Chapter 30
After dressing and grabbing a quick bite to eat, I rush onto the grounds, eager to see who awaits me outside. I round the edge of the house and pause in my tracks when I see Larkin, Maines, and Oak standing near the cliff.
This can’t be good.
The sun sits high in the sky, gracing us with a bit of warmth.
The fresh air feels light, and the day is becoming beautiful compared to the gloomy days we’ve experienced so far in Andorwood.
I look behind me and glimpse the city limits.
The kingdom seems to have a veil hanging over it, with dark clouds swirling only around the center.
I can now understand why Silas moved away from the city; the air feels cleaner and more appealing out here, away from the castle.
Maines waves as I approach, and Oak has a broad grin on his face that instantly indicates I’m in for something I won’t enjoy.
Larkin stands with his back to the others and looks out over the sea.
Being head of the ocean operations for Andorwood, it’s no surprise that he always has an eye on the sea.
Silas mentioned once that he spends a lot of time on this cliff, as it’s a great vantage point for incoming ships.
“Good morning, Dusk Wielder,” Oak snarks. “So happy you could join us today.”
I roll my eyes. “What is this about?”
Larkin turns to face us, and my stomach drops at the sight of him. He looks worried, and my senses immediately perk up. He brushes off the concern and quickly shifts his expression to a casual calm as soon as he realizes I'm watching.
“Hey,” he says, joining in with Oak. “Good morning.”
I continue forward and am met with a tight embrace from Maines.
“This was Silas’s idea,” she encourages. “Oak is so excited, though.”
“Excited about what?” I ask.
Larkin claps his hands together to get our attention and walks to the center of the drawn circle. “So, Briar is going to show us her Lumor magic this morning.”
“I’m what?” I respond in shock.
“I’m so fucking excited,” Oak says.
Larkin clears his throat.
“With what sails toward Andorwood, if we can improve your abilities further, we have a chance to send these bastards back to where they came from,” Larkin says.
“This will also benefit us in future battles. Even though I don’t think it’s wise to use much of our magic right now, Silas insisted we train. ”
“And we do what Silas says,” Oak laughs. “I also enjoy imagining Nolan and Calia’s faces when they see what you can do.”
Larkin huffs a laugh. “Oak and I are going to assist with the Lumor side of things, and Maines is here to fight you.”
“Again, what?” I snap.
She laughs, “I’m not going to fight you. They have asked me to simply throw some magic your way for you to deflect. Plus, I believe this will be a wonderful stress reliever for you.” Maines leans in closer. “I honestly think they have me here in case one of you gets hurt.”
“She’s not wrong,” Larkin says.
“I don’t even know how to do this. It was completely accidental both times.”
“We thought you might say that,” Oak adds. “Elements and emotion fuel our natural tap of magic. We have both of those with us right now. The earth is our element, and Larkin is here for the emotion. We know he’s good at pissing you off.”
“Happy to help,” Larkin snarks, returning to prep a few things within the training circle.
Hearing Calia and Nolan’s names evokes a memory: her hateful face deep within Daramveer’s castle, taunting and tormenting me as she tried to resurrect Carobon.
I don’t think it would have changed the outcome, but being more powerful would never be a bad thing.
I don’t know how, but we need to learn more to stop the Great Wiitch when we return to the mainland.
Each day that passes increases my fear of what’s changed there.
The potential for destruction and devastation sends me into a panic.
I break my blank stare and walk toward the edge of the cliff, and Larkin attempts to stop me.
“Give her a second,” Maines snaps.
The slapping waves below fill my ears, and I close my eyes, letting the strong breeze rush around my body.
Rohhit, tell me you are okay, I say in my mind.
Silence.
Rohhit, please. If you are there, speak to me.
I’m met with nothing, and a wave of dread crashes against me like the waves below.
The longer we wait, the more I fear Rohhit will be pulled away from his physical body.
I need to do whatever it takes to be as strong as possible.
If mastering this magic gets me one step closer to destroying Carobon, I’ll do whatever it takes to do that while protecting those around me.
“Alright,” I say determinedly, as I turn around. “Where do we start?”
“Fuck yeah.” Oak smiles. “We’re going to start with the basics.”
“Fine.”
