“Keep the illusion going, then direct it toward your friends,” Magdalina said. “See how many fae you can transfix at once.”
Moving the illusion was like having multiple boiling pots on the stove. I kept the illusion around Ethan, but I felt the magic on him weaken and become less strong as I moved it across the Hall of Wonders toward my friends.
I immediately felt resistance as I tried to cast the magic upon them, and it was uncomfortable. Each of their minds had their own barriers up, sustained by their magic.
“How do I break past their mental shields?” I asked, already gasping with the effort.
“You must wait for an opening,” Magdalina said. “A distraction, an invitation. Something that will draw their attention away, and give you an in.”
Magdalina conjured a battle orb, then tossed it at the stands my friends were sitting on. It exploded, and several of them had to dodge out of the way to avoid being hit by the sparks.
I felt their mental awareness weaken as they went to defend themselves, and used it as an opening to invade their minds with my magic. They froze as the image of my rose garden flooded their vision, eyes turning gray.
I felt sweat bead on my forehead and run down my face. My hands shook at the effort of sustaining the spell. Overpowering the minds of others was no easy task, especially multiple fae at once. I could see why no fae had ever mastered mind control. Overtaking someone’s mind and making them see things without casting the illusion into actual reality was difficult enough.
I was only able to hold the illusion for a few moments before I had to end the spell. I dropped to my knees, pain radiating through my body, and gave a cry of discomfort. Ethan started forward, but I waved him off. I was all right. Even so, I felt drained, as if I’d spent a night without any sleep.
“Very good,” Magdalina said, before she cracked her knuckles. “Now we will move on. Overpower my mind.”
“What?” My eyes widened— a couple of people gasped behind me.
“I did not stutter,” Magdalina said. “Break past my defenses, overwhelm my shield. Only then will I trust that you have the ability to do this kind of magic at a moment’s notice, in the heat of battle.”
She was the most powerful sorceress in the world. I didn’t think anyone hadeveroverpowered her mind. I wasn’t sure I had a chance, even as the Worldweaver. No one could match her power.
I hesitated too long, and Magdalina began throwing battle orbs at me. “Do what you must to stop me! Overwhelm my mind!”
I jumped out of the way of her battle orbs and summoned my illusion magic. I burst it outward in the direction of Magdalina with more force than I had ever mustered, ordering her mental walls to crumble under my command.
Magdalina’s mind was like a fortress. When I reached her consciousness, it burned like iron. I had to retreat from her mind to avoid damaging my magic. It physically hurt. I recoiled with a gasp, but Magdalina didn’t let up.
“Again!” She threw another battle orb at me. I tried once more to penetrate her mind, to no effect. I couldn’t even get a hold on it. Her power was so overwhelming, and I felt so small.
“I can’t do this,” I insisted. “I haven’t found an opening in your mind, even the smallest crack!”
“Youmustbe able to master this, Emmaline,” Lady Magdalina insisted. “It is not an option to fail!”
I didn’t understand why she was getting so angry, being so impatient. She shouldn’t be so upset I couldn’t overpower her mind on my first try.
“Again,” Magdalina barked. “Now!”
I gave a cry of pain as my magic reached out and grabbed onto Magdalina’s iron will. This time, I refused to let go. My magic became solid wisps of ice blue that connected Magdalina and I, much like the connection between me and Ethan. I saw it form, the whisps smoking as they struggled to hang on.
Magdalina’s immense power welled up in me, and backfired. The wisps were yanked to shreds, and I was blown back several feet. I slammed against the ground, my powers spent. I pushed myself to my hands and knees, which shook, then fell against the ground as they refused to support my weight.
Attempting to break into Magdalina’s mind… it nearly did me in.
“Enough of this,” Ethan snapped, and he stomped forward. He grabbed me by the arm and hauled me up from the ground. “She is exhausted!”
“I am trying to prepare her for what’s coming,” Magdalina hissed. “The day will come when I will not be able to protect her, and neither will you!”
“I am the king, and I say her training has ended for today,” Ethan growled. “She will rest for the remainder of the night.”
Lady Magdalina pursed her lips, but my body quivered in relief at Ethan’s command. I didn’t think I could attempt such a thing again. It would drain what magic I had left.
Magdalina snapped her fingers. “Finlay, come with me. You’re needed.”
Finlay scampered away from Amantha’s side and joined Magdalina like a little puppy dog. Magdalina and Finlay walked out of the room, and she shut the door behind her with athud.
