37. Declan

Chapter thirty-seven

Declan

T he weeks that followed crawled as my mother piled books in my lap and spent hours forcing me to find my Light without actually touching it or doing anything useful. I was used to being active and roaming the wilderness all day. Sitting at a table, reading or focusing inward, was making me stir crazy.

The day Kels? showed me how to communicate through the Well may have been the first time I enjoyed learning magic. She was only able to See, a bit like Larinda's window peering out at the island, but on a grander scale. It was only with a bit of trial that I found my magic allowed for more . . . much more.

That first night in Ayden's dream renewed my spirit in ways I could never have imagined. My only hope was that he knew it was real, not some errant dream. I told my mother about visiting his sleeping mind, leaving out the juicy bits, asking what she thought he might remember when he woke.

She had no clue.

Still, knowing I had a way to be with him, to touch him, while stranded on that island, gave me comfort beyond measure. Knowing how badly he wanted me, how much he loved me— dare I say that word—filled my heart with incredible joy.

órla continued to surprise me, growing and spending much of her time flying throughout the surrounding peaks. She had transformed from a relative hatchling to the human equivalent of a teenager in only a few weeks.

I sat in the stone circle, legs crossed and eyes closed. I could summon and dismiss my Light now. I was about to release my concentration when Kels?'s voice whispered in my mind.

"Reach your hand into your Light. Touch it, but do nothing. Think nothing."

A thrill ran through me.

In my mind's eye, my hand reached toward the blinding ball and pierced its outer shell. Warmth slithered throughout my body, but it was more than warmth. It was a pulsing heat that flared each time my heart beat.

"It is connected," I heard in my mind. "You are magic, Declan. It is part of you, not something distant that you touch. Feel it course through your veins, pulsing in time with your heart. Breathe it in. Infuse it with your thoughts and desires. Become one with the Light of your magic."

I had no idea how to do any of that—or what most of it even meant. How do you become one with a ball of glowing flame?

I took a mental step forward and allowed the glow to surround my body.

Breathing deeply, I was amazed when I inhaled the feeling of power, not just its white plumes. The tiny hairs on my arms and neck snapped to attention, and an army of ants marched across my skin as intoxicating, majestic power filled me.

My senses expanded beyond human limits. With my eyes closed, I could hear the wind whipping across the neighboring peak. I heard the flapping of órla's tiny wings and knew instinctively where she was, leagues away. My mind raced, and I heard the owl's thoughts and felt her joy as she caught a gust and was buffeted higher.

I opened my eyes and my head swam.

I no longer saw through my own eyes; rather, I soared over trees and snow-covered boulders. órla laughed in my mind, and her exhilaration filled me. She knew I was there in her thoughts—one with her—and she rejoiced at our union.

As I watched in awe, a voice echoed in the distance. I thought it was someone on the mountain below before realizing my mother was calling out beside me .

"Declan, come back to me. Release the Light now," she commanded.

I struggled to step back as magic's grip resisted. I closed my eyes and released órla's sight, focusing on my ball of white flame. A sense of emptiness flooded through me as I stepped out of its aura, and the last of the fiery breath fled my mouth and nose.

I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes.

"Easy. Stay on the ground for a minute."

I scooted to lean against the central pillar. " Spirits, it feels like I just fell off a mountain rather than flew over one."

She smiled. "I would say it gets easier, but it doesn't. You get used to it, and I can teach you how to recover more quickly, but magic always exacts a toll for its use."

I looked up with bleary eyes. "I've never seen Gifted react like this."

"Magic works differently for them because they are only accessing a tiny portion of what's possible. When we altered magic's flow, we also limited the toll it would take. For those with only one or two talents, they might feel winded or hungry after using their Gift, but that is about it.

"You and I access the Well itself each time we touch our Light. It's like others are walking in a light rain, but you and I wrap our arms around a tornado. "

"I guess that makes sense. My head sure feels like I went through a storm." I rubbed my temples. "But while I was in the center of that storm, it was the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. The raw power and . . . I don't know . . . passion? It still makes my skin crawl."

