Page 56 of Blood of the Stars

Sylmar followed her gaze. “Good. Jasperus is one. That wasn’t really a fair question. We tend to hold our magic close to us. You probably haven’t seen enough of it used. Tell me about noetics.”

She couldn’t decide if the idea of holding magic close sounded safer, like they might only use it when absolutely necessary, or if it meant they only used it secretively. Were any of them using their mind-reading skills right now?

Cyrus cleared his throat, angling his head toward her drawing.

“Um, noetics.” She frowned at her Wheel. “Noetic progenies tune in to the mind: feelings, thoughts, memories—again on opposing constructive and destructive spokes.”

“Correct. On the constructive side, they plant feelings, thoughts, and memories, which is what your mother does. On the destructive side, they receive them. It’s much harder to see these progenies using their magic, especially in battle.” Sylmar tapped his temple. “But a fight can be won in the mind before it’s even begun. Same with the pneumatics, who do what?”

“They sift through the soul,” Aeliana said, “discerning truth in the present and the future on the constructive side and discerning lies in the present and the past on the destructive side.”

“Which spoke does Aeliana fall on?” Cyrus asked as Velden and Iris joined them by the spring’s edge. They each found a rock to sit on or lean against.

“Her mother is a constructive noetic,” Sylmar said. “So perhaps Aeliana will lean that way. Emeris is gifted at transferring memories. It’s said she can allow someone to relive a moment from her own life with such clarity that they have difficulty grasping whether or not it actually happened to them.”

“She holds back, though,” Iris said, her gaze softening. “She waters it down because she wants her memories to remain her own as much as possible.”

Aeliana drank in the glimpses she got of her mother, even though they centered around magic. They quenched her thirst far more than the water they’d stopped for and reminded her why learning the ins and outs of magic was worthwhile.

“What about her father?” Cyrus asked. “Or does it pass down from the mother’s side?”

“Rildan is a great man,” Sylmar said, the praise from his lips rare. “But he’s just a man. As far as we know, he’s the first human to use the starbridge from Lorvandas.”

Aeliana leaned forward in disbelief. “He’s Lorvandan?”

Cyrus frowned. “Wouldn’t that make Aeliana have a low concentration of starblood? It sounded like it should be higher when Or—” He broke off, glancing at Aeliana, who shook her head slightly.

Her trust in these people grew every day, but she still wasn’t ready to tell them about Orra.

“I just thought she’d have more starblood if her magic was so strong,” Cyrus finished.

Sylmar leaned forward, peering at Aeliana. “I suspect she has more of her mother in her than her father. She even looks more like her mother.” He settled back against his large rock. “Regardless, her guardians built up her body’s demand for energy, which is why we have to wean her.”

“Why don’t all half-lights who aren’t progenies do the same, then? Build up their energy through blood magic?” Aeliana asked, her hands growing clammy just from voicing the horrid question.

“Because it’s a detestable form of magic,” Iris said with a shudder.

At first Aeliana shrank back, regretting the question, but she supposed it was the reaction she wanted. If they despised blood magic as much as she did, they would never force her to do it.

“Do you already feel the energy returning?” Sylmar asked, studying Aeliana.

She nodded. The warmth of the Sun had overwhelmed her a dozen times already. By the Sun’s peak, she felt rejuvenated, but the closer they got to the Sun’s sleep, the more the energy started to feel strained, like her skin wouldn’t be able to encase it this same time tomorrow. She knew she could go longer than that; she’d done it in the past. But it wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Good,” Sylmar said. “Even though spokes can be consistent among family members, there are tests done in the schools of nobles to determine a progeny’s spoke. We can simulate one of them this evening. See where your strengths lie.”

Aeliana opened her mouth to protest, but Cyrus caught her gaze and raised his eyebrows. This was what she’d come for. She nodded, attempting to align her heart to agree even though the thought of voluntarily performing magic felt wrong.

Sylmar stood and brushed off his cloak, calling for everyone to resume their brisk hike.

Velden offered Aeliana a hand up, the residue from his webbed fingers feeling more like a lotion than the slime she’d expected. She subconsciously rubbed it in her hands, staring after Sylmar.

“You know, you and I are more alike than you might realize.” Velden’s grin widened. “My mother crossed the barrier probably a dozen years before your father.”

“I thought Sylmar said Rildan was the first,” Cyrus said.

“He was the first Lorvandan. My mother had a different starbridge.” Velden laughed, wiggling his webbed fingers once more before walking backward toward Sylmar. “Haven’t you figured out where I got my webs and water from by now? She was Sayhleen.”

“Half-fish?” Cyrus scoffed. “Sayhleen aren’t real.”

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