Page 38 of Knot My Wonderland

"Better," Chi murmured, noticing my shift in focus. "Now, close your eyes."

I hesitated, remembering how vulnerable I'd felt during our earlier training.

"I won't command you," Chi promised, his voice gentler than usual. "This is about perception, not control."

Reluctantly, I closed my eyes, immediately feeling more exposed. The darkness behind my eyelids seemed to pulse with potential, as if the act of shutting out visual input had heightened my other senses.

"Now," Chi's voice came from somewhere to my left, "tell me where I am."

I focused, trying to detect his presence without sight. There was a subtle shift in the air, a warmth that didn't belong to the kitchen itself.

"You're near the window," I said, turning my head slightly toward the sensation.

"Good," he purred, his voice confirming my guess. "Now where?" The air changed again, a cool current brushing against my right side.

"By the doorway," I answered, more confident now.

"Excellent. And now?" This time there was no sound, no movement of air, just a sudden awareness of presence directly behind me.

"Behind me," I said, spinning around quickly.

Chi stood mere inches away, his smile approving. "You're learning to sense the currents. The magic leaves ripples when disturbed, even by someone like me."

I opened my eyes, finding him much closer than I'd anticipated. Those teal eyes studied me with an intensity that made my heart skip.

"Is this really necessary?" I asked, taking a small step back. "I thought we were focusing on magical defense."

"This is magical defense," Chi replied, his tail swishing lazily behind him. "Wonderland's magic responds to intention and awareness. The more attuned you become to its patterns, the more effectively you can manipulate them."

He gestured toward the kitchen door. "Come. The garden will serve better for what I want to teach you."

Outside, the air felt charged, like the moments before a thunderstorm. The garden had transformed again, the flowers now glowing with subtle phosphorescence despite the daylight. They turned toward us as we approached, petals unfurling like curious onlookers.

"The garden responds to your emotions," Chi explained, noticing my fascination with the luminescent blooms. "And right now, you're... excited. Nervous. Perhaps a little afraid."

I shot him a glance. "Wouldn't you be, in my position?"

"Terrified, most likely," he admitted with surprising candor. "But fear can be useful when properly channeled." He led me to the clearing where we'd trained earlier, the circle of bare earth now shimmering with faint silver patterns that matched the ones beneath my skin.

"The nexus has attuned to you," Chi observed, circling the perimeter with appreciative eyes. "It recognizes your magical signature."

"Is that good or bad?" I asked, stepping cautiously into the circle. Immediately, the silver patterns brightened, responding to my presence like a pet greeting its owner.

"Unprecedented," Chi replied, his expression unusually serious. "Magical nexuses are notoriously particular about who they respond to. This one has essentially... claimed you."

I felt a warm pulse beneath my feet, as if the earth itself were acknowledging Chi's words. "So what does that mean for my training?"

Chi's smile returned, sharp and delighted. "It means we can attempt something more ambitious than basic shielding." He moved to stand opposite me in the circle, his form solidifying more completely than I'd seen before. "Varik would disapprove, but Varik isn't here."

"Why would he disapprove?" I asked, suddenly wary.

"Because what I'm about to teach you isn't just defensive," Chi replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's about turning your energy outward—projecting rather than simply redirecting."

The silver patterns beneath my feet pulsed brighter, as if eager for this new direction. I felt an answering warmth in my veins, the magic responding to Chi's words before I'd even consciously decided to try what he suggested.

"Projection can be dangerous," Chi continued, his form rippling slightly at the edges with barely contained energy. "Especially for someone still learning to control their connection to Wonderland. But you're different—the magic already recognizes you as kin rather than merely user."

"What exactly am I projecting?" I asked, flexing my fingers where silver light traced delicate patterns across my skin.

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