“Come into the circle. We’ve charged several crystals placed around the edge. I want you to focus all your energy on the elements surrounding you.” Oak points into the dirt, drawing on the ground.
“I know how to do basic magic, Oak,” I reply.
“As far as we are concerned, you are starting from the beginning, so no, you don’t know how to do basic Lumor magic,” he responds, and I narrow my eyes at him.
Larkin steps forward. “Your Lumor ability is weak, Briar. We’re going to have to build it from the ground up. You can call your shadows at any given time, but not your light. You have to figure out how to pull that from within.”
“Okay, then. What do I do?” I ask.
“Allow your instincts to guide you. Push aside your shadows and focus on the light. You need to feel calm and confident. Try to lessen the darkness of your shadows, and in a little bit, we’ll move on to incorporating emotion.”
I close my eyes and widen my stance, feeling lost and embarrassed.
The wind around me seems to pick up, and I let the glow of the sun warm my face.
I place both palms outward at my side and focus on my breathing.
Steady breaths expand my lungs. The world around me goes quiet, and the crashing waves become a muffled noise in the background.
I delve into my own mind, feeling myself travel farther and farther.
With each passing second, I go further into the depths of the darkness.
Focus, Briar. Lessen your shadows.
An image of my mother comes into my mind.
Her smiling face pains my chest. Her long, flowing hair blows in the wind before me, and her eyes dazzle in the sun.
I don’t open my eyes, but I want to in hopes that she is truly standing before me.
Without thinking, I reach my hand forward, trying to get closer to her.
A pained expression moves across her face, and she snaps her head behind her. My mother’s shadowy figure behind me fades, and I feel the darkness begin to creep up inside of me.
Bury it.
Focus on her. Focus on your mother.
But her beautiful silhouette vanishes, replaced by a haunting image of a large figure before me.
I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter.
“Briar, shadows are coming forward. Try to focus on the breeze, the warmth of the sun, and the grass under your feet.” I hear Larkin coaching from beside me. “Look for light.”
I move my feet, pushing them deeper into the soft ground, but the figure draws nearer, as if something in the distance is trying to reach me.
I feel the darkness beginning to tingle around my fingertips.
With each passing second, the figure inches nearer.
Fear floods me, and I sense myself losing control.
No. No.
Open your eyes.
I attempt to crack them open, but they remain shut.
“Briar,” I hear Larkin call. “You’re going the wrong way. Your shadows are taking over.”
I feel the wind shift, and my hair starts to whip around my face. My chest begins to rise and fall quickly as the figure comes into focus. A haunting smile glimmers in the darkness, and a face swiftly comes into view.
Kalix.
Her haunting face isn’t hidden this time, hoping to fool me and pull me closer. Her true form is now entirely on display. Black hair clings to her face, and a desperate look paints it. She reaches for me, her hands now replaced by the claws of a creature of darkness.
“Back so soon?” she hisses.
Fear consumes me as I watch her approach. I’m frozen, unable to pull myself away from her gaze. She hoped this would happen, waiting for the chance for me to dive deep without direction. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing escapes my throat.
I won’t be trapped again.
Light. I need light.
I slowly push away the fear and whisper light, repeating it over and over in an attempt to fool myself into believing that I can do this.
Her expression shifts to one of confusion, and I feel the mist of shadows swirling around my hands quickly transform into small bursts of light, but it’s not enough.
My Lumor Wielding is too weak to challenge her.
I hear Maines’s muffled voice say, “Briar, open your eyes.”
The image of Kalix still exists in my mind. She continues to move forward, reaching for me.
“Open your eyes,” Larkin shouts. “Now.”
I feel a surge of magic zap into my body, sending a shockwave through my limbs.
For a moment, I believe it was my own doing, pain I’ve caused myself—or possibly a claw from Kalix finally ripping into me—but my body instantly flies backward, away from the talon reaching for me. Tingles rush through my system, and I land on my back with a thud outside the charged circle.
My eyes snap open, and the sunlight sears them.
I look within the circle, and Maines stands there with her hand over her mouth.
Oak bears a shocked expression, and Larkin’s large frame towers over me, already by my side.
His eyes are filled with concern, and his palms hang limply at his sides.
Pain travels through my back, and I reach behind me, feeling a tiny wet spot on my shirt.
I move my hand in front of me to look and see blood coating my fingertips.