by Jessa Ford
✽✽✽
In the following weeks, Xave and Cora met nightly to practice learning the extent of her skills. Many times, he was silently amazed by how quickly she continued to harness control over her gift. “Is it usually like this?” Cora asked while they worked on moving around objects he’d placed strategically through his small sitting room. “I don’t know. I’ve never trained anyone else.” She stopped in front of him briefly. “What was it like for you?” Before he could answer she was on the other side of the room. “I don’t completely remember, to be honest.” “What?” She appeared in front of him again, “How is that possible?” “Well,” Xave walked toward the table to sit, “I’ve been using my gift since I was young. My mother noticed it and began teaching me the importance of understanding and controlling it. But it was always secret.”
Cora sat wide-eyed. “But your Reading…” she began. “Yes, that,” Xave smirked, “there are ways of working around that.” Cora scoffed. “Maybe yours was different, but it seemed pretty closely monitored to me.” Xave leaned back in his chair and thought back to his own Reading. He decided to recount the story to Cora. The more she trusted him, after all, the more she would be willing to push herself in her training.
“I lived in Arvendry with my mother for a portion of my childhood. After a few years of school, she asked that I come live with family in Telgria. Even though Nikol Delmarno was gone, Time Benders were still scarce. People had only just begun sending their children they suspected of having magical gifts to Readings in Telgria. My mother, ever the pessimist, made me promise her I would keep my gift a secret. When it came time for my Reading, she was prepared. She had devised a way I could use her blood and pass as non-magical.” “How can that be? I’ve heard of non-magical children of magical parents trying to pass as magical, but never the opposite.”
“She’s quite clever, my mother,” he smiled as he paused for a moment and then continued. “Everyone knows they prick your finger to draw blood for the blood test. My mother determined if she mixed part of her blood with mine it would confuse the Reading and there wouldn't be enough magic to pass for a magical gift. A few weeks before my Reading I went to see her and she took a small sample of my blood. I returned the day before my Reading and she gave me a small vial. It was small enough to fit on the tip of my finger, but would puncture easily enough for the blood test. She had crafted it to look like the skin on my finger and showed me how to secure it to keep it from slipping. As promised, her blood didn't mix well with magical blood and it didn’t show.” “But your birth file,” Cora started. “I wasn’t born in Telgria, so I had no file,” Xave shrugged. “Of course. So, you went to the Starbury Academy and continued studying your gift in secret?” Her interest was piqued. Xave, it seemed, was much more than his off-putting exterior suggested.
She watched Xave’s face soften as he told his story. His shoulders looked relaxed and not as tense as they usually did. It was almost as if he enjoyed talking to her. “I did. It just so happened I spent time in the library as well; enough time for Dari to take notice.” “Like me?” Cora was sitting up on her knees, leaning forward. “Unfortunately, no. I suspect your talent for reading is a result of your magic trying to break through in subtle ways. I was already using mine, so I was just a normal student.” Cora sat contemplating what she’d learned. “So, then Dari began teaching you?” “She did. Through my two years of school she helped me learn to fully control my gift and test its limits. After I graduated she hired me so that I might still learn from her and stay hidden. It was around that time we began to look into the disappearances. She had suspected it for some time, but had no way to prove anything.” “Have you found proof then?” Cora felt her stomach drop at the mention of disappearances.
“Yes and no,” Xave lowered his voice, “I can prove they’ve all disappeared. Their names appear on school lists and Telgrian Registers prior to their entrance into the School of Magic. After, though, there is no public record of them. Their houses bare no signs of them, and often family members have no knowledge of their existence. What other explanation could there be?” Cora gasped, “Their families don’t remember them?” Her heart ached at the thought of her parents losing their memories of her. “How is that possible?”
