Page 43 of A Conduit of Light
Revichled her to a rock, guiding her to sit, her mind racing with questions and feelings of complete insanity.Hethen scooped the clear water into his hands and splashed his face, wiping it dry in one swift swoop, hand still hanging over his mouth, his dark eyes on hers.
“I…I’mjust tired today.”Ashlaughed with no amusement. “That’sit.I’mjust very, very tired.”
“That’snot it,Ash.”
“Ifthat’s not it, thenI’mdisturbed.Somethingis wrong with me.”Shefell into her hands, struggling not to sob, the blood in her veins cold as she came to terms with the truth she felt was the only explanation.
“That’snot it either.”
Shecould feel his gaze and instead of wanting to run from it, she was pulled to it.Shewanted to slip into his arms and hear from him that it was alright.Thatshewas alright.
Butshe didn’t.Couldshe trust him?Orwould he run toBaronHeimlenat first chance and have her thrown out ofFelgren, her magic obviously twisted and unreliable.Hehad given no indication she could not trust him, but the lessons she had learned about guarding yourself around others seeped in through the waves of her thoughts like ink on paper.
“Whatcan you do,Ash?”Revichhad hopped over the stream and was now bent in front of her, gently prying her hands from her tear-streaked face.
“Whatdo you mean?”
“Imean, what makes you so powerful?Whatled me to find you?Showme.”Herubbed a thumb over her cheek, catching a tear as it fell. “Showme what you can do.”
Shedidn’t understand the request.Showhim what?InHyrithiashe was taught to use her magic for convenience, not for show.Andshe was never to use it in accordance with emotion, whether desired or intrusive.
Itwas simple for her.Shecould flick her wrist and cause a flower to bloom, a fruit to ripen, a bird to take flight to her hand.Butshe had never explored that power beyond the small tasks she performed for theQueenand thePrince, and she didn’t think that was whatRevwas asking for.Neverhad she allowed her magic to move beyond what was necessary, and never had she been asked to show the full power of it—not by anyone.
Untilnow.
Shenodded, standing, taking his hand in hers and wiping at her nose with the other, inhaling fully, filling her lungs with the sweet, cool air.Sheturned them toward the towering maple tree nestled above the rocks.
Anorb of green light hovered over her upturned and outstretched hand.Shestared at it, her magic flowing endlessly from her fingertips.
Itwas so easy.
Sosimple.
Hermagic flowed from the soles of her boots, from the whisper on the wind, from the growth of the trees that surrounded them.Itradiated through her.Shewas its conduit, able to pull the energy and direct it to whatever she wanted.
Onemoment she wondered what she should try to do, the next it was happening in real time as her thoughts produced the story that unfolded.
Theorb left her hand at lightning speed, splashing into the massive maple tree in an expanse of energy.Theleaves swayed and absorbed her magic almost as if in an inhalation of breath.
Hesqueezed her hand tightly, as a whisper echoed on the wind, indistinguishable, yet a language all the same.Theleaves on the tree grew darker, greener in the glow of the setting sun and its fruit was grown in mere seconds, as thousands of winged seeds flew gracefully toward them, winding around and around in a twirling dance only to fall still at their feet, in the stream, upon her outstretched hand.
“Ash…how did you…” he reached out and plucked a falling seed from the air.
“That’snot the only thingIcan do,Rev.AndI…”—tears welled again in her eyes, threatening to spill over—“I’mafraid,” she finished.
Shekept her gaze steady on him as the color around them began to change.Thegreen hue of the magic in her hand became darker, poisoned with what she would do next.
Thewinged seeds turned brown and decayed into the earth.Theleaves of the enormous tree, having been given more life by her hand, were turning to orange, then brown, falling rapidly like glass falling from a shattered window.Shewatched his face as trepidation crossed it, the tree rupturing down the center of its massive trunk, splitting open wide, revealing what once was spongy wood, now rotting and dark, the boom of the break echoing among the dense forest.
“Ash, stop!” he called out, taking her face in his hands. “Stop!”
Thecrackle of fire was next, its flames licking their way up the branches until the once living beauty was fully alight, now a charred monstrosity.
Shewas a monstrosity.
Shedropped her gaze, panting, holding onto him for a guide back from the recesses of her mind.Smokefilled the air, the fire no longer able to sustain itself without her.
“Yousee,” she panted, her head pressed into his shoulder, “this is whatIcan do.Thisis why the rhyzolm led you to me.AndI’mafraid.Afraidof myself.Icannot put my trust in you,Revich.Icannot put my trust inanyone.ImaginewhatIcould destroy if asked by the right person.Justimagine whatIam capable of.Imust rely on myself solely ifIam to live freely, without fear of my capability”—she gestured to the broken tree, its skeletal remains black and smoking—“of death and destruction.”
