“You didn’t say anything when you did it.” My dry mouth betrays me. He’ssoclose.
“I don’t need to. I’m incredibly talented.”
I glance up at his face and he grins. I almost buckle. Gods, that smirk is growing on me.
“So, um,encho kaveh,” I say.
Will hums, his hand resting under mine. “Kaveh,” he corrects me. “Likekah-vay,don’t add anrsound.”
“Encho kaveh.”
“Good. Now you have to focus, and you can’t just summon anything. You have to know exactly where it is and exactly where you want it to arrive. It’s easier if it’s closer or if the item belongs to you. Oh, and this is only for small items. You can’t summon something like…a bookshelf or a horse.”
“Where did you get the scissors from?”
“My mum’s workshop. She always keeps them on the same hook so it was easy to summon. Let’s hope she didn’t want to do any gardening this afternoon.” He chuckles and my stomach tightens. “Okay, try these scissors.” He holds them in his palm right next to mine. “Focus on where they are, where you want them to be, then say the spell.”
I do my best. I stare at the scissors until my eyes sting, but it’s hard to focus completely when Will’s hand is brushed up against mine and his soft chamomile scent has me enveloped.
“Encho kaveh,” I say.
Nothing happens.
I try twice more and yield the same results.
“Huh” is all Will says.
“It’s like…” I think it through. “I can’tfeelthe scissors. I can feel flowers. That magic comes naturally.”
Will presses his lips together in thought. “That’s interesting. Okay, new idea. Go chop off your branch and come back,” he suggests, and I nod despite how little I want to step away from him.
I hurry back to the hawthorn tree and cut off the branch with the most blossoms on. As always, I mentally thank the tree for its gift and pat the trunk. And what a gift it is, to allow me magic lessons with Willoh Vane. When I return, Will motions for the branch and plucks off one of the most open blossoms. He spins it between his fingers.
“You wanna try the spell with this?” he asks.
“Okay. Let me just put this away.”
I bat at his elbow so I can tuck the rest of the blossoms in theflower basket. The lid doesn’t shut properly and the branch sticks out but, whatever, it’ll do. I’m too eager to try the spell again to care.
Will magics the gardening scissors away, then holds the blossom in his open palm, and this time, when I roll my shoulders back and focus, when I envision the blossom inmypalm, there’s an energy in my spine like the buzz of a bee—something significant, something different, something made of sorcery.
“Encho kaveh,” I say, and with a zap of magic, the flower sits in my hand as if it’s been there all along. Oh my gods. I did it. I…Was it just luck?
“Congrats,” Will says, and starts to put his hand down.
“No, no, I want to do it again,” I say, and grab his palm. He laughs and lets me place the flower back. “Encho kaveh.Oh my gods. Oh my gods! I can do sorcery. I did it! Wait, one more time.”
Again, I summon the hawthorn blossom from Will’s hand to mine and the success of it is sweeter than honey wine. I’m wide-eyed and far too thrilled to contain my triumph.
“Did you see?” I ask, hopping on the spot. “That was incredible!”
With a laugh, I dance in the light breeze, pinching the blossom between my thumb and forefinger.
“Felicity Farrow, master of summoning flowers,” Will says with a grin.
“Shh, no sarcasm, this is amazing.”
“I wasn’t—”