“Thought Seekers,” Xave responded curtly. “They can erase memories?” “We think they can. The laws are very specific regarding what they can and cannot do with their magic, but anyone working outside the laws can push their magic to its limits. Thought manipulation isn’t so far from erasure.” “And you really think Nikol Delmarno is behind this? Again?” “It’s the same as last time, but secretive. Dari explained that in the past he sought to harness Time Benders’ magic. I imagine he is returning to finish the job he left behind twenty years ago. I think he finally learned how to do it, so he’s searching for a Time Bender with enough magic to make it work.” Cora nodded in agreement. She began to truly understand how dangerous her magic was, and she did not feel at ease for the rest of the night.
✽✽✽
Cora and Xave trained later and later each night. Somtimes she didn't arrive back to her room until just before the sun rose. He was pleased with the progress she had made during each training session. Eventually she had graduated from Xave’s small home to the library. She found it was surprisingly easy to control time in the larger space. If she allowed herself to admit it, Xave was a very good teacher, even if he rarely shed his stoic exterior. Unlike her first weeks working in the library, he was patient and understanding when she was unable to grasp a concept. If she was frustrated he broke it down and explained it in new ways. On rare occasions, they even laughed at some of the tricks they played on students.
“You’re going to replace all of those students’ books with completely different ones,” Xave pointed toward a loud group of first year students at a table while they were working one afternoon. “Easy enough,” she turned to leave, but he stopped her with a click of his tongue. “Then, when they all seem thoroughly confused, you’re going to slow time and replace the new books with their original books.” Cora gave Xave a thumbs up and did as she was told. She quickly gathered seven new books, one for each student, and left them on the ledge at the end of the aisle. Then, she closed her eyes and concentrated on slowing time. Each time she used more magic, she felt reverberations throughout her whole body. She could feel the magic buzzing in her blood, itching to be used. It was almost like a drug; she yearned to use her magic again as soon as she released her control over time.
Expertly, Cora removed each book from the students and gave them their new reading material, careful not to change or disturb anything else. Then, she arrived at Xave’s side and released the hold she had on the area. Xave and Cora stayed hidden and watched as the students looked down at their books and at each other, confusion clouding everyone’s face. Instantly, Cora repeated her actions and arrived back at Xave’s side a second time. One student stood up and exclaimed, “I swear, I was not holding this book a second ago!” It set them all off. Xave and Cora laughed as they snuck back deeper in to the library, away from the commotion. They shared friendly conversation for the rest of the afternoon.
After leaving the library, Cora nearly collided with Soph on her way back to her room. “Well, well, if isn’t the elusive Cora Vaunderly,” Soph ran to give her friend a hug. “Where have you been?” Cora instantly felt guilty. She knew she’d been putting all her free time into training with Xave. She realized she hadn’t even thought of her friend over the past few weeks. Her mind was so full of everything she’d learned about her new reality that she almost shut out anything else. “I’m so sorry, I’ve been covering extra shifts in the library for Xave,” Cora offered an apologetic look. “Oh, I see,” Soph winked, “so he isn’t as terrible as you thought?” “No, actually, he’s,” Cora paused and forced herself to sound less cheery, “he’s still insufferable, but since he’s been out so much lately it’s kind of nice not having him barking orders at me all night. I don’
t mind working alone.” Soph simply eyed her friend and nodded. “If you say so.”
They walked toward the student living quarters as Soph caught Cora up on all the social news of the past few weeks. Students were buzzing about the Mid-Season Festival, which Cora was delighted to be able to skip. Soph wasn’t sure who she would go with, but she enjoyed the politics of it all. Cora was suddenly so relieved with the normalcy of the conversation that she kicked herself for ignoring Soph for so long. She wished she could tell Soph what was really going on. Away from Xave and Dari, it almost seemed like a dream.
