“I’m fine,” I smiled. “I’m just going to go practice upstairs.”
Fletcher nodded, eyes lingering on mine briefly still before turning back to Aldris.
I sluggishly ventured up the steps, plopped on the bed, and stared at the piece of glass while listening to Fletcher teach Aldris about using magic.
Hours passed before Fletcher came in search for me, finding me staring longingly at the glass.
“How’s Aldris?” I asked lowly.
“He’s good. The magic seems mostly out of his system and he’s relaxing, waiting for side effects.” He approached me, that air of darkness following him, coiling around me and comforting my melancholy. “How are you?”
Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t think I was going to cry, but as he sat down beside me, they willed themselves free. “I can’t get it,” I vented quietly.
He moved my curtain of blonde hair away from my face, kissing my temple. “It’s okay, princess.” His hand stroked my hair again, removing more long strands. “Do you want to try to break it to see if it worked?”
“No,” I huffed. “I already know it’s going to break.” I tossed the tile onto his lap. “Here. You try.”
Fletcher curled his upper lip and lifted the glass. “If you, Graff, Aldris, and Rosaanne can’t do it, why would you think I could? Of all of us, I haven’t had magic the longest.”
I shrugged. “Mirin said nothing will progress if we don’t try something new.”
Fletcher took a deep breath. I watched intently at my aqua magic swirling down his arms in beautiful bends and glistening curves before it pooled at his fingertips. “What am I supposed to do?”
I pointed. “Make that glass indestructible.”
He stared at the glass, pondered, then transferred my magic into the tile.
The tile ignited with black smoke that held an electrical charge. Dark violet lightning bolts burned around the tile with a somber glow.
I leaped to my feet, standing on the bed, hands pressed against the wall behind me. At the same time,he sprung to his feet and backed up toward the railing in awe.
When Fletcher saw he had done something to manipulate the tile in the strangest display of magic, he dropped it.
The tile clanged against the ground, not shattering.
I let my own magic fly toward the tile, and it didn’t break. I tried again and again and again until my whole body was covered in magic recoil. Until my hair was of dull brunette locks. I looked at him with wide eyes and every part of me feared with confusion as I realized what this actually meant. “Youareworking with the Cidris!”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
“What!” Fletcher screamed as his eyes darkened. “You think I’m working with the Cidris?Still?” The pain in his eyes welled in waves of bewilderment. “After everything—are you serious? Why the hell would I do that in front of you if I was legitimately working for them?”
Aldris rushed up the steps and positioned himself between us, arms outstretched to both of us with my magic glowing in straight lines over his arms. “What the hell is going on?”
Both Fletcher and I let our magic pool down our hands at the ready.
“It’s Fletcher! He made those cages for the Cidris.”
“No! You don’t know how wrong you are,” Fletcher bellowed, more magic pooling. “You have my fucking magic, Ripley! How could I?”
“Then, explain that tile,” I shouted.
“Calm down you two,” Aldris warned.
“I don’t know! I’m usingyourmagic.” He gave a sharp exhale, let the magic extinguish over his skin, and lowered his voice. “I’m not going to fight you, Ripley.” He came to the edge of the bed and sat with his head hanging.
Aldris dropped his hand that reached out to Fletcher but kept the one toward me steady.
