Page 34 of Evergreen

“If you’ll follow me,” she nodded. “We’ll get started.”

I followed her through the corridors of the academic building, my heart still hammering in my chest. I couldn’t believe she’d actually agreed to help me. I’d half expected her to tell me to fuck off, to remind me that I’d made my bed and now I had to lie in it.

Her office was exactly what I expected. It was organized to the point of obsession, with books arranged by subject and color, crystals displayed in precise rows on floating shelves, and a desk that looked like it had never seen a stray piece of paper in its entire existence. There was a small sitting area near the window with two comfortable chairs, and she gestured for me to take one while she settled into the other.

“Before we begin,” Professor Blackwood said, folding her hands in her lap, “I need to understand what you’re working with. Show me your magic.”

I hesitated. “Right now? Like, call up my weather magic?”

“Yes. Just a small display. I need to see how you’re currently channeling it.”

I took a breath and reached inward, feeling for that familiar crackling sensation. It came easily, as it always did. The air around me grew warmer, and I saw a small cloud begin to form above my palm. It was chaotic, unfocused, exactly what I’d been trying to fix. And then, a miniscule lightning bolt flashed and struck my palm, my entire body suddenly filled with a sharp, painful tingling sensation.

“Fuck…” I hissed through my teeth, losing control of the magic immediately. The cloud faded into nothing in a matter of seconds.

“Okay,” she said, not unkindly. “So you feel how wild that is? How it’s all over the place?”

“Yeah,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “That’s the problem.”

“No,” she corrected, leaning forward slightly. “The problem is that you’re not actually directing it. You’re just... letting it happen. Your magic is happy to respond to you, but then it has no direction. Your focus is… lacking.”

“Story of my life,” I grumbled. “So how do I fix that?”

“Control requires discipline,” she said. “And discipline requires understanding. Tell me, when you called down that lightning at the party, what were you trying to accomplish? What were you feeling?”

I didn’t want to answer that. But I was starting to understand that if I wanted this to work, I needed to be honest. At least with her.

“Power,” I said quietly. “I wanted to feel powerful. Important. Like I mattered. I wanted to show off, to give people a reason to like me.”

Professor Blackwood nodded slowly, like that was exactly what she’d expected me to say. “And now? What do you want to feel when you’re channeling your magic?”

I thought about Linden. About the way he looked at me. About how he’d said my magic was beautiful, even when it was wild and untamed. About how he believed I could do this.

“Like I know what I’m doing,” I said. “Like I can do something else besides just call up a few clouds. It’s a cool party trick, but the more I work on this greenhouse, the more I realize I can’t do anything that requires finesse. Even putting up the ward was super difficult and that was the basics.”

“Realizing your own weaknesses is a good start,” she said, standing and walking over to a cabinet. She pulled out a small crystal, clear and flawless, and handed it to me. “This is a focusing stone. It’s attuned to elemental magic.”

I took the crystal, turning it over in my hands. It was warm to the touch, and I could feel a gentle hum emanating from it. Something about it felt right, like it was made specifically for what I needed.

“Hold it in your palm,” Professor Blackwood instructed, returning to her seat. “Now call up your magic again, but this time, direct it through the crystal instead of just letting it run wild.”

I did as she said, reaching inward for that familiar crackling sensation. The magic came, eager and wild as always, but this time I tried to focus it. I imagined it flowing down my arm, concentrating in my hand, funneling through the crystal.

The effect was immediate. The crystal began to glow, a soft blue light that pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat. The magic felt... different. More controlled. Less chaotic. I could actually feel the difference between what I was doing and what I’d been doing before.

“Good,” Professor Blackwood said, and there was definitely approval in her voice now. “You’re starting to get it. The crystal is helping you channel the energy, but eventually, you won’t need it. You’ll develop that focus naturally.”

“How long will that take?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the glowing stone.

“That depends on you,” she replied. “How much work are you willing to put in?”

“As much as it takes,” I said, and I meant it. The thought of being able to do this consistently, to help Linden with the greenhouse restoration without fucking it up, was motivation enough.

We worked for the next hour. She had me practice calling up small amounts of magic and directing them through the crystal. Each time, it got easier. By the end of the session, I could maintain a steady stream of magic without the crystal shocking me or the energy getting out of control.

“You have potential, Mr. Reed,” Professor Blackwood said as I was packing up to leave. “More than I would have guessed based on your previous performance. But potential means nothing without discipline. I expect you to practice what we’ve worked on today.”

“I will,” I promised. “Same time next week?”