by L. C. Mawson
Natalie folded her arms. “You’re not the only one with magical knowledge here, you know. Charlotte and I know more than enough to help Amy.”
Lauren narrowed her eyes at Natalie. “Perhaps, but Amy shouldn’t get used to relying on you. After all, you’re not going to pass today’s trial. You’ve got too much Vampire blood to be good enough at spellcasting. I’m not even sure why the Amazons let you through the initial trials when they must know that you won’t make it.”
I saw red at that, sick of Lauren hurting my friends.
Dark Energy crackled over my fists. “Just fuck off, Lauren. I don’t want your help.”
“Now, now, what’s all this.”
I turned to see Dana approaching.
She looked over my fists, the dark lightning still crackling across them.
“Displays of raw Energy like that may be the way of Demons, Amelia, but we are Witches. We’re more civilised than that. Now, what is going on? I heard the use of foul language.”
I put my hands on my hips as I turned to face her. “Lauren was saying bigoted things about my friends.”
Dana turned to Lauren, who just shrugged. “All I said was that Natalie’s Vampire nature might not make her the best teacher for Amelia when it comes to spellcraft. We all have different strengths, and Amelia is a Witch, she needs another Witch to teach her.”
Dana nodded as she turned back to me. “Lauren is correct. If you need help with spellcraft, you need someone on your level to teach you. As I can see by your use of raw Energy, you are clearly too used to being around magical beings with more... instinct-driven magic. Being a Sister will perhaps make that more comfortable for you, but that is all the more reason to learn discipline. Now, why don’t you and Lauren pair up for the rest of the day? I shall find suitable partners for your other friends as well.”
I glared at her as she ushered Natalie and Charlotte away, but I had no idea what I could do or say to change her mind.
So, I rounded my glare on Lauren, my Energy crackling once more.
Lauren just shrugged at my glare. “I don’t understand why you’re so mad, Amelia. Nothing I said was untrue. It’s like Dana said, Vampires have more instinct-driven magic. They’re just not built for spellcraft like we are.”
“If instinct-driven magic is so bad, why am I praised for using instinctive magic?”
“That’s just bad naming. It’s a shortening of ‘instinctual magical theory’, which is a poor way of saying that you can compose spells quickly. ‘Instinct-driven magic’, however, refers to abilities that don’t rely on spellcraft. That have no finesse to them. I’m sure your friends are great at their kinds of magic, but it doesn’t require the same skill as spellcraft, which they’re not built for like we are.”
“Except Natalie is brilliant at spellcraft.”
“You might think so, but you’re too new to magic to know any better. And it’s not as if you seem to hang out with many pure-blooded Witches. Is Charlotte seriously your only friend without mixed blood?”
“Maybe I hang out with so few of them because they’re all dicks.”
“Look, you might think I’m being harsh, but like I said, I was just telling the truth, and the sooner Natalie accepts it, the better. I’d hate to see her broken up when she does fail the course because she wasn’t prepared for it.”
I shook my head. “I think I’m going to train alone.”
‘PRACTICE’ WASN’T EXACTLY something I managed during the day, when all of my energy was spent trying to avoid Lauren.
Who would not leave things alone.
I was filled with both relief and terror as the whistle sounded, telling us that it was time for the final test of the day.
Relief that I wouldn’t have to keep trying to avoid Lauren.
And terror that my inability to practice any spells throughout the day would leave me unable to pass the test.
“Amelia,” Dana called, “you shall be the first one tested today.”
I suppressed a groan as I walked up to where she was standing, as all the other girls gathered in a crowd behind me.
Well, at least this would be over quickly.
Dana waved her wand in the air next to her, and light flowed from the end of it, forming into the vague shape of a person before me.
And then the light dissipated, leaving a large mass of small, silver pieces, joined together in a careful, clockwork configuration to form a humanoid shape.
“This is a Dwarven construct,” Dana said to the crowd. “Right now, it is deactivated. The activation spell requires focus and precision, as well as a not insignificant amount of power.”
She turned to me before her hand went to a small hole in the construct’s chest. “Place your wand in here and use the incantation Gra’vaan. You will then need to guide your magic through the system to activate the core. Any deviation from the path will cause damage to the system. Too much damage, and it will not turn on.”
I nodded before taking a deep breath.
My magic itched beneath my skin, fuelled by my frustration throughout the day.
Just waiting for me to unleash it.
But if I lost focus here...
I took a deep breath.
I could do this.
I had to do this.
The incantation didn’t reach my lips before the spell was cast, and I worried about that for a moment.
Should I be casting non-verbally here, or would that count against me?
But as I panicked, my magic surged, and I took another deep breath as I felt it expand within the narrow path.
Dangerously close to the surrounding, intricate parts.
I pushed it forward, sensing the space around me.
My frustration still had my magic moving fast, but my focus zeroed in and I moved with each twist and turn as they came faster and faster, my focus absolute.
