you’ve built. Let them down.”
DidTrewwish I’d drop my walls as well?
I shook my head, focusing on Nia. “It’s not that simple.”
If I opened my mental door all the way, she’d see more than I could risk. Every truth and all the lies I’d been living since I sobbed over my broken sister’s body. The fact that I was an enemy in their midst.
Here, being known could be as dangerous as being caught.
“It never is,” she said. “But it’s necessary. Until you show complete honesty with your companion, your magic together will be inconsistent at best. Risky at worst.”
My throat tightened. Honesty wasn’t an option. Not with anyone here, not even this cute little bird.
I tried again anyway, forcing my mental door open a crack, enough to send the minxpip a wisp of something unique about me. The irritation faded, then flared hotter.
With a blur, the minxpip launched herself from my shoulder and zipped across the room, slipping through the narrow gap of the open doorway.
She didn’t only leave the room. She leftme.
My cheeks burned as I watched her vanish. If Trew had seen that, and fates, he probably had, I knew I’d find that knowing smirk on his face later, that I’d handed him another win in the push and pull game that continued between us.
Nia studied my face before patting my shoulder. “Give it time. Keep practicing loosening your mind, even when your companion isn’t with you. Then, when she is, open yourself up to her. It’ll feel effortless before you know it.” She gave me a stilted smile and turned toward someone else.
“Pair with your companions.” Her voice shot through the room as she lifted it, speaking to everyone at the same time. “Focus on aligning your breathing. Inhale together. Exhale together. Begin to feel that connection in your mind.”
