Caelan finally answers, “That was Arel’s specific kind of magic. Can be useful when he’s not messing around.”
“I’m always useful, what are you talking about?” Arelgrins, turning his attention to me. “In case you haven’t figured it out, I can enchant objects, like the steps. I waited a few hours when I knew you would be nearing the top and enchanted them to descend.”
“Making it harder than it needed to be. Yeah, thanks.”
“When did you figure it out?” he asks curiously, resting his chin on his hands, staring disconcertingly at me.
“About three-quarters of the way up. I could see the peak, but it wasn’t getting any closer, and then my legs gave way.” Arel laughs under his breath. I jokingly punch him in the shoulder. “You’re an arsehole, you know?”
I scoff my food like I haven’t eaten for weeks, savouring each bite. Heat starts to come back to my body, but I remain wrapped in this warm blanket, unwilling to risk letting it go. I listen to everyone chatting about the farms, the food, and the preparation for winter. Caelan talks quietly to Ronan, their hushed tones too intriguing to ignore. I strain to overhear.
“It’s not like them to be hanging around the mountains at this time of year. They must be looking for something,” Ronan mutters to Caelan.
I lean forward, grabbing another roll of bread, glancing at them quickly. Ronan’s eyebrows are creased together, and Caelan rubs his beard, the same way he does when he’s thinking.Caelan catches my eye, and I jump out of my skin. Inadvertently knocking over my cup, spilling some ale down Arel’s leg, he groans, murmuring curses under his breath.
“You think he’s ready?” Caelan says to Ronan without taking his eyes off me.
Ronan swirls his ale before slowly taking a sip. In all the time I’ve spent with him during training, I suppose we’ve come to an understanding, but I firmly believe he would still kill me in my sleep.
“Weapons wise he’s great, I’ve never seen anyone pick it up like he has. Hand-to-hand, he has fought us all. He gives as good as he gets. I’d say he’s ready.” Kaleb claps his hands while Arel slaps me on the back.
“He hasn’t fought us all,” Iza pipes up. “He hasn’t fought me. What do you say, little cub, think you can beat a girl?” Everyone turns their attention to me, all my resolve gone in an instant as my throat goes dry.
Grimacing, I refill my cup, downing it in one.
Chapter Thirty-One
Andi
Myles was right, snow was definitely on its way. We were hit with a huge snowstorm a few days ago, which has since let up. Now we’re left with a thin sheet of ice that refuses to melt.
Lura’s compact house became even more constricted with the four of us stuck inside, crammed around the fireplace. I feel guilty for taking over Lura’s peace and hospitality, but with my arm almost healed, she won’t have to put up with us much longer.
Today is the first day I have been able to go without a bandage, since Lura spent our confined days using her powers to heal my arm faster. The skin is still raw, raised and slightly pink, but Lura assures me I won’t be left with too much of a scar. Though from what they have all described, I think I am lucky to still have an arm at all.
Bits and pieces have been coming back to me: guards showing up in Cyvail, the witch appearing in the woods, the Hundican chasing us, and its body melting in front of me. Little details are still fuzzy.
“Again,” Kali roars at me for the hundredth time.
All day I have been casting white fire balls at the wooden targets Myles crafted while I was unconscious. His way of blowing off steam was to launch daggers into the woods, or so I’ve been told.
Kali has resumed her post as my magic teacher, although now that she has seen the worst of my power, she is more determinedto help me with control. Lura would rather I didn’t accidentally burn down her house.
“Come on, Andi, you can do better than that.” She stands at my side with her hands resting on her hips, shaking her head with each attempt.
It’s become much easier to call the flames than before, like breathing, automatic. But my aim is still off. Nothing I have tried seems to work, and my toes are frozen from standing outside in the snow all day. Kali’s patience wears thinner by the minute.
Lura is sweet, in comparison to her sister. Taking a more loving, gentle approach. Too gentle and too loving sometimes.
When I first woke up, she was shy and withdrawn; she has since come out of her shell, a little at least. She still watches me closely, but then I am the first to survive a Hundican, maybe she half expects me to have some aftereffects.
She told me learning magic takes time, and if I had been able to use it as a child like they had, I would be an expert by now. Her repetitive mantra of ‘you need to relax, stress won’t help,’ is becoming maddening.Myles spotted some Zury guards roaming around on his last hunt. Therefore, suggesting that I need to calm down does nothing but have the opposite effect. The need to be able to protect myself and the others is too high. Being reminded hourly that stress is hindering me, isn’t helping, when all I have is ever-growing anxiety riddling my brain.
Neither Kali nor Lura has been able to help with the ‘other magic,’ except naming it: life and death magic. The death part scares me. Sucking the life out of someone is no easy feat, since it drains me, my energy slipping a little more each time.
Using life magic is easier, addictive. I’ve managed to resurrect vegetable plants and grow a few trees within the wards, bringing a little dash of spring to Lura’s cosy home in the dead of winter.
With another yelled instruction from Kali, I hold my arm out again, summoning my flames. White fire twirls around my arm,spinning down towards my hand. I focus on the target and push it out. Again, I hit the ground.