She turned and retrieved the pitcher of wine and a glass from the table. "Drink this. It'll help restore your strength."

I guzzled the entire glass, realizing my mistake a moment too late. The wine sent a shock wave through my senses, and I dropped the glass.

"Easy now. You have residual magic flowing through you. Drinking this wine too quickly will make it react as though fighting an infection in your body."

" Now you tell me." I refilled the cup and sipped carefully. The clouds in my head began to part.

Kels? chuckled, squeezed my arm, then returned with the pitcher to sit. órla floated down, circled the stones, and landed on the table.

"Declan! I felt you in my head. Wasn't that incredible?" She scampered excitedly.

"It was . . . something . Next time, can you please leave my head on my shoulders when we're done?" There was a smile in my voice as I turned in her direction. "Come here, little one. For some reason, I feel very inclined to scratch your head. "

"Spa time!" She darted from the table into my lap. "Ooh! I can feel the magic oozing through your fingers. That feels tingly. You've gotta get drunk on magic more often."

Kels? grinned and nodded. "That is your bond. Declan, what you just experienced expanded the link between you and órla. Magic now flows freely between the two of you. Tomorrow, I would like to experiment a little, see what you can do together."

"Wait. You don't know already?"

Her brows rose. "I know more about magic than anyone alive, with the possible exception of the Arch Mage or Atikus, but there hasn't been another with your connection, your abilities, in over a thousand years. If you lived another thousand years, you might never discover everything you can do with magic. This will be the adventure of many lifetimes."

"Okay." I thought a moment. "We know I can talk to animals, and they can talk back, and that I can See through órla's eyes."

"Your bond with órla is unique. It may not mean you can communicate with other wildlife. We will have to test that." She stood. "One step at a time, though. What you experienced today was the beginning of your understanding of magic and its power— and its limits as defined by the human body and mind. Tomorrow, we'll start with the Elemental pillar. That is the easiest to conceptualize and should give you plenty of practice touching and shaping your Light."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "Declan, this is about to get a lot harder. I know you've been bored and anxious, but as that boredom ends, the risks will rise exponentially. When you were in the middle of your ‘storm,' as you called it, I could sense the measure of your power, how much magic is at your call. My own Light is a candle next to your sun."

"You're kidding, right? I mean, you're the Keeper and one of the most powerful Mages alive."

She took my hand and placed it on her chest. She focused, and a glow flared from beneath my palm.

"Look inside. See my Light," she said.

I cocked my head, confused, then closed my eyes. I could see the flicker of flame. It was as bright as the one I'd seen within myself, but grew no larger than my palm as I approached. My own Light had far eclipsed my six-foot frame and had grown well beyond that as I watched it expand.

"Now do you see? Your potential is beyond anyone since Irina, or anyone for millennia before her." Kels?'s voice echoed through my head. "That is why we must take care in your training. One mistake with such raw, untamed power could inflict immense destruction and pain—and not just on others, but on yourself as well."

She released her Light, and I snapped back to myself .

"We should eat and get some rest. You can read more on the Elemental powers tonight if you cannot sleep. I promise, that book will knock you right out." She chuckled and patted my arm again.

The next morning, I met Kels? and órla outside by the stone circles. A light breakfast lay spread across the table.

After we finished the meal, Kels? stood and took one of the bowls from the table, filled it with water, and set it on the stone circle's center pillar. My eyes grew wide as her magic flared and a ball of water rose above the bowl and hovered in place.

She turned and smiled at my amazed expression. "Today is all about Elemental magic. I think you will enjoy this."

"Finally, I get to do something with magic." I hopped up from the table and raced to her side.

órla settled onto the table and began cleaning herself.

I watched the ball fall and splash into the bowl as Kels? released her magic. "You were raised reciting the four pillars: Elemental, Physical, Mental, and Natural. Within each lies many abilities that share commonality in their type but produce very different effects. I'm going to introduce you to calling and shaping your Light in each of the four pillars, but there's no way to know how many abilities within each you will master—or even be able to use at all. Having a basic understanding of how each area responds to your Light will allow you to identify and control additional abilities as they surface."

