Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
“Sebastian came to see me the other night,” I told Pia.
We sat on a quilt in the sand during our break before wielding class. We’d both been so busy with homework that I hadn't seen her since Sawyer used me as an example.
A giant smirk crawled across her face. “Oh really?” she teased with a wink.
I stuck my tongue out and shook my head. “He actually came to apologize.” I filled her in on the details of the conversation.
“See, I told you to give him a chance,” Pia chimed.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” My eyes locked on a tiny crab, scurrying along the edge of the water, fighting to keep from being swept away into the depths of the ocean.
“What do you think he meant when he said that he's never had a say about anything in his life?” I pried, figuring she would know considering she’s his cousin.
Pia went rigid.
“What?” I asked. “Sore subject?”
She looked around the beach to make sure no one was within earshot of us. “My uncle has not been the most outstanding father to Seb,” she whispered. “I'm sure you know that my aunt Cicily—Seb’s mother—was killed during the war against Draemor.”
I nodded. Everyone knew about Queen Cicily's tragic end. Her funeral had been kingdom wide. According to my mother, the queen was as pure as they come, which really made me question why she married such a prick.
Pia lowered her voice to less than a whisper. “She was beheaded right in front of Sebastian. He was only about five-years-old at the time, but it was so traumatic that he remembers every detail of it.”
My lips parted in shock as my shoulders shuddered. The pain from witnessing an act so gruesome was unimaginable at any age, let alone five. Even worse when it was your own mother.
Pia continued, “In regard to Sawyer, I'm not sure if you know this, but he and Sebastian have been friends ever since they were children.
Sawyer's father has been the Duke of Caelestis for years. He is a non-royal, of course, but my uncle and his friendship was strong enough to grant him the title.” She paused briefly to make sure I was following.
“After Cicily passed, my uncle made Seb a part of things that a child should never be a part of. I’ll spare you the details on that though—I already overshared.
But Sawyer knows about all of it… he's seen a lot of it.”
My eyes rolled at the mention of Sawyer's name. I had only seen him once in passing since our altercation. His eye had been swollen and purple, and though I doubted it, I wondered if Sebastian had something to do with the injury.
I glanced back at the crab who was losing its battle with the waves. “That's sickening,” was all I could say. I didn't have the right words.
“Sawyer is one of the few besides myself and Kohen that know details about Sebastian's past. Which is why they are so protective when it comes to him,” Pia disclosed.
“That explains Sawyer’s attack on me.”
Pia nodded. “I would bet my magic on it.”
“Can I ask another question?” I waited for her approval before continuing. “King Hawthorne said something about how he killed the King and Queen of Draemor…why?”
“He executed them both the year after my aunt Cicily was killed. Beaumont was the Crown Prince at the time—only twenty-one-years-old and freshly gifted when he murdered my aunt. My uncle decided that the best revenge would be to kill his parents and make him watch.” She dropped her gaze to the sand.
“Should have killed Beaumont in my opinion.
To be honest, I don't know how Uncle Aldous lives with the fact that the person who murdered his wife is still breathing. I sometimes wonder if he even truly loved her.”
I wanted to ask more, but Pia’s head jumped up, staring down the beach. I turned and followed her gaze to see Sebastian walking towards us.
“Please don't tell anyone that I told you any of this,” she begged, her nervousness blatantly obvious as she picked at the sand on her shins.
We stood, and my pulse quickened as he strode towards us, so fluent in the way he walked. His dark hair blew from the ocean breeze, and the vibrant sky joined with the blue in his eyes, amplifying their beauty.
“You two are going to be late for your wielding sessions,” Sebastian said as he approached us.
I stared at him intently. He didn't seem like a man who was followed by darkness, but I knew better than anyone that sometimes it was necessary to hide your truth from the world.
Sadness bombarded me. Maybe he and I were more similar than I had thought.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” He raised an eyebrow at me, and I realized that my mouth had dropped into a frown.
My brain somehow managed to create an excuse without hesitating. “I was just thinking about how sad it must be to have nothing else to do besides follow me around all day to inform me of the time,” I joked, trying to hide any indication that Pia just spilled some of his deepest secrets to me.
His lips curved up and he gave the sarcasm right back to me. “You know, it is quite sad.” He took a step towards me, putting his body within inches of mine. His head dipped down so he could speak more directly at me—our height difference made that difficult.
“What's even sadder though, will be you when Stoll throws you out of class for being late,” he taunted, a mischievous expression taking up residency on his face.
My jaw went slack. Without breaking our eye contact, I reached behind me and grabbed Pia’s arm, dragging her across the sand in a hurry.
We made it to Professor Stoll’s class without a second to spare. I suppose having Sebastian looking after me did have its perks.
Pia and I were the last two to arrive, so she plopped herself into a desk at the front of the classroom and I made my way to the last empty spot in the back. I slouched into my chair, tossing my rucksack down by my feet.
“Ladies,” Professor Stoll addressed us. “Nice of you to decide to join us.”
A few students snickered under their breath. I ignored them, crossing my arms over my chest.
Stoll walked around to the front of his desk, pushing himself up to sit on top of it. “I imagine you have all been practicing wielding outside of class, and I would like you to continue doing so.”
I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I had been trying to wield, but when you had no implication of the type of magic you should be wielding, it was extremely difficult. I questioned if the constellastones marking my skin were really a gift at all. So far they had deemed themselves useless.