I almost dropped with relief as the spell reached the construct’s core.
Or it might have been magical exhaustion as the construct took a large portion of my magic to power up.
“Well done, Amelia,” Dana said as I moved away, my breathing a little laboured. “That was an impressive display.”
I nodded, thankful both that I’d passed and that the spell had provided an outlet for my frustration.
“Charlotte,” Dana called up next as she deactivated the construct once more.
“Good luck,” I said as I passed her on my way to stand beside Natalie.
She gave me a quick smile as she approached the construct.
She, too, said the spell in her head.
I watched for several moments before the construct powered back up.
Natalie turned to me. “You were quicker.”
I shrugged. “My magic surged with my frustration and I didn’t have much of a choice. It’s probably better to go slower if you can.”
“I suppose Dana did say that it required precision.”
“Yeah, we’re talking bullet-hell precision to go as fast as I was going.”
Natalie nodded. “I’ll try to stay calm, then.”
I smiled as Charlotte made her way back over to us. “Good job.”
She smiled back. “Thanks. I wasn’t quite as careful as I could have been, but I don’t think I did any actual damage.”
“Lauren,” Dana called. “You’re up next.”
Lauren went up and placed her wand in the construct.
She spoke the spell aloud, but the construct activated just moments later.
“That... might have been as fast as you,” Natalie said.
“Well done, Lauren,” Dana said, and Lauren made her way past us with a smug look.
“Natalie,” Dana called. “You’re up next.”
“Good luck,” Lauren said, her voice dripping with venom. “All of the real Witches have managed it, but I guess someone has to be the first to fail.”
Dark Energy crackled over my skin and it took all of my self-control not to punch Lauren as Natalie made her way up to th
e construct.
She hesitated for just a moment before placing her wand inside.
I flinched as a shuddering crack came from the machine, but then, it did turn on, the lights it had for eyes glowing.
Dana turned to Natalie with a disappointed look. “While you did manage to turn the construct on, you caused some damage. It is honestly luck that the construct still activated. You have poor control of your magic, and likely the only thing keeping your emotions in check is your Vampiric nature. We expect better from our Witches and expect you to do better tomorrow.”
Natalie stalked off, heading straight past the rest of us and to the exit.
I chased after her.
“Natalie, wait,” I called, getting to the changing room to see that she was already back in her uniform.
Natalie ignored me, still heading to the door.
I knew that I couldn’t catch her, and so I grabbed my wand and pointed it at the door, locking it with a spell.
Not that she couldn’t get through it if she wanted, but I just needed her to slow down and listen.
Natalie turned back to me with a glare. “Lift the spell, Amelia.”
“No. Not until you talk to me. What happened in that test wasn’t your fault.”
“Dana was right, I lost control.”
“Only because Lauren wound you up.”
“She wound you up, too.”
“Yeah, and my ADHD makes me hyper-focus when I’m stressed. That’s the only reason I passed. Not to mention, I was only wound up because you were wound up. It makes sense that you were more upset than me. Lauren was just aggravating you to get you to fail, just like she pushed Willow.”
“Yeah, and she got Willow kicked out.” She shook her head. “This is so ridiculous... I don’t know why I’m upset. I never even wanted to be an Amazon.”
I shrugged, stepping closer now that she seemed to have calmed down, letting the spell on the door lapse.
“It doesn’t really matter whether or not you wanted it when people start telling you that you can’t have it because of something out of your control.”
I sighed, folding my arms. “You know, I never wanted to own a car. It’s bad for the environment and I like living in cities, so I figured that I could just take the bus everywhere. But my parents said that it was important that I learn anyway, insisting on getting me lessons.”
Natalie turned, finally looking at me. “And then?”
“And then I got my ADHD diagnosis. All talk of driving lessons stopped, and when I brought it up... They said that they were worried that I would be too distractible behind the wheel and didn’t want me to endanger myself.”
Natalie frowned. “Wait... My cousin has ADHD and he drives.”
“Yeah, there’s no actual reason to think that I can’t. And if I can’t, then that’s for a driving instructor to tell me. But, yeah, it’s safe to say that I went from not wanting the lessons to wanting nothing else because it wasn’t fair. So, I understand why you’re upset. And it’s okay to be.”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “You did pass today, though. Remember that. Keep passing and keep showing them.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you do? ‘Show them’?”
“Well, that’s what I was doing until my mum got cursed and now, I’ve been taken out of classes to do this.” I sighed. “What are the odds of me actually going to university on time now?”
She shrugged. “If you make it through this training, you won’t be too far behind. Not if you work through the summer.”
I groaned. “I was gonna do that anyway.”
“Well then, you’re thoroughly prepared.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I looked her over. She seemed in better spirits, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.
Especially with her Vampiric nature keeping things muted.
“How about we grab something quick to eat and then spend the night playing Civ?”
She smiled, but then it faded. “I’d love that, but I think you’re forgetting something.”
