“Thank you so much, Mama. I really appreciate it, but we didn’t come for the photos,” Ava admitted.
Sophia sounded confused. “What can I help with?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened with Charlie in the hospital,” Ava said. “I can’t let Charlie— or anyone else— get into a situation like that again where he was poisoned and I couldn’t help. I need to be able to heal people whenever I have to. My Anichi powers still aren’t everything they could be. You’re the most advanced Spirit caster I know, so I need you to teach me what to do.”
I hated that this was weighing on her, because it wasn’t her fault that she’d struggled to heal me. It was the fucking Warden’s. He’d done everything he could to circumvent her powers, and she still saved my life. That alone showed how incredible she was.
Ava wasn’t as helpless as she thought she was. I suspected she knew that and that’s why she brought me along. She needed me to be a part of this lesson so that when she doubted herself, I could remind her how strong she was.
Sophia stood. “Of course I’ll help, honey. Let’s go outside. The terrace is lovely.”
We stepped through a sliding glass door attached to the kitchen. My Air magic swirled around the area, and I could feel that we’d stepped onto a terrace that was large and square. It was large enough to house a dragon. As members of the royal family, her parents were given a large suite at the top of one of the tallest towers. We walked along a brick path, and a small fountain trickled at the center of the terrace. I inhaled the sweet scent of potted flowers, and I felt the sway of small palm trees.
Eddie and Eldin remained several paces behind us. They didn’t want to crowd us, but they wanted to be close so they could react quickly to any threats. Oberi landed on top of a palm tree to watch over us. Sophia led us to a small table surrounded by chairs, and I took a seat.
“I want to know everything an Anichi like me can do,” Ava said.
“You’re most familiar with healing magic, but our capabilities go beyond healing,” Sophia explained. “Anichi meansspirit, so we have the ability to manipulate spirit energy. Spirit is an energy that is all around us— within our bodies, inside the Earth, and even in light particles. Everything has a spirit, and we as Anichi can harness that power. We can use it to heal, as well as influence light.”
“How do you use that practically in times of war?” I wondered. Ava had heard a lot of this from her mother before, but I didn’t know a lot about Anichi magic, and I wanted to know more.
“Anichi can emit light from their hands to guide a dark path ahead, and they can bend light waves around themselves to turn themselves invisible,” Sophia said.
My eyebrows shot up. “Invisibility? That’s incredible.”
“It’s a complicated technique only the most advanced Anichi can do,” Sophia replied. “It requires a deep desire to disappear to master.”
Ava snorted. “That’s the exact opposite of me. I want everyone to notice me when I enter the room. What can I say? I was born to be a royal.”
“I still think you could do it, with practice,” Sophia said. “You may find it useful one day.”
“I want to try,” Ava requested. “If I’m invisible, the Warden won’t know I’m coming.”
“Okay. Let’s give it a shot,” Sophia replied. “Picture wrapping light around your body, forming the molecules to your form?—”
“Hey, I think I’ve got it!” Ava cried.
I obviously couldn’t notice a difference, but Oberi said,Ava’s completely disappeared. I can’t see her anymore, and I can’t see her chair, either. She wrapped her Spirit magic around herself and is completely unable to be seen by the naked eye.
Sophia sounded concerned. “Ava… that’s incredible. It took me some time to learn invisibility magic properly.”
“Well, I just accomplished it in seconds,” Ava said proudly. I heard awhooshingnoise beside me as she reappeared. “What else can I do?”
“You can use shields,” Sophia listed off. “That’s one of an Anichi’s most important abilities.”
“I’ve done that,” Ava said. “I used a shield in the forest when the other demigods came for us, before Eddie portaled us to Ilamanthe. Now that I know how to do it, it’s pretty easy, because I just want to protect my friends.”
“You must realize that Anichi magic has duality, just like any magic,” Sophia explained. “We can use it to protect and heal, but we can also use it to destroy and kill.”
I felt a thrill go through Ava at the idea. She’d use any tools at her disposal to take down the Warden, and so would I. I couldn’t be sure if Sophia noticed Ava’s reaction, but she must've, because she was quick to add a warning.
“You must be certain with your intent before you cast a spell,” Sophia pressed. “What we’re able to do is not something to take lightly. Peoplewilldie, and that’s a decision we can never take back.”
I didn’t think Sophiaregrettedwhat she’d done during the Hawkei Civil War, but there was definitely a darkness to her warning that said she wasn’t proud. She’d done what she had to in order to save her people, but she hadn’t won the HawkeiCivil War unscathed. It’d left deep scars I wasn’t sure I could comprehend.
“You can trust me, Mama. I know where to put my energy,” Ava told her mother.
She was careful with her words, but I felt the meaning crystal clear. She’d already weighed who would die by her hand. She just had to decide the best way to take them out.