I ran a hand through my hair. "So, you're saying that abilities will just show up? I'll just accidentally figure some of this out?"

She laughed. "I would not put it that way, but it is not completely wrong. Emotion, need, and environment often call abilities to the surface."

She looked out beyond the grotto at the forest below, then turned back to face me.

"Let's try this another way. Forget magic for a moment. When I was a little girl, I remember my father telling me about a neighbor whose leg became trapped under his cart while he was fixing a wheel. No matter what he did, the weight of the cart was too great for him to escape. Worse, it was slipping off the road, threatening to crush him. His scrawny, fourteen-year-old son raced to his rescue. Somehow that child was able to lift the cart just enough for his father to roll away. Later that night, it took four men and an ox to pull the cart from the ditch."

"Was the boy a Physical with some kind of enhanced strength?"

"No. The boy never manifested any magic. His fear and panic— his need —drove him to do the impossible. We may never understand what happened that day, but magical abilities can be like that, even for Gifted. The need in a single moment can drive hidden or dormant power to the surface.

"For you, this will be especially true. Your relationship to magic presents a limitless number of possibilities, most of which you will only learn when pushed or threatened. I wish I could arm you with training on every skill you will manifest, but I cannot. The best I can do is help you learn control and familiarity within magic's rules, and prepare you to recognize when new abilities surface."

"How many abilities do you have?" I asked.

"I only have four, although ‘only four' is more than anyone alive today, except you. The Keeper is granted one within each pillar, not just to help protect the Well, but for this moment—the moment when magic's heir requires guidance."

Childlike wonder filled me. "Magic's heir?"

Kels? grinned and nodded. "Enough theory. You wanted some action, so here we go. There are two ways to use Elemental magic. Either you shape something that already exists, or you call an element into being. We'll start with shaping something that already exists because it's much easier. I will explain why in a minute."

She looked down at the bowl. A fist-sized ball of water rose.

"Water is the only element I can manipulate, but the basic principles should also work for fire, earth, and air. Different elements may be more challenging to mold than others, so you will need to practice to master each.

"All right. Your goal is to make a water ball. Close your eyes, and I'll walk you through it."

The ball splashed back into the bowl as she stepped back and leaned against one of the outer stones.

I closed my eyes and, for no apparent reason, broadened my stance and squatted as if expecting a fight.

"You're calling on magic, not wrestling a bear. Relax." My mother's chuckle echoed against the mountainside. "Now, find your Light and approach it with both hands stretched outward, but don't touch it."

I mimicked her instructions with my arms and hands.

"Okay. I'm there."

"I want you to use your hands to ‘shape' the Light, like it's a ball of clay. Just touch the outer edges with the lightest possible pressure. Don't let your hands sink into it. When it squirms out one side, gently guide it back into the shape."

My hands moved in stiff motions as I struggled to maintain a consistent shape.

"Slowly. Smooth motions. Treat it gently, like you're stroking órla's feathers."

My gestures smoothed as my hands slowed.

"Excellent. Now, here's the hard part. You have to see both the water in the bowl and your Light at the same time. If you release one without the other, the water will drop or your magic will dissipate."

"How do I see them both? Beside each other?"

"No, overlay the image of the water. Not the bowl, just the water."

My brow furrowed as I struggled. "I think I've got it."

"Okay. Now imagine the ball of Light becoming the water. Merge the two images. It may look like the water is absorbed by the Light, but you should be able to see it there, as well as the flame."

The water in the bowl began to ripple and rise in an unsteady stream, forming into something not quite ball-shaped, more of a blob.

"Good. Form it. Remember to use your hands to keep the shape."

I strained with concentration.

A bead of sweat rolled down my face and tickled my cheek. Without thinking, I reached up to wipe it off. The water fell into the bowl and splashed loudly.

"I had it!" I opened my eyes and slumped in frustration.

