Page 61 of A Touch of Stars and Stones (Kirrian #1)

thirty-five

. . .

Ever

R owan has us back in the classroom in the morning, the familiar tables pushed to the sides and the centre beckoning to me.

I guess we don’t have time to practice in secret, after all.

Because the room like this means one thing, and well, screw him.

If he wants to play this game again, he can deal with the consequences.

Walking across the classroom, I stop in the centre because it’s a sure bet he’ll start with me.

After the gathering in the dining hall last night, I hoped that Ten would pay me a visit.

Or at least that’s what I think I wanted.

My feelings towards him are confusing, like there are too many paths for my feelings to go down.

And I’m not sure I trust my own feelings at the moment—or my sense of good judgment.

But I can do this. I can train.

The knowledge that I have friends, people looking out for me, is the only thing holding my feet to the floor and my spine straight as I stand and wait.

They won’t let anything bad happen to me. It’s the mantra I run over and over as I sweep my gaze over everyone who enters.

“Good. Ever, you seem to have guessed the subject of our lessons today. I’d like to see what we can do by combining three people through touch. It will be a benefit to all, seeing as the first trial is only days away.”

The trial. I’d almost forgotten.

“Does Ever have to be at the centre of everything we do?” Ascella complains. “There are other combinations to try that don’t include her.”

“Yes, there are. But as she is the anomaly here. We’ll start with her.”

“I won’t.” Ascella crosses her arms in defiance.

“Even if she could be your true partner in a Triune pairing?” Aurelia’s softer words float over us, providing a calming influence.

“Triunes are rare. I don’t need it.” Her answer is resolute and aimed directly at me.

“Noted.”

“Right, well, Ever, we’ve seen what you, Ravi, and Ten might form. How about another attempt? A more purposeful one this time. All three together.”

“First,” I say. “What’s the aim of working in three?” I ask. I’ve read and remember Micah talking about it along with the idea of finding your Triune, but I want to hear her explanation.

“With three, there is the unknown.” Nova, the Custodian for the Elemental Order, offers.

“With two gifts, there’s usually amplification, and the mixing usually stays within the dominant person’s traits.

Even with yourself, that is what we seem to be seeing.

But with three, that’s when truly unique and special abilities form.

The Triune is a gift unto itself when three people connect in every way possible to benefit their own strength and magic and those of each in their Triune.

Friendship, their Order, and their own traits, both inherited and gifted, all play a part.

It is a truly rare occurrence, but one that benefits all Kirrasia.

” He sounds almost reverent when explaining.

“So, working in threes to find this Triune is trial and error?”

“That is a very literal interpretation, but if you want to look at it that way, then yes. Many of the services and the benefits which you live with in Kirrasia and The Court, are from the magic of a Triune. The Maker’s gift is enhanced by her Triune.

The heated water running through The Court is due to the three able to generate heat from the Earth.

Others are more beneficial in combat,” Nova continues.

“With you, Ever, there is a greater unknown. So, it seems fitting for you to go first.”

I look at Ten and catch his eyes for the first time this morning, and I don’t miss the fist he’s made with his hand at his side, but Micah steps forward next to me.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“Training. Come on.” He turns his head a little. “I’m the weakest here. Maybe it will be safer this way.” He nods, and I want to offer him a hug I never got to yesterday.

“I’ll do it,” Capella’s voice rings out in the class, and she steps up next to me and Micah.

Well, we were going to be doing this without the Custodian’s knowing anyway.

“Simple steps to start. You’ll feel your power mix.

It may be instant, it might warm up, and you may even be able to feel it.

Like when two people connect. Test it out and see how it might combine.

” It’s the longest explanation Rowan’s ever provided before these experiments, but it offers nothing I’ve not heard from my friends before now.

“Ready?” I check with them both.

Micah just grabs my hand in response. This time, now I’ve practised, I hold onto the calmness inside of me and breathe through the slight rush I feel.

Watching, he holds out his other hand for Capella.

She takes it, and the feel of the power flowing changes, like somebody strummed their thumb on the line of connection, the vibrations alternating in response.