I stared at her, wondering what she meant.
“Your date with Willow,” she reminded me. “You told her that you’d meet her after you were done with training.”
I groaned. “Right. Sorry. God, I am a liability...”
“You should keep stuff like that in your calendar.”
“But that would require me actually remembering to put things in my calendar in the first place.”
She smiled before heading for the door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah, see you later.”
I HURRIED TO GET CHANGED before meeting Willow just as she got out of her class.
“You’re done with training early,” she said as we headed through to the gardens. “You didn’t get hurt again, did you?”
I shook my head. “No, nothing like that. Lauren just spent all day picking at Natalie, trying to rile her up. The test today was a complicated spell that required patience, so she was trying to wind her up so that she failed.”
Willow frowned. “And did she?”
“No, Natalie just about managed, but it was close, and Natalie was upset.” I bit my lip. “I hope she’s okay. Lauren said some pretty nasty things...”
I then turned to see Willow looking off into the distance.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
She shook her head, smiling as she turned back to face me. “No, not at all. It’s... It’s sweet how much you care for your friends.”
I nudged my arm gently against hers. “And my girlfriend,” I said, wondering if that was what was bothering her. “You know, if you were the one hurting, I’d be worried about you too.”
She just nodded before pointing over to the forest. “Let’s go for a walk. I know a nice spot that I think you might like.”
I nodded, trying to not let the nerves twisting my stomach show on my face.
It was nothing to do with Willow, after all.
No, it was that the last time I’d gone into the forest, it had been with Maria Brown.
To get the wand that I had chosen not to alter.
Just like hers...
Still, I pushed away the thought, refusing to let it ruin our evening.
But as we walked through the trees, I realised that we were on a familiar path.
“I know this place,” I said as Willow took me through to a small clearing.
“You do?” Willow asked.
I nodded as I wandered over to the large tree over at the other side, my hand going to rest on the bark. “This is where I got my wand.”
Willow smiled. “I suppose that makes sense. This is a place of Nature, after all. There are some places like this, where her touch is more keenly felt. Most with elemental blood find their wands in such places. I suppose your connection to Queen Freya is what led you here.”
“I suppose...” I looked over to the other side of the clearing, movement drawing my gaze.
It almost looked like a white wolf...
But as soon as I turned my gaze in that direction, the creature was gone.
If it had ever been there at all.
I shook my head, deciding that it had likely just been my imagination.
“Here,” Willow said, sitting down and patting the grass next to her. “I thought it would be a nice place to spend some time together.”
I smiled as I sat down next to her.
She was right, it was nice.
There was something comforting about the clearing, allowing me to slowly relax, despite the stress of the day.
The wind playfully rustled my hair as I sat down.
“Is that you doing that?” I asked, and Willow smiled.
“Not purposefully, but it’s hard not to draw on my powers when I’m in a place like this. Especially when I’m this close to someone I care about.”
My smile widened as I reached my hand across the grass to gently brush hers. “It’s nice. Everything about this place is. It’s... almost com
forting. Like coming home. I needed that.”
Willow looked me over, her gaze filled with concern. “Are you okay, Amelia? I mean, with the stress of these trials...”
“I’m fine,” I said, perhaps a little shortly. I sighed, giving her an apologetic smile. “I have to be fine, otherwise I won’t be able to control my powers. And if I can’t control my powers, I won’t be able to pass the trials. So, I’m fine.”
“What about things with your mum? Have you heard from her since she first woke up?”
I shook my head, my gaze dropping to my hand in the grass as I began to pick at the green strands between my fingers. “No, I haven’t. I messaged her yesterday, but... No reply.”
“What about your dad? Has he messaged you or called?”
I shook my head. “No, I’ve not heard from either of them. But it’s fine. Really. They’ve got so much on their plates with all of this, I’m not expecting them to carve out time for me.”
Willow raised an eyebrow. “Amelia, my dad is away on a mission, right now, crawling around beneath the floorboards of his next mark. Has been for the past week. And he found the time to message with me about failing the Amazons’ initial trial. Being busy isn’t an excuse.”
I shrugged. “It’s fine, really. I’m used to it. They love me, they just also have to work a lot to keep a roof over my head. It’s just how things are.”
“Does your mum even know that you almost killed yourself to save her?”
I looked away. “I didn’t want to worry her. She’s already so worried about me being here...”
Willow sighed. “Do your parents even really know anything about what’s happened since you’ve been here? Everything with Maria Brown, or, well, us?”
“There wasn’t really time. I mean, Mum got upset pretty fast after she woke up, and then they argued and... Well, there wasn’t time. But, you know, maybe that’s best for now. I don’t think throwing ‘by the way, I’m gay’ on this fire would be the best idea.”
I suppressed a groan as I realised how that might sound.
Willow had admitted that she’d never had to hide who she was from her parents.
What if she didn’t understand and thought I was ashamed of her?
What if she tried to pressure me to come out to them?