THIRTEEN
One particularly cold evening when Cora arrived at Xave’s home he was waiting for her at the door, his coat in hand. “We’re going out,” he exclaimed, closing his door before Cora could take another step forward. She was both surprised and excited. Truth be told, she was growing tired of practicing the same skills over and over in the small space of Xave’s sitting room every night, or tricking unsuspecting students in the library. The street lights began to turn on as they made their way down the quiet street. Xave turned up the collar on his coat and walked briskly with his head down. “Hey!” Cora rushed to catch up with him, “Hold on!” He looked back and grinned, “I guess you’ll have to find a way to keep up.” And with that he was gone.
Cora’s instincts took over. She pictured everything surrounding her and began to anticipate how the people, animals, and structures moved within the space. It allowed her to maneuver with ease around objects and predict patterns in movement. She had no idea how fast she was moving or if she could even be seen, but then she caught sight of jet-black hair turning a corner toward a grove of trees. She arrived a few seconds later, hands on her hips, and a look of pride on her face. “Not bad,” Xave continued moving into the forest. “Where are we going?” Cora followed him tenuously. “Real world application.” He darted between some trees again.
The further they walked, the denser the trees became. “Is vegetation a threat, too?” Cora struggled to keep up, as her trainer continued to zig zag through the foliage. “It has nothing to do with trees,” he stopped suddenly. “It’s about your ability to predict movement. In daylight in the city, you have much clearer vision. You can easily imagine how things interact and move within the space around you. You’re familiar with the space, so it saves you time. In the dark your vision is limited. Someone, in this case me, can move amongst the trees unseen and threaten your safety. You need to learn to use your other senses, touch, taste, smell, hearing, in addition to sight to truly make the best use of your magic. You have to stay ahead of any threats while simultaneously keeping track of them.”
“And how do you suggest I do that?” Cora stood looking at the dark shadows which hung above and around her. It seemed impossible. “Trial and error,” Xave smirked. Cora held her tongue. She knew based on the look on his face she was not going to like what he had planned. “You need to find me before I find you. You know I’ll be out here, so imagine I’m a threat. Imagine I’m Nikol Delmarno if you need to.” And with that, he disappeared leaving her alone in the dark with no further hints or explanations.
Cora stood contemplating what to do. She moved hesittantly through the trees, reaching out here and there with her magic. After spending what she thought was too much time searching for Xave while her eyes adjusted to the dark and the unfamiliar environment, Cora finally made out his tall shape a few yards from her. He twitched slightly and it stuck out from the nearly stone-still movement of everything else. Ironically, Time Benders were their own worst enemies when trying to evade another Time Bender. Cora moved like lightning and balanced herself on the lowest branch of a tree close to Xave. She only noticed him briefly before he crouched into his hiding place. She eyed him as he surveyed the area for any sign of her. She sat motionless, almost afraid to breathe, and waited for him to make his next move.
When he finally stood, she didn’t hesitate. She jumped from her perch and tackled him to the ground. They landed hard with her hands pressing down on his shoulders and his hands planted firmly on her hips. Cora could see the shadow of stubble on Xave’s chin thanks to the few rays of moonlight that escaped through the trees above them. His grey eyes looked like dark pools of cloudy water. She was certain a faint scar lay across Xave’s lips, but she didn’t want to stare at them. She was staring, she realized, and quickly looked above him. They lay still for a few moments until the corner of Cora’s mouth finally rose in triumph. “I win.”
She began to sit up, but Xave was faster. He moved so quickly from under her she barely noticed as he grabbed her. He lifted her up and held her against the nearby tree, his torso warm against hers and his hands on either side of her head against the tree trunk. “You lose,” he looked down at her and smirked again. “What?” She pushed him away in anger, “I won. I found you. I tackled you.” “You let your guard down and I got away.” He dusted his jacket off. “Are you kidding?” She glared at him. “Do you think anyone Nikol Delmarno sends after you will simply crumble to the ground if one small girl bests them briefly?” Xave’s face hid any hint of emotion. Cora exhaled, not wanting to admit he was right. For a moment she forgot it very well may be her life that was at stake in this game. That being said, she couldn’t help but feel like she should be doing something more.
