AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A threat implies that there isn’t an alternative. One of these two options will be met, as you agreed.”
I ran my hands through my hair. Who could I ask for help? Libby could come, I mean, the Librarian of the Library of Antiquities was a pretty prestigious position, but nowhere near the leader of the Gray Society.
“I can’t pay for those schools. I can only afford a few classes at a time.”
She raised her brow and pulled out another file, opening it in front of me. “Tuition will be paid by Mr. Bellham along with a fund for other necessities, including food, clothing, and some recreation.”
I shoved the folder back at her, scowling. “I’m not taking his money. Do you think that’s why I went there, so I could weasel into his will or something? I’m not interested in his position, his wealth, or anything else. All I wanted was not to be a stone statue. His genetics caused the problem, so his genetics should pay for it, but that’s all I want from him.”
Her smile was still calm, completely unflappable. She was good. “I understand that you don’t want your present life to be disrupted, but you must realize that knowing who your father is changes everything. You publicly sought him out, publicly danced with him as his coming-out daughter, introducing him to your own chosen betrothed, and whether you want to admit that the simple life you knew is over, you have a demon hunting you. Part of this agreement includes bodyguards and proper dress standards. You have magic that will harm you if you don’t learn to control it.” How did she know about the demon?
I curled my lip and scoffed. “Right. So much magic that I failed every magic test I’ve ever taken.”
She moved the folders to the side and put out three sheets of white paper, then set out three groups of magical paraphernalia. The one on my left had a small sheet of incantations on the paper beneath a small jar with a fat spider inside. The one in the center had a tiny scroll rolled up above a cute little match box. The right setting had a short paper with light cursive on it that reminded me of my mother’s handwriting.
“If you fail this magic test, you will not be required to go to one of the schools on the list, but you may choose your own academy, which will be paid for by your father, along with the necessary bodyguards.”
I chewed on my bottom lip while I stared at her. If I could actually go to a good school without paying for it out of my own pocket, I could get my degree so much faster. Bodyguards would be annoying, but it would be good to have some backup when I was at home with my mom. I didn’t want to accept anything from him, but it didn’t look like I had a choice.
“Fine,” I said, picking up the incantations paper. The paper itself was light blue, with a dark lined scroll around the edges. I read it silently, trying to sound out all the Latin words the right way. My mother had taught me that much, chanting rhymes of spells as long as I could remember, not that it did any good when I did it, but she did make the plants look a little brighter and cheerful, which may have had something to do with the watering can I brought along.
“These are each a different transformation of water. Thank you,” she added as the server brought a pitcher half filled with water and placed it carefully in the center of the table. “This will transform to ice,” she said, gesturing at the paper I was holding. “The right will transform ice to water, and then the center incantation will transform the water to steam. Begin.”
“What am I supposed to do with the bug?”
“Kill it on the incantation paper to put its life and blood into your spell.”
I shivered and leaned away from the bug. “That sounds pretty dark.”
“It is exactly that, the dark side of magic, like melting to water is the light side, and turning to steam is neutral magic. This is a test to see where your magical abilities lie. Begin.”
For thirty thousand grand, I could kill a spider, not that I was doing it for the money. I was doing it because I wasn’t turning into stone anymore, and my dad had control issues that I’d have to figure out how to get around. I’d come up with something.
Without letting myself think too much, I dumped the spider on the paper and smashed it with my palm. Ew. So disgusting. It was nice, juicy, and splatted perfectly, reminding me of my recent vow to never touch another bug.
“Lawe imporcunum havatre niam pulsueto fias. Tiras legbotas viridum.” That phrase was supposed to be read three times, so I did, with a final, “Farlgo semsit reguatum!” gesturing grandly at the water like I’d seen evil sorcerers do on drama tv.
The pitcher exploded, ice daggers shooting up and out in a terrifying, gleaming sculpture. I stared at the ice spike two inches in front of my face while I sat there, not breathing, just staring at what had been a pitcher of water twenty seconds before.
“Very nice. Now do your best to melt the water,” the woman said, tapping the right setting.
I gasped for a breath and started poking the ice spike that I’d almost killed myself with. “That’s ice.”
“Indeed. Now, melt it.”
“I turned water into ice.” I snapped off a small branch and licked it. Yep, that was ice.
“It’s one of the simplest spells to do,” she said, clearly not impressed with my sudden magical ability.
I stood up and gestured at the ice sculpture. “I freaking turned water into ice spikes! Like bam! The whole thing just… spikes and daggers, and I almost died! I did that!” I shook my head and sat back down. “How did I do that?”
“Melt it, if you please,” she said again, clearly not the kind of person that you could share moments with. Was she paid extra to be a killjoy or did she throw in that perk for free?
I took a slow, deep breath, trying to be calm and cool, but man! I’d turned water into ice, and I couldn’t help bouncing up and down in my seat for a second before I remembered that I was a responsible twenty-year-old, not an excited five-year-old. Wow. I took the paper without anything extra, but the instructions said I was supposed to rub my hands together while reading the incantation. No way this would work.
It did. It totally did. No sooner did I start the first word, “Bellatia,” than the ice started dripping, and by the time I said the last, it shattered into shards that transformed to water before they hit my face and eyes, so I didn’t go blind. Yay me! I blinked droplets of water out of my lashes while the lawyer lowered the umbrella she’d held in front of herself so she didn’t get splashed. She could have offered me an umbrella. Whatever. I’d done magic a second time. Different spell, different magic, and I’d done it. It was absolutely insane! I also felt kind of glowing, good, happy, like you were supposed to feel when you did light magic, healing magic. Maybe I could be a healer like my mom after all! There was nothing more noble than healing the wounded.
“Good enough. Now, if you would clean up the mess by turning it all to steam, I’m sure the staff would appreciate it.”
