* * *
“Now focus,ladies. Enchanting is all about putting your illusion magic into objects to serve a greater purpose beyond what it was made to do.”
Professor Calliope spoke over the class as we huddled two by two around the round desks situated in the Enchanting classroom. I listened carefully as Calliope lectured. “No doubt you have wondered why I asked you to create a poem, and what that has to do with enchanting.”
Calliope crossed her hands in front of her body. “As you all know, illusion magic is about intention; projecting your will onto energy and bending it to your desires. Poetry is a beautiful way of establishing and creating feeling, andfeelingsare the framework of how fae magic is incorporated into this world. Your emotions become your reality, and those emotions can reflect on the world around you. Today, we’ll be working on taking the poems you wrote and putting theiremotioninto an object of your choosing. Please choose an item from the box and get to work.”
The girls hustled to a chest, which was stockpiled with various items. I saw clothing, trinkets, books, and bottles piled within the chest. I got shoved to the back of the line— many people cut in front of me. Some even pushed me out of the way to get to the best items first. I fell down, and nearly got stepped on. Kiara pulled me to my feet before I could get hurt.
“Out of the way, cheater,” Morgan snapped at me. “Leave the enchanting to the real sorceresses.”
“Behave yourself,” Calliope told Morgan. “I won’t tolerate rudeness in my classroom.”
“She’s been shunned by the Circle for what she did in the Contest. She shouldn’t even be in this class,” Morgan said as she pointed at me.
“That’s for the headmistress to decide, not you,” Calliope replied. “Focus on your own studies.”
Morgan sneered at me, and a couple of girls followed her lead. I tried to shake off their cruel stares, but it was hard. I knew people didn’t respect me because I’d cheated in the Contest, but this was a bit ridiculous. These bitches literally acted like they were above me, and it was getting old.
Once I got to the chest, there was only one item left. I drew out a thin white mask. It looked old— the threads on it were wearing, and the lace was coming undone. It’d probably been worn in a masquerade years ago, and forgotten about since. It was hardly the best of the bunch.
I sat at our small table and concentrated. I read my poem over again and tried to choose an intention for it, but I didn’t know where to start. There were so many emotions in the poem— anger, pain, desperation— and none of them seemed to fit the mask. I didn’t want to enchant this mask with a spell of agony and cause grief to anyone wearing it. What good would that do?
Kiara had already gotten her enchantment. She’d chosen a medallion from the chest and had infused it with a positivity spell, as her poem was a short haiku about happiness instead of dark and depressing like mine.
I should’ve written something easy and not taken this project so seriously. My eyebrows knitted together, and Kiara sensed my frustration. “Something bothering you?”
“This fucking enchantment isn’t working!” I raged. I sighed and tried to take a deep breath, though it came more like a gulp. “I’m shit with magic.”
“You are not. You’re capable of getting this.” Kiara held out her medallion. “Here. Hold this for a second and tell me if it helps.”
When I ran my fingers over the medallion, a burst of optimism rolled through me. I knew it was just an illusion— a pretty figment of my imagination, and not how my emotions really felt. But it was good enough to start a bout of inspiration. My head cleared from my dark thoughts, and I was able to re-read my poem with a clear mind.
My entire poem was about deception. Putting on a mask and hiding your pain from the people you loved most, becoming someone else in order to protect them from the suffering you experienced. My piece was a story about wearing a disguise and painting your face, so no one else saw the ruse.
I focused that intent on the mask. As I did, a white, glittering magic emerged from my fingers and landed delicately on the mask. The mask shone for a moment before the surrounding glow dimmed.
I put the mask on. I then turned toward Kiara. “What do you think?”
Her eyes were wide. Kiara shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s like I forget I even know you. I don’t recognize any of your features. Your spell is strong.”
“Didn’t know it would work like that.” I took the mask off, before anyone else could see me in it. “How long do you think it’ll last?”
“An enchantment like that? Ages,” Kiara replied. “It won’t go away until you remove it.”
I fiddled with the ribbons on the mask, thinking. This mask could be useful. When class ended and everyone else took their items back, I pocketed mine in my bag and left.
Once I was in my dorm, I took the old mask and put it into my drawer. I wasn’t quite sure what I’d use it for, only that it felt terribly important. I couldn’t explain why.
The crystal rose Ethan had given me was sitting on my desk in a vase. It sparkled in the winter sunlight and gave off a rainbow reflection, which shone on my bedroom wall.
Hanging in a glass case over the desk was the sword Ethan had made me,Lodburzan. I’d used it in the Contest. I didn’t have any weapons classes this semester, so it’d stay there until the fall, but now and then I ran my fingers over the blade, because I had a connection with it now and it made me think of my love.
It was strange to think of Ethan that way. Maybe it wouldn’t be so strange if I could admit my feelings out in the open.
I admired both the rose and the sword for a moment before I got changed, grabbed a quick lunch from the cafeteria and headed out to the rink.
Gabby wasn’t here, thank the gods. Lady Magdalina had put us on different ice sessions, as she felt we’d be a distraction to each other during our training. I warmed up by stroking around the rink and practicing a few easy spins and jumps.