“If it’s so important that I stay ahead of Nikol why are we wasting our time playing hide and seek?” She seethed at Xave. Without warning, he reached for her her arm and pulled her close to him. He glared down at her and for a moment she didn’t react. “Because you have to learn some control. Sometimes you’re brash and emotional, and you’re going to get someone killed if you can’t control yourself. People are disappearing, Cora; people who have had a lot more experience using their gifts than just a few weeks, so please humor me with these childish games, because they may well save your life.” Xave’s eyes bore into her and then he turned and disappeared into the forest again.
While he looked for a new vantage point he cursed Dari for letting him train Cora. Every time he felt they made progress she questioned him, and made him lose whatever patience he had. But then she did something that blew him away, and he was right back to marveling at how quickly she was picking up her gift. A small voice in the back of his mind reminded him he could be more patient with her, but he pushed the thought from his mind. He sighed and found himself smiling when he thought of the look of triumph on Cora’s face as she pinned him to the ground.
When they finally walked home Cora was exhausted. She’d spent the better part of the night tracking Xave, only to be aggravated by each new loophole he invented. She was convinced he was just doing it to get under her skin. Whatever progress they’d made in terms of tolerating each other was slowly chipping away. The sun was beginning to rise when they reached his doorway. “I trust you can get yourself home?” Xave stared down at her. “Of course,” Cora muttered, “what time should I be back tonight?” “There’s been a change of plans tonight.” Cora perked up, “Oh, really? A night off? Just regular library work?” “The Mid-Season Festival.” Cora looked at Xave as if he’d finally lost it.
The Mid-Season Festival was a gathering for all Telgrians. It was to celebrate the shift from growing to harvest season, and nearly everyone in the city attended the celebration. There were light shows and music, dancing and celebrating. It was one of the only times students at Starbury Academy were not reminded of their place in Telgrian society, because it was the first break they’d have from their weekly reminder they’d failed their Reading. For most students, it served as the first public event if they were courting someone. Many girls hoped to find a partner before the Mid-Season Festival. Cora knew two people who would probably be in attendance and she grumbled, “What could we possibly have to do there?”
She glared up at Xave who simply explained, “We haven’t tested your magic amongst others on a large scale yet. This will be a crowded event with a lot of unpredictable behavior. It’s the perfect location to see what you’ve lea
rned, but it will be crowded enough to stay under the radar.” Cora shook her head. “No way. There has to be another option. Can’t we just ride a crowded trolley around the city?” Xave stifled laughter. “No, Cora. I’m training you and I need to see if you can use your magic in a random or erratic setting. It’s even better that you’re uncomfortable with it. The times you’ll need your gifts most are when you’ll be the least prepared to use them after all. I’ll see you back here at six. I believe the theme this year is ice.”
Cora knew when to accept defeat. She was too tired to fight Xave anymore, but she still hoped he could compromise. “Why does it matter what the theme is?” She knew what he was going to say, and gave him her most pathetic face in hopes he would just let them sneak in. “We’re going to actually attend the Mid-Season Festival, not simply bend time to pop in. You’ll be my date. I’ll see you tonight.” With that, Xave closed his door, leaving a tired, agitated Cora on his front step. She sighed and turned to flash home. In the past few weeks she’d taken to time bending as her preferred method of transportation over the trolley. It gave her a rush and sense of control she had so desperately needed.
✽✽✽
Cora stumbled through her door and collapsed in a heap on her bed. After sleeping for far too long, she woke and bathed. She wrung her wet hair out in a towel and opened her wardrobe. She would need to get dressed for the evening’s festivities soon. She fully realized she would have to ask Soph to borrow a dress, but she was hoping something would have manifested in her room in order to avoid explaining why she was going to the Mid-Season Festival. After putting it off as long as possible, she dragged herself across the hallway and knocked on the door.