Page 17

Suspicions Arise

The first month of training passed quicker than Adelina expected.

Her spells were successful, after considerable effort inside the prism world.

Countless occasions of shattering the plains of the dimension and setting it alight with fire were endured before she held a ball of Supreme Power—astral magic—in her hands.

An icy trail of winter lingered through February, but with the promise of spring came the hope of progression in Adelina’s own mind.

She tapped her fingers fast against the smooth wooden surface of her desk as she awaited Yelena’s arrival. Into her second month of training, she’d be coached alone. After all, she was the only one with access to astral magic.

“Apologies for my lateness.” Yelena swooped into the room in a soft glide—a stack of books in her hands. “I needed to ensure the other students were prepared to meet their mentors in their relevant country.”

Adelina frowned. “They’ve been designated to Temauten and Saintlandsther already?”

Yelena’s soft blue gaze fell on her, and a smile curved her thin lips.

“Dear, don’t worry. They each have been allocated a particular part of the Embassy, be it the Temauten Congregation, the Saintlandsther Council, or the Convocation of Toichrist. Regardless, they will be apprentices until a suitable role is given to them. ”

“Will any of them be staying here with me?” Adelina hoped Lev or Kira were remaining. Over the last month of training, they’d spent most of their time together between sessions.

Yelena placed her soft, wrinkled hand on top of Adelina’s. “Maksim and Troian.”

As her heart sank, Adelina’s mind fixed on the names—people she knew from training but hadn’t spoken two words to.

“Your mind is racing,” Yelena said. “You’re jittery and staring straight past me. Ground yourself. There is nothing for you to worry about. As for your friends, you can write to them.”

Adelina concentrated on her breath, holding it in for a few seconds before letting it out.

She repeated the process several times until her body relaxed.

She’d received one letter from her parents, and nothing from Damir.

Although she’d written to him too, she’d been ignored.

She wondered if their goodbye had affected him more than she first thought .

“Where do we start?” Adelina gestured to the stack of books in an attempt to shift her attention from Damir and on to more pressing matters.

“Well, as you can imagine, I have no personal experience with astral magic—no one around here does—but we have plenty of literature on the subject, written by practitioners of the Supreme Power over the centuries. The next part of your training will require a great amount of researching, reading, and practise. I know the ins and outs of these books, so I can answer any questions you may have, but I will not be able to demonstrate any of the magic for you.” She clomped the stack onto her desk.

“First, the servants will move all these stones out of the way and drag the table into the centre.”

Yelena poked her head outside the main door and beckoned two male servants. They shunted the students’ furniture to the sides of the room, leaving one table in the middle.

Thanking the servants, Yelena dismissed them. She moved the books, laying them open in front of them. Sunlight streaming in through the windows lit the calligraphy well.

Adelina dragged two chairs over, then slid on to one and rested her arms on the table. “You know I told you about the twins—Morning and Evening Zorya? Well, they helped me conjure astral magic with a spell. Why do I need to research it when I can already conjure it?”

“There is a fair difference between being able to conjure and being able to control,” Yelena said.

“You are aware of your connection to the virgin twins, and such connection is your access to astral magic, but you do not yet know its relation to Filip’s nether magic.

Now it is time for you to learn how this… yin-yang entity exists, if you will.”

“I’ve heard we are stronger together because of it.” Adelina shrugged one shoulder.

“A fine balance between them needs to be maintained,” Yelena said. “Like a weighing scale—it must be kept even at all times. If one side was to slip, even a fraction, the other entity will weaken and lose its control.”

“Are you saying Filip had less control over his magic before he found me?” Adelina arched a brow.

“What I tell you must not leave this room.” Yelena took Adelina’s hands in hers. “Give me your word.”

“You have my word,” Adelina said.

“Filip’s magic was volatile—the complete opposite of what yours was like when you were apart.

Yours was dormant, and you were able to live a normal life in Aramoor,” Yelena said.

“Filip was not so lucky. A great deal of pressure falls upon him from his father—his wealthiest benefactor. Filip must not fail in his mission to reunite the countries, but with great pressure, comes consequences, in the same way uncontrolled magic can bring catastrophe.”

