The two adults stepped forward. The one with wavy, brown hair extended her hand in greeting, the other had thick raven hair pulled back in a collection of small braids with crystal beads woven through them and eyed me suspiciously.
“I’m Sonora. Korin warned me she had invited a friend; she was excited to have you join us this morning.” Her soft tone belied the quiet strength with which she held herself. She gestured to her raven companion. “This is Xuri. She and her students will be practicing their craft as well.” They both exchanged amused smiles.
“Thank you for allowing me to tag along. I couldn’t resist Miss Korin’s compelling invitation,” I offered.
Korin smiled in triumph at having coaxed me into joining her magic practice. After the introductions, we carved a path through the trees.
I peered over at Korin, “You never told me what kind of magic you have.”
She flashed a mischievous grin, “You’ll just have to see for yourself.”
We hiked through the brush for about twenty minutes, Korin skipping along, humming. She broke the silence. “What does Rue stand for anyway? Is that what your parents named you?” Her nose scrunched at the idea.
I chuckled at her directness. “It’s a nickname. Only my good friends call me that. Do you have a nickname?” I replied, winking at her.
“I have a few nicknames,” she responded before resuming her skipping.
We came to a clearing dotted with wildflowers. The rustle of grasses blended with the cawing of distant birds. Xuri gathered her two students and wandered further into the trees. Korin, Sonora, and I stood in the middle of a field—trees encircled us like eager spectators around our wildflower arena. I eyed them speculatively, wondering if a dryad observed us.
“Okay, Korin,” encouraged Sonora. “You can do this. Channel your power into moving everything in this clearing in a clockwise direction. Just like last time. Find the core of your magic and mold it to your will. Are you ready?”
Korin nodded, shutting her eyes tight. She slowed her breathing and I noted her aura calming. It shifted from an excited magenta to a softer lilac. Her head cocked to the side and all childishness vanished with her concentration. Her eyes jolted open and she narrowed them toward the trees in front of her.
Vibrations stole up my calves as the ground rumbled, pebbles quivering. Suddenly, the land rotated. The trees themselves didnot move, but the meadow we were standing in did, like some kind of possessed wagon wheel. My knees wobbled as a rasping yelp escaped me.
“You have land magic!” I sputtered.
Korin turned toward me, her face shining with elation. She waggled her eyebrows, reminding me she was just a child who was having fun. The thought of this girl wielding such a rare gift left me speechless. She was a wonder. A pang from somewhere old surfaced in my chest, the thought of what I could have been like had I been surrounded with loving, supportive adults knocked into my lungs. Who would I have been if I could have learned my magic without restraint or fear of punishment? I stuffed it away as quickly as it came.
Sonora broke in, “I am a Land Prime. I have expertise in rocks and other earth formations like mountains and canyons. I assist Korin in appropriately harnessing her power. She specializes in tectonics. But”—she sent a reproachful look toward Korin—“sometimes she overdoes it and faces the consequences.”
As if on cue, Korin wobbled, reaching out for Sonora. She dropped to her knees, leaning over to regain her balance. Sonora observed her.
“She doesn’t reabsorb after wielding like she should. It’s her biggest liability. Since her magic is tethered to earth, she will lose her own groundedness. She becomes disoriented, losing her balance; at her worst, she faints. It’s why I practice with her often. Land magic is very powerful and easily lost. She must draw it back into herself at much the same rate she expels it.”
She crouched down next to Korin, stroking her back and moving hair out of her face. She spoke low, soft words to her. I stilled, observing them anew. Sonora was an actual Prime. My mouth went dry. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.I didn’t try to siphon their conversation with my magic, giving them, and me, a moment to recalibrate.
Slowly, Korin stood up, a clammy sheen to her smooth skin. She surveyed the area, frowning. We had rotated, but not the direction she intended. The trees were still within eyesight. She huffed and decided to try again. This time I stepped closer, just in case her loss of magic overcame her.
“I’m gonna move the trees,” she mumbled with fervor.
Reminiscent of my experience in the Yaritian forest with Bex, the ground rumbled beneath me and tree roots writhed beneath the soil. Dust and debris kicked up from the forest floor. The gnarled observers glided and shifted around us. The movement persisted for several seconds. I couldn’t tell if the land was moving the trees, or the trees themselves had uprooted, fleeing as if suddenly alive.
“Use the earth to reabsorb Korin!” Sonora urged.
Korin inhaled deeply, closing her eyes once more. A few more seconds passed. When they reopened, she jumped in the air, fist pumping as she did so. A bark of laughter escaped me, celebration filling my bones. “Look what you did! That was amazing!”
The earth continued shaking, and her eyes widened. We all lost our balance as an earthquake rattled the ground. Sonora yelled something about plate tectonics and aftershocks. Korin fell into me. The sleeve of her shirt bunched up at the elbow, exposing her forearm. My eyes settled on a small tattoo. Of a red wolf.
My breath stalled in my chest. Iron fear sank heavy and absolute. My mind reeled.
It couldn’t be.
“Korin.” I willed my voice into calm curiosity. My heart pounded in my ears. My palms turned clammy. “That’s a unique tattoo you have.”
She glanced up. “I just got it.” She gestured toward the tattoo, “Some people call me the Crimson Wolf.” Her innocent eyes blinked up at me. “It’s one of my nicknames,” she added as an afterthought.
My stomach dropped. My ears rang in violent protest. Consuming dread filled the space where my previous elation leaked out.