"You did well for your first time. Practice what we just did. When you think you have control, open your eyes and try to maintain the ball. Don't get frustrated. Think of this like sword forms. When you tried them the first time, they were stiff, right? Just remembering the sequence and steps was hard, but with practice, they became instinct. Now you can execute them without even thinking. Learning magic is the same. You'll get there, but it'll take practice."

I sat on the ground and leaned against a stone. I hadn't really moved during the exercise, but my breath was heavy, and sweat still dribbled down my face. órla stirred and flew to the bowl, lapping up some of its water before ducking her head under, then shaking herself.

"Thanks for getting my bath ready, Declan," she said between splashes.

My tension released. "Anything for you, Princess."

"Again with my title. You're getting so well trained, little Mage."

"You two." Kels? snickered. "Enough rest. Let's switch to ‘creating' water, rather than shaping what's in front of you. Now, we can't create anything; rather, we call what is around us and assemble it for a purpose."

My excitement was replaced by a blank stare.

"I think fire might be easier to understand. An experienced Elemental with the ability to call fire can hold out a palm, and poof ! Fire appears floating above it. To the untrained eye, it might appear the Mage called fire out of nothing, when in reality, he pulled warmth from the surrounding air and assembled it into the ball of flame."

"I guess that makes sense, but how would I even visualize that?"

"Perfect question. You're getting conceptualization, which is the most important piece of the puzzle. "

I cut her off before she could continue. "But what if the Mage is on a mountain, in the snow? There's no heat up there."

"There's always heat around somewhere. It may just be highly dispersed or only existing in minuscule quantities. In your example, it would take longer, and the ball would be smaller or less powerful, but it would work. An inexperienced Mage might fail to create anything useful, but a powerful one could. In extreme situations, you could call the heat from your own body to create flame, but that is dangerous and could kill you if taken to excess."

I bolted upright, suddenly excited again. "If I can call heat from my own body, what about drawing heat from living things, like trees or animals? They're everywhere, and I'd never run out."

She frowned, and her voice became stern. "Drawing heat, moisture, or air from another living being is possible but would likely kill them. Imagine having the breath drawn from your lungs, being unable to stop it while you gasped and suffocated. Empress Irina used her power to do exactly that on the battlefield, drawing air and water from her foes, leaving shriveled corpses for leagues in her wake.

"Declan, those are the first steps down the path of dark magics that guild law has prohibited since its founding. Sometimes a Mage must defend, but to use one's magic to harm another without cause is a violation of the Phoenix's most sacred principles. We were given magic to save and help life, not take it."

"Sorry. I didn't know," I mumbled.

"Why would you? I am glad you are asking questions, even those that stray. We will have to discuss those at some point if you are going to be prepared for what is coming. Irina has no conscience and will use all of her abilities to crush anyone in her path, including you."

Kels? walked over and kissed my forehead. "I am going inside to work on a few things. Practice with the bowl. We can talk about what you learn over dinner later tonight."

I nodded but didn't meet her gaze.

"What is it?"

The small, dandelion-headed boy spoke in a quiet voice. "What if I become like her? What if . . . what if this is all too much? The idea of drawing magic was so exciting that I never even thought about what it would do to animals or plants . . . o r people ."

She cupped my cheek until I met her gaze. "Listen to me, Declan. The man I see in front of me, the man I am coming to know, is a good, honest, and decent man. Each of us chooses our own path, and you will choose yours. No one else can do that for you. No one.

"Irina chose a dark path. She gained incredible power, but at what cost? There isn't the tiniest part of me that believes you would follow in her steps. You have a strong heart, and I am so very proud of you."

She swallowed and glanced away before continuing in a quiet voice. "For years, I dreamed of what it would be like to be part of your life, to see you grow up, to watch what you would become. I am happier now than I have been in . . . in a very long time . . . because I am finally getting to know you and play a part in your journey. I have always loved you and always will. I have never doubted your goodness, not for one moment."

My throat caught, and my arms moved on their own as I wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Mother. Thank you."