“Another reason he needed to find me…” Adelina breathed, putting the pieces together. “Not only is he at his strongest when he is with me, but he also has better control over his nether magic.”

“Precisely,” Yelena said. “Take this as encouragement: you’re not alone.

Filip has struggled to master his own magic.

He had to learn from books and theory, as there’s no one else alive with nether magic to turn to for advice.

Lean on him for support—share with him your worries.

You will find a great deal of comfort in it.

You both have a lot more in common than you think. ”

Adelina drew her lips into her mouth and mulled over Yelena’s words. In her brief experience of living with Filip, she’d learned he was kind to her, ensuring she was looked after, but their conversations never exceeded pleasantries.

“Perhaps I will speak with him after our session,” Adelina decided.

Yelena smiled. “Good idea. Now, start with this book here.”

She gave Adelina a medium-sized, leather-bound book with a bulky spine, appearing new. “No one uses these books, as you can imagine, unless one is curious to learn about magic they do not possess.”

Flipping to the first page, Adelina read while Yelena drew a piece of parchment, quill, and inkpot from her bag, placed them on the table in front of her, then set about her task.

“I’m documenting your progress in training so far—it’ll be distributed to the benefactors to inform them,” Yelena said. “Soon enough, you will have sessions with Filip to see how your magic behaves together.”

“When?” Adelina peered up from the page. “I must be ready—I can’t have Filip seeing me unprepared.”

“Don’t fret, dear, it won’t be until next month.” Yelena smiled, then tapped the book in front of Adelina. “Read.”

Several hours passed and a chunk of the book was read.

Adelina’s brain hurt from absorbing the knowledge, ranging from the origin of astral and nether magic, its history, documentation of past tests, famous users of the magic, and a further acknowledgement of the fact astral and nether were halves of the same entity.

“It says here, astral and nether, one being, one force, one soul—an ancient, powerful magic supplied by holy Gods and Goddesses, ” Adelina read. “What does it mean by soul ? Is it really alive?”

“You have met the virgin twins—you know they supply you with Supreme Power. Filip has a similar connection with a different God, but I will let him tell you about it next month. The two strands of ancient magic are, in effect, the same, forever a part of each other,” Yelena said.

“You know there’s reliance you will both have upon each other, now you know why. ”

Adelina had struggled to accept the fact she was receiving magic from the Goddess twins, now she needed to comprehend the notion her magic was alive, a being. A soul.

“Think of it as magical soulmates, if you will.” Yelena set her quill aside. “Astral and nether, bound for eternity.”

Leaning back in her chair, Adelina wondered what this meant for her.

She’d hoped to return to her home in Aramoor after training, but the realisation of her fate unsettled her.

A thick frown creased her brows, creating a dull ache in her forehead.

No wonder Damir hadn’t written to her—why would he want to?

Maybe he’d known the reality—she wasn’t able to leave Filip.

“You are homesick,” Yelena said, tearing Adelina from her thoughts. “You have that long off stare you have when you think of your family.”

“I’ve received one letter from my parents, but nothing from Damir.

Salma says it is nothing to concern myself with as I’m to visit my family soon.

Damir will be there, of course, and I can ask after his welfare, but something isn’t right.

” Adelina shoved her chair back, rose, then paced the stone floor of the training room.

“It is the spring equinox soon,” Yelena said. “A perfect opportunity for you to reunite with your loved ones. I’m sure all will be well.”

“That’s over a month away.” Adelina swivelled around and fixed her gaze on Yelena. “What am I to do in the meantime to settle my nerves?”

“Turn your attention to more important matters—focus on your training. Learn as much as you can, gain control, prove yourself, so when you do return to your family, you bring honour to them.” Yelena’s words were gentle and full of reassurance, and her blue eyes sparkled.

Adelina relaxed her tensed shoulders and returned to her seat.

∞∞∞

Over the course of her second month of training, Adelina found herself in the prism world —a place she’d grown accustomed to. There, surrounded by a false world, and the reassurance she couldn’t do harm to anyone other than herself, a sense of peace washed over her.