“And if you have to accidentally hit someone with the rock, aim for Donovan,” Nolan snickers. “His head’s so hard, trust me, you won’t break anything.”
Donovan flashes him the bird while making his way back over to what I’m now thinking of as the safe observation distance.
Kaleb points to a rock about the size of a basketball that’s roughly four feet away. “Focus on that one, and say ‘By the Spirits of air. I wish to bear a gale of wind. One strong enough to make ships sail. One strong enough to make brick walls fail. So by my will that I may make things float aloft the air as ships atop the sea.’”
“Wow, say that again?” I sputter.
“It’s a little wordy,” he apologizes, then holds his notebook out so that I can see the words.
In his neat script are a variety of different potential spells, each with scribbled thoughts about what elements they could be used for. His notes on the results of my attempts at spell casting appear to be on a different page.
I read over the spell a few times, repeating them mentally, before I decide I’m ready. Taking a deep breath, I motion for everyone to stand back, then raise my hands toward the rock. In my mind’s eye, I see it gently rise until it’s floating about three feet off the ground while I repeat the spell in my most authoritative voice.
Nothing happens.
I groan and rub at my eyes. “I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.”
“None of us do,” Kaleb sighs and makes another note.
All the boys have various expressions of sympathy. Nolan looks at me for a long moment, unknowable thoughts flashing in his artic blue eyes, before he seems to come to a decision and walks over. He once again stands behind me and places his hands on my shoulders. Answering shivers dance down my spine.
“We promised we’d figure this out together and we will,” he says resolutely to the top of my head. “What’s the next spell?”
Kaleb looks mildly surprised with Nolan’s statement then says while looking down at his notebook, “Erecto. It said it should allow you to erect something.”
Nolan snorts. “Yeah. I don't think we have a problem in that department.”
Heat flushes my cheeks, and I shake my head.
“I thought it might use air magic to lift something up,” Kaleb mutters, his expression twisting to one praying for patience.
Looking over my shoulder, I watch a smirk slowly crawl across Nolan’s face. “Oh I’m sure it does. With a little blowing, it’ll lift right up.”
“More like explode,” Donovan jeers.
I can’t help it and start giggling. “Felix did mention that was the best part of experimenting.”
There’s a shocked silence, Nolan looking both amused and impressed, before everyone busts up laughing.
Felix flashes a huge grin. “I love the scientific method.”
I let the warm humor roll over me and try to relax into Nolan’s hands. It’s frustrating how little I understand, but my heart feels full with how dedicated the others are to helping me. Enjoying the idle massage of Nolan’s thumbs distractedly kneading into the knotted muscles at the base of my neck, I feel like I’ve heard the spell Kaleb just named before.
“Did you say the spell wasErecto?” I ask, earning another round of snickering.
Kaleb groans. “I didn’t make the spell.”
Then it hits me where I’ve heard it-- or more accurately, read it before. For the past few years, I’ve been cut off from movies, television and most of the internet, a different type of torture from the bastard, but I’ve always had books.
“Oh my god…” I gasp before dissolving into a cackling mess. “You got… you think…”
“I think we broke her,” Felix chuckles.
Tears begin to collect in my eyes, and in a broken wheeze, all I can manage to blurt out is, “Harry Potter.”
“You speak geek. What’s she talking about?” Donovan grunts, flashing a look at Felix.
Felix’s elfish features frown in confusion, before it finally clicks, then his eyes widen and he gasps, “No… no.” Then he doubles over in laughter.
