She took a bite out of the apple, and I chilled out. At least she was eating something. I was looking too far into it.
“Anyway, forget about all that,” Odette swooned. “I’ve beendyingto tell you. I auditioned for the lead in the Malovian Ballet’s rendition ofRomeo and Julietthis spring, and I got the part! I’m going to be playing Juliet!”
I squealed and gave her a hug. The Malovian Ballet was a prestigious company— I was thrilled she’d landed the lead. “Odette, that’s great! Who’s playing Romeo?”
“Theo,” Odette said automatically. “Companies usually put us together. The director said we have great chemistry.”
Well if that wasn’t a fucking coincidence. “That’s very romantic,” I said. “Do you think the production will bring you closer? Maybe inspire some late-night rendezvous behind the curtains after practice?”
“What, me and Theo?” Odette let out a skeptical laugh. “You’re so funny, Em. Theo and I aren’t that way. He’s not into me.”
I wasn’t sure if Odette was still in denial or that oblivious. Theo practically drooled over her every day of the week.
“But guess what!” Odette burst. “There’s someone whois.Do you remember Igor?”
“Is he the alicorn you danced with at the ball last year?” I asked, barely remembering him. Odette had mentioned his name in passing.
“Yep,” Odette said. “He works for the Malovian Ballet. He saw my audition and asked me on a date. We’re going out tonight. Isn’t that wonderful?”
My mouth dried up, but I forced out, “Great.”
I hesitated before I asked, “Does Theo know?”
“Yeah. He saw Igor ask me out,” Odette said. “Why does that matter?”
Lord Lucien entered the room, and I said, “Never mind.” I wasn’t getting through to her, and class was about to start. I didn’t have enough time to convince her now.
Theo had told me he’d bonded with Odette, but that she didn’t know yet. He was too chicken to confess, and wanted her to come to the realization on her own. I’d tried talking him out of it, but he was insistent he was doing the right thing, and begged me not to say anything to her.
Looked like Theo needed to hurry up and summon some courage. Otherwise, this Igor guy was going to steal Odette away.
I felt bad for my friends, but decided to stay out of it. As much as I wanted to help, I had major relationship issues of my own.
“I hope you’ll listen closely,” Lucien began as he came to the front of the room. “This will be on the final exam.”
Everyone in the room gave a collective groan. “Don’t be like that,” Lucien scolded. “This is crucial information for a fae to know. Please pay attention.”
Lucien turned to the chalkboard. He used his wolven telepathy magic to levitate a piece of chalk in the air. It began writing notes behind him as he spoke.
“Now, as you know, portals are magical transport systems fae create with illusion magic,” Lucien said. “More magical races than just Arcanea can make portals, though they are not as widespread in other societies due to their extreme difficulty. The primary function of portals is to get from one place to another quickly. However, since creating portals takes an exceptional amount of magical energy, most Arcanea prefer to use their wings instead to get from place to place.”
Lucien gestured to the chalkboard as the chalk began drawing a circular image on the board. “The more people you transport through a portal, the more difficult it is to sustain. Minor fae and shifters can create portals that are able to travel single people within a few blocks, or kilometers. Major sorceresses are strong enough to make portals that could take a group of people to another country on Earth entirely— though they’d most likely have to find a way back without magic.”
A kid named Nicoli raised his hand. “So... let’s just say you needed to move an army. Could you potentially make a portal big enough to march the army through, even one-by-one, so they wouldn’t waste energy traveling in other ways?”
That was a weird-ass question. Lucien frowned. “In theory, it is possible, but to create something powerful enough to transport thousands of warriors at once would take immense effort. Such a person would have to be considered a demigod of sorts to pull that kind of magic off without killing themselves. Too much magical energy exerted at once will always kill the caster, no questions asked.”
Nicoli seemed disappointed. The chalk changed direction, so it was working on a drawing of a forest instead of the circle. Lucien continued. “Portals can serve as more than a magical teleportation system. At their best, portals can be doorways into other places in the universe— locations that are not on Earth. Long ago, when the fae used to bewitch and abduct humans back to Edinmyre, we’d create faerie circles; spheres of mushrooms in the grass, which, if humans stepped in, they’d be transported back to our home world. These faerie circles were actually cleverly disguised portals made by sorceresses meant to lure and trap humans, especially young ones, though this practice has died out since we’ve been unable to reach Edinmyre. Only the most exceptionally powerful among us have the ability to create portals to other realms and dimensions. That is why ever since the portal to Edinmyre closed long ago, it has remained shut. So far, no fae on Earth has been powerful enough to open it again.”
Lucien strode to the middle of the room. “To create a portal, you must have utmost confidence. The process works by imagining yourself opening up a pocket in reality. You use that pocket to slip through space and come out on the other side. Envision yourself at the destination, and you are already there. Observe.”
Lucien weaved his hands. In the air before him appeared a spinning magic, almost like a firecracker whirling in mid-air. The firecracker spun and sputtered as Lucien opened his arms, and the portal widened, large enough for him to step through. Lucien walked into the portal, and as he did, he vanished.
A few surprised notes went throughout the classroom, until a similar portal opened up on the other side of the room. Lucien strode through, and there were a few impressed claps. Lucien nodded his head.
“Do portals work for time travel?” Nicoli wondered aloud. “Like, could you use it to change the past, or the future?”
Lucien shook his head. “Time travel is another matter entirely. No fae— or supernatural being, for that matter— has ever managed to perform it. Such mysteries lie with the Specter Doe of Shadow, Neva; the goddess of time.”
