He nods.
“How does it come out?”
It never seemed to be an issue with blessed salve, but this seems different.
“I’ll show you.” Jasper reaches for the coin, and I drop it into his palm. He stands, moving a few feet away from us. I try following him, hoping to get a better look, but he shakes his head.
“You should stay back,” he warns. “Sometimes, releasing pent-up magic can be dangerous.”
“How dangerous?” Gabriel puts down his sword and places his hand on my thigh. He’s been a silent observer until now, but I don’t miss the way he angles his body between me and Jasper.
“It depends,” the rebel says evasively. “Usually, nothing happens.”
“‘Usually’?” Gabriel echoes.
Jasper swallows. “On occasion, magically charged tokens have been known to... explode.”
He winces as he says the last word, and for good reason. A grumble rolls through Gabriel, and he tugs me against his chest. His warmth seeps into me, anchoring me.
“If this has the potential of harming Wren, then I suggest you move much further away.” Gabriel’s voice is low and leaves no room for discussion. He picks up his sword, drawing it closer to him, the threat clear. “You’ve been helpful, and I would hate to have to hurt you if this stunt of yours injured her.”
Jasper’s face drains of color, and he takes several steps back. He is not a small man, but physically, he’s no match for the Hunter. “Understood.”
I should probably be concerned, or at the very least a little put off by the fact that Gabriel is making unveiled threats towards people if they hurt me... but I’m not. Instead, a dark, depraved part of me warms at the thought that he’s willing to do anything for me. I’m sure that says something about me, but it’s something to consider at a later time.
Besides, even though Gabriel and I have continued my self-defense lessons and I’m feeling much more confident with a dagger, there’s no denying that he’s far more proficient with weapons than I am.
Icandefend myself. But if he’s offering, who am I to say no?
Gabriel wraps an arm around me and nods as if he’s the one in charge. “Please, proceed.”
Jasper, for his part, seems more amused than annoyed by the Hunter’s protective antics. Turning the coin over, he adjusts his stance. “The most important thing to remember with these types of tokens is to aim them at the ground. The magic will release on impact. Or at least, that’s how it’s supposed to go.”
If not, it might blow up.
The unspoken words reverberate around us, and I don’t miss Gabriel bringing me closer to his chest. Jasper takes a deep breath, runs his hand through his hair, and throws the coin towards the ground.
Time seems to slow as the magically charged token spirals towards the earth.
It slams into it, and the ground rumbles. The coin’s humming gets louder. The silver gleams as though it’s infused with the light of the suns, and then a navy flash of light floods my vision, temporarily blinding me.
When the light clears, the coin is resting in a small, circular crater the size of my hand. The forest is quiet, and it takes me a moment to realize the hum is gone.
I reach for the coin only to pull back my hand and glance up at my tutor. “Can I touch it?”
“Yes. Some objects can hold magic for extended periods of time, but most can only store a limited amount. It runs out, draining over time. This coin only had a small amount, and now it’s gone.”
I pick up the token as Jasper retakes his seat, turning it over in my palm. It feels completely normal as if it never contained any magic at all.
“So you will your magic to go into the object?” It sounds easy, so why is it causing me so much trouble?
“Yes, but make sure you’re extremely clear about your intentions while channeling your magic. You need to tell it exactly what you want it to do.”
That makes sense and lines up with what I already know. When the king’s soldiers were reaching for the twins, my magic killed them because I needed to defend us. Same during the battle. But obviously, the magic infused in the blessed salve is different. Meant for healing, not inflicting harm.
“Is this the best way to move magic?” I ask, turning the coin over, familiarizing myself with its weight.
“It’s the easiest way,” Jasper says.
