“Principal Saint, did you know my parents?” I nearly whispered, trying to change the subject, but almost afraid to hear the answer.
“Hmmm….” he smiled softly, “Please call me Amory outside of school grounds. Yes, yes I did know your parents. A long time ago, I knew them.” He looked up at me and an expression I couldn’t define settled on his face. “You look so much like your mother, Eden,” he continued to stare at me for several moments longer and I began to feel a little uncomfortable. “Now, let’s work a little on your powers alright? Let’s make sure no one can read your mind again.”
I nodded my reply. I had no idea what it meant to “work on my powers,” and I was not completely sure I wanted to know. I felt completely overwhelmed by everything and I wasn’t sure if I could take anymore. The electricity pulsating through my veins would suggest otherwise however and I felt almost itchy to exercise the supernatural force that was, as Principal Saint said before, my Life Blood.
Chapter Nineteen
“Try it again,” Principal Saint…. Amory commanded me.
I closed my eyes, letting in every sound, every movement, and every breath. The magic flowed through me, putting every nerve on edge. My senses were sharpened like I didn’t think was possible and my breathing even.
My blood felt hot under my skin, as if it was boiling my insides, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. I welcomed the sensation, understanding it was the magic finally unleashed. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight and I could feel the magic wanting to escape, wanting to be set free.
Now that my senses were heightened, I felt the extra sense that came with being an Immortal. My sixth sense was the perception of nearby magic. What felt like electricity rushing through me whenever I was around another Immortal, was my perception of someone else’s magic. When I was near another Immortal’s magic my blood began to tingle and pulsate. The magic that consumed me now alerted me to not only Amory’s presence but that he was at this moment trying to read my thoughts.
I closed my eyes tighter and concentrated. I could not clear my mind, because then I would lose focus. I allowed it to be full of everything I could think of in order to practice for day to day activities. Closing my mind to outside forces must be natural to me or I would never survive another day at Kingsley. A small blush rushed to my cheeks as I thought about all of the days before and how open my mind had been to everyone else.
I allowed the magic to build inside of me, feeling as natural as breathing. Now that I knew the magic was a natural part of me I no longer felt the need to oppress it. I finally understood that when I would push it down before I would only make things more difficult for myself; I was not human, I could no longer act like it.
I felt Amory’s magic prying the outside of my mind. It was as if someone was trying to cover my head with a heavy blanket. Slowly he worked his magic around my mind, trying to slip under or through any way that he could; but the longer I kept him away the easier it became. My magic grew stronger and I stood up straighter. The force field I had built around my thoughts became fortified and I relaxed, this was becoming natural.
I glanced at the clock, careful to maintain my defenses, 3:OO AM. We had been working on this for hours and finally I was getting the hang of it. I felt Amory pull his magic back and I looked over to see that he was finally wearing a smile. After hours of disappointment I was thankful I could finally come through.
“Good Eden. That was excellent!” he clasped his hands together. “Do you think you can keep that up at school?” his smile faded and his expression became worried.
“Yes, I think so. It’s getting easier,” I smiled reassuringly.
“I would not risk it if I didn’t think your absence would cause suspicion. Everyone is going to be asking questions and we can’t afford one mistake. It’s bad enough your only friend at school was a Shape-Shifter, but then to display your powers in such a way as to make the Crown Prince look weak is an entirely different matter,” he wrung his clasped hands together and began to pace. I didn’t exactly understand what he was talking about, but I did trust him.
I watched him silently, realizing how similar we looked. He had the same oversized onyx eyes that I did and a tall frame topped with almost black, wavy hair. I went over the story he told me once again in my mind: my parents died when I was a baby and Aunt Syl found me while she was on a hike in the woods; I had been raised as a human until now when by accident I discovered I had powers. As vague as the story was and maybe a little farfetched, it was the only one I had.
“There is one more thing I would like to try with you. It will require your full concentration, and it will not be easy,” Amory stopped pacing and looked at me full in the face.
“It can’t wait? I’m exhausted,” I yawned in reply and sat down lazily on the edge of my full-sized bed.
“No it cannot,” Amory snapped. “Do you realize what is at stake here? There is no time for sleep; you must master your magic as quickly as possible. Now stand up and focus.”
I obeyed, feeling a little like a zombie. I stood to my feet, the magic moving with me. It was almost as if I could feel my very blood circulating throughout my body. The magic moved with it, pumping from my toes to my heart to my head and back down.
“Now build your shield again,” Amory continued. I threw my force-field around my mind and realized how easy it was becoming. “I want you to hold on to your own mind-defense while trying to read mine. Let your magic leave you slowly searching for my thoughts. Concentrate on me, on being me, on what you want to know,” he stood still, focusing on a framed picture of Aunt Syl. I realized that he had built his defense and was waiting.
“I thought only Psychics could read minds? Aren’t I a Witch?” It was late. I was tired. I felt like I couldn’t keep my thoughts together.
“Yes, you are a Witch, but after what happened last night, I just want to see exactly what you are capable of. There have been Witches in the past that have been able to read minds and I would like to see if you are one of them,” Principal Saint explained. I was too tired to argue.
I did as he said, thinking first of my magic, bringing it into my mind and creating a heady feeling. I swayed slightly, feeling a tad bit drunk, and tried to refocus. I concentrated on Amory moving my invisible and silent magic to the place where I imagined his mind to be.
I closed my eyes and focused harder. Suddenly it was as if my magic ran into a brick wall. With my mind, I moved it from side to side and up and down. I at least had found his mind; not that that was hard, a mind was where most people imagined it to be: in the head. I worked to penetrate it, to slide underneath his defenses but nothing seemed to work.
I formed the information I wanted to know as a single strain of thought, sending it through my invisible stream of magic using it as extra force against the wall Amory had created. I probed and probed, finding myself tiring from the exertion.
“Don’t give up now Eden, work harder,” he commanded, and I realized why he was the principal of a high school. Yikes.
Again, I did as he said. I stood up straighter, focusing my body as well as my mind. There had to be a loophole here. If there was a way to pierce his force-field it wasn’t going to be from straight on. I continued to search what felt like a square energy field. I moved my magic, like fingers brushing themselves over a smooth surface, until I finally found it; a small, but real opening where his energy field met at a corner.
The hole was tiny, almost miniscule and I was not surprised I had brushed over it so many times before. As I was investigating the catch, Amory realized what I had found. Quicker than I could react, it was gone.