Page 25 of Reckless Witch

“That means you are casting the spell while maintaining an altered state of mind,” she says, finishing my thought.

Or an alternate reality.

“That’s like an alternate reality,” a guy says.

“There are some who believe dreams are an alternate reality,” Miss Mack says.

“But lucid dreaming is knowing you’re dreaming and taking charge and even creating in that dream,” the guy says. “That’s different than regular dreaming. You’re creating that dream world.”

Miss Mack nods. “That is what we have found to be the case.”

“So it’s a virtual world,” the young shifter says.

“Virtual worlds are created in the waking world,” Miss Mack replies. “They are not created solely with the mind, as in a lucid dream.”

“So I can go to, say, Hawaii and check out the chicks in bikinis,” another male student says.

Laughter ripples through the room.

“With lucid dreaming, you can create a version of Hawaii in your mind,” Miss Mack says. “But you are not actually visiting Hawaii.”

“So close,” the guy says, a more laughter.

“The Shadows can’t feed off magic cast within a dream?” Ariel asks, and I’m surprised at the genuine interest in her voice.

“There is a fragile balance,” Miss Mack replies. “But, yes. Only a small amount of magic works within a lucid dream—and I do mean lucid dreaming. You must be in total control of the dream. And—this is paramount—the person casting the spell must be at complete harmony within themselves.” She laughs. “Something not easily accomplished in everyday life, much less when facing a foe as insidious as The Shadows.”

She runs a finger alongside half of the symbols. “This is the section that guides one into the meditative state. Once focused in the meditation, you purposefully step into the lucid dream.”

My mind races as I scan the instructions. Calm body and breath. Remember something you are grateful for. Affirm: I will focus my attention…I can do it. I will do it. I am doing it. Once in the meditative state, no distractions. From there, you tell yourself to dream, that you own the dream…and the dream begins.

Then comes the spell…

“The second half is the incantation that is spoken while in the lucid dream.” Miss Mack points to the symbols that begin the spell.

I’d never thought about casting a spell during a dream. Why would that be necessary? The spell is complex. Even with all my illegal street witch experience, I know I can’t succeed. Is the focus and concentration that the meditation achieves before the dream begins what is needed to cast such a complicated spell?

“Let’s have a student demonstration, shall we?” Miss Mack asks. She adjusts her eyeglasses on her nose and scans the room, but I already know who she’s going to pick. “Leilah?”

I rise and start toward her, but she says, “No, Leilah. Sit back down at your desk. You will enter a dream state. We don’t want you falling and hurting yourself.”

Thomas sends me a smirk that says that’s exactly what he’d like to see.

I return to my seat.

“Typically, a person lies prone while working this magic,” Miss Mack says.

A shiver of dread slides down my back. Fight The Shadows while lying down? That’s scary as hell. I fix my attention on the blackboard.

“If you will, Leilah,” Miss Mack orders.

She retreats to one of the lab tables, leans against it and folds her arms. I try my best to ignore her and the few scattered snickers. Slipping into an altered state of mind is as natural to me as breathing. Grams used to say that I must have spent many lifetimes learning how to achieve altered states. I relax my body as I study the spell’s five symbols. The first four are easy enough: fire, light, peace, earth. I know how to draw my power into the shapes and breath them to life. After all, they were the first things Grams taught me, even before ABCs. But it’s the last symbol I don’t understand. It’s not one I’ve seen more than once or twice, I think. I’m only half sure it means mirror. It’s definitely not a shape I’ve ever breathed life into.

“Sometime today, Ms. Crowe?” Miss Mack prods.

More snickers.

I commit the spell to memory.