Those vibrations shift, as if Micah’s ability to shake the ground is suddenly in the air around us. I close my eyes and focus, pull my own power from that well at the centre of me, and let it flow out between all of us.

“Holy shit!” Calix’s voice booms out around us, and I open my eyes. And see nothing different.

“What?” I look to Capella and Micah.

“You’re invisible. Gone.”

I can see Micah and Capella. But then Micah shifts, and an iridescent shimmer follows him, as if there’s light reflected or refracted around us.

“All of us?” I ask.

“Yep,” Calix confirms. If he hadn’t been there to tell us, we wouldn’t have known.

“That’s pretty cool,” Micah smiles at me before Capella drops his hand.

“That’s a very useful defensive and offensive power,” Rowan reviews the three of us.

“I’m sure Orion Ciro will be interested in this.

” He nods to Aurelia, and she busies herself with her notebook.

“Well, shall we carry on? Maybe there’ll be more than just that he’s interested in after we’ve finished. ”

Capella stays, and Micah switches with Azur. Nerves creep over me after last time, but he volunteered, and I wasn’t going to be able to practise without people like him. At least I know what he did last time.

Like before, we take up hands, and I feel for that pulse or vibration of energy. But this time, it’s like a whisper. It’s hard to focus on, like the energy is floating, moving, seeming to be looking for something, as if it doesn’t want to be caught.

It makes me nervous, and I want to shove it away, and a feeling tells me it’s Azur doing this.

He’s drawing me in again, but I recognise it this time, and I push my own calmness, my own power towards him, stopping him from seeing anything inside my mind.

And I see my own faint whisper rise from the water.

“Hey, hey! What did you do?” Azur’s grip weakens, but he doesn’t let go.

“What is it?” Capella asks.

“I can’t see. I’m blind.”

I look at Capella, and she shakes her head. “I’m fine. It’s only Azur.”

“Is that normal?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Try to feel for the power. See if it’s something you can push to me, too.”

The pulse of power seems to bang against my skull as I try to take hold of it and control it. But it’s there, like a tendril, smoke on a breeze, and I urge it to Capella. It resists like it’s fighting back, not like with Azur.

“Did it work?” I ask.

She turns to me, and then I see a grey mist cloaking her eyes, stealing her sight. Like shadow thieves doing their bidding.

“Okay, that’s freaky. I can’t see anything.”

“Azur?”

“Nope, still blind here.”

I drop our hands, and they both shake their heads, coming out of it. “Not so helpful,” I murmur, and check that Capella’s back to normal.

“Interesting that you seemed in control, Ever. What made you want to steal their sight?” Nova asks.

“I didn’t. It was something else that triggered that.

” I look at Azur, whose cheeks darken. He was trying to get in, and this was my defence.

“Azur, the two times we’ve connected, I’ve responded to whatever you’ve done first. I’m defending against whatever you’re planning.

” Anger ripples through the well in my chest.

“I’m not planning anything. I just thought…”

“You’re a Guard,” Ten interrupts. “You know what you’re doing.”

“Okay, a good theory, Aten,” Aurelia interrupts and takes down more notes in her book.

This is going to take forever. Working out all the intricacies of each other’s gifts and how they might blend. No wonder training is so drawn out.

“Okay. Ten, why don’t you join Ever, as you’ve had such a response previously?”

“No. Not Ten.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

I can’t do this with him here. “ Not yet. I don’t want to hurt you,” I offer as a way of explanation.

My eyes flash to him. “I promise we can practise alone, but I can’t do it here.

Not yet.” He did the talking thing to me last night, so I scream the words towards him and hope the tether between us still works.

“Okay. But be careful. You’re right to call out Azur. Ask for Calix.”

“Calix?” I look at him without another second. He steps up immediately.

We spend the rest of the morning repeating the process with as many combinations of people and magics as possible until every fibre of my body is protesting, and I can barely hold myself upright. I sway, just a little, like I’m going to pass out from exhaustion.

Each mix gives me a new feeling, like a unique colour, like the signature before, but it also gives something physically too, as though the body of water I draw on is being filled, replenishing with every touch.

So far, each touch seems to help clarify and hone my own recognition of my power. And although Azur still scares me, he’s given me more of a clue as to how to work and defend using my magic.