Pia had tried helping me. She explained how you could feel the magic tingling in your skin. From there, you should be able to use the depths of your mind and soul to harness the magic. She explained it like an expert, but it made no sense to me.
Stoll’s voice carried through the room. “Today we will discuss the topic of mental shields. Not always, but there will be times where you may be able to block out magic that someone harnesses against you. If your shields are strong enough, you can stop someone from wielding their own powers against you.” He slid off his desk and began to pace up and down the classroom.
“It's a very complex use of power. But once you have mastered it, you will be grateful that you have.” He stopped when he reached my desk, making eye contact with me for a moment before whirling on his heel and marching back to the front of the room.
“Choose a partner, and I will teach you how to apply the power of these shields to your mind.”
Everyone jumped out of their desks. Pia rushed to my side, claiming me as hers.
“Are you sure you don't want to work with someone else? I can't even wield yet. It's going to be a pretty one-sided lesson for you if you work with me,” I explained in a whisper.
“Just because you can't wield your magic yet doesn't mean that you can't block someone else's,” she argued.
“I know, but—”
“We are working together. Shut up.”
We followed Professor Stoll out of the classroom and on to the academy grounds.
He had decided to keep wielding lessons outdoors until we all get a better handle on our power.
Last week, the first death of the year occurred.
A student from another class had lost control of their fire magic, burning their partner down to the bone.
I recognized the student as someone in my row during the Jewel-Light ceremony. Anora, her name was. Her body was sent home to her village, Ferolla, where she would be buried.
“Stand across from your partner, about a foot away. Decide which one of you attempt your shield first. The other will harness some of their power against you,” Professor Stoll instructed.
“Well I have no magic for you to block, so I guess I’ll try to shield yours?” I asked Pia for confirmation, not that it was needed.
“Wielders, please inform your partner on what magic you plan on performing. Shielders, knowing what you’ll need to block can help simplify things,” Stoll announced as he circled around our groups.
“In battle, your opponent obviously will not tell you what magic they plan to use against you. But for the sake of this lesson, the knowledge will help you be successful.”
Pia turned her attention to me. “Okay, I'm thinking that I'll try to use my healing powers on the cut on your face. I know I couldn't fully heal it the other night, but maybe now that it's closing up on its own I can finish the job,” she suggested.
I agreed. If I could block her magic—great. If I couldn't—at least my face would be healed.
“Now shielders, I want you to close your eyes and focus the depths of your mind on something that makes you feel relaxed. It's important to fully clear your mind when you are blocking out magic.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. This would be easy for me.
I had been practicing techniques to help relax my body and mind since a young age.
My brain drifted into thoughts of the ocean.
The feeling of saltwater drenching my skin when in the depths of the sea.
The sounds of waves colliding with the shore.
The smell of salt and sand coating the air.
I fully submerged myself in my imagination, so much so that I almost believed I was really there.
“Wielders, place your hands on top of your partners and prepare to use your chosen magic on them.”
I sensed Pia’s palms on top of mine, but I was so absorbed in my thoughts that her hands felt foreign against my skin.
“This last step is the most important. Listen up, shielders.” Stoll’s voice echoed throughout my mind, though it sounded so far away.
“As the wielders try to use their magic, I want you to imagine yourself stopping them.
Visualize your body physically blocking the magic from reaching you.
It sometimes can help if you imagine yourself speaking to the magic, telling it that you are not allowing it to enter your body.
When you're both ready, you may attempt this.”
Pia palpitated my hands gently. “Are you ready?” she whispered, as to not disturb my inner peace.
I nodded softly, not taking my mind out of its current state of relaxation. I heard her release a breath and felt her adjust her stance as she prepared to try and mend my face.
I centered myself in my mind, visualizing myself mentally speaking to Pia’s magic.
Do not heal me.
I imagined the horizon above the shoreline back home—dripping with orange rays of sunlight.
Do not heal me.
Waves rolled over my toes, washing away the sand that covered them.
Do not heal me.
I was so immersed in the experience that I couldn't be sure if I was even doing what I was supposed to. My cheek tickled, but I couldn't sense any alleviation of the gash on my face. Did Pia even try to use her magic yet?
Do not heal me.
I imagined myself blocking out her powers, while keeping my soul tranquil.
Do not heal me.
I thought the phrase to myself again and again.
Do not heal me.
Do not heal me.
“Do not heal me.”
A bolt of lightning struck through my veins. The electricity singed my nerve endings and my skin prickled, making the hairs on my arms stand up. My entire body shook as the sensation took over, but I didn't falter from my false reality. I was still on the shore, although it appeared different now.
Hands grasped my shoulders, vigorously shaking me. I snapped my eyes open to see dozens of others staring at me, completely mesmerized.
My spatial awareness returned, and Professor Stoll released me. I locked onto Pia, who gawked at me, her eyes fully dilated. Stoll moved to stand next to her and stared at me with a very similar expression.
I raised an eyebrow. “Did I do it?” I touched my fingers to my cheek bone, running them over my constellastones and the injury that still very much hurt.
No one answered me.
“Did you even try to heal me yet?” I directed that question to just Pia.
She clenched her jaw shut and gulped, then shook her head.
I frowned. If I failed at using my mental shield, then why was everyone looking at me like I wore nothing but my undergarments?
Throwing my arms up in confusion, I glanced between the two of them. “So then what's going on?”
Professor Stoll softened the shock on his face. “I believe, Miss Willawood,” he lowered his voice so that my classmates wouldn't hear, “that we just solved the mystery of your gift.”