Page 156 of Cursed Evermore
She laughed. “I'm sure it would, but this book is banned in the mortal lands. There are spells that even humans canperform. Though I doubt your grandmother left hers in the Ravenwood. I can't imagine a mage making such a sacrifice. It's even more valuable than a grimoire. “
“It would be just like my grandmother to hide such a thing in an astral pocket.” I smirked.
Arielle's eyes lit up with delight. “Oh, she sounds like she’s quite a character.”
“She is.”
She gestured toward the book with awe. “Read it and fall in love with it. People say the book connects with them in different ways, depending on your needs.”
“I look forward to diving in.”
“Good. Ready to start with a rebalancing exercise?”
I nodded, feeling more enthusiastic.
“Okay, show me some power.” She rubbed her hands together with excitement.
I set the book down next to me, took a deep breath, and thought of the exercises we'd done as I held out my hands to feel the air.
The connection I'd felt yesterday was instantly there, as was that spark inside me. I spoke the incantation, and the white flame appeared in my palms, bright and wonderful.
“Very good. That flame looks much stronger today.” Arielle looked impressed.
“My magic feels stronger.”
“Perfect. I think I can take things up a notch then.”
“In what ways?” I asked, moving the flame from one palm to the other.
“I think we can jump straight into arcane magic exercises.”
I gasped, and my flame sputtered out. Arcane magic was the most complex of the magical disciplines. It was the technique mages used to draw energy from the Fray and bend it to their will. “Are you sureIcan do that?”
“I don't see why not. You said you've levitated things and made flowers grow.”
“Yeah, but that was hardly anything. I could just about lift a stick off the ground by five inches and keep it in the air for about a minute. And the flowers... well, they bloomed and died instantly.”
“It doesn't matter. You still tapped into the basic essence of the technique. Today you'll just learn a little more about how to use the technique to invoke the magic from everything around us.”
She gestured to the trees and the sky. I could see now what she meant about being at one with nature.
“The Fray is the wild heart of magic. It's raw, untamed, and dangerous.” Arielle spoke with intrigue. “Arcane magic allows us to shape it. And that can be into anything you want.”
My nerves spiked. “Anything?”
“Anything. Think of the Fray as a raging river. Arcane magic is the vessel you build to sail it. Without the craft, the river will tear you apart. But with skill, you can guide its current to move stone, stir wind, or breathe life into flame. The Fray is the power. Arcane magic is the discipline that bends it to your will.”
That gave me goosebumps. They flushed over my skin from head to toe, filling me with that sense of earnest belonging again. I leaned forward, my pulse quickening. Every lesson with Arielle felt like stepping closer to a truth I'd been searching for my entire life. “How do I do it?”
Her smile widened with a dash of mischief. “The best way is to call on creatures that share our world,” Arielle said. “Not to control them, but to invite them into trust.”
“Trust?” It sounded so simple.
“Yes. You'll see what I mean. First, close your eyes and breathe. I want you to align your focus with the Fray energy.”
I did as she said.
“The Fray will feel raw and wild when you first connect. Like grasping pure lightning. Don't be afraid of how overwhelming it might seem. Let that raw energy flow through you to connect with your powers. You should feel a tug in your core once you're connected, and then a knowing feeling. Like you're part of something infinite.”
