“I think I’m getting a good idea of what’s going on with the Light,” Zara said. “Enough that I’m not floundering, at least. But I know nothing about the Dark except that it’s what the bad guys use.”
Zara was within her rights to demand an explanation. She’d already felt the effects of three of the Dark abilities. It was only fair that she knew what to look out for.
“The world is built on balance,” Alex said. “The interplay between the Light and the Dark is as fundamental as the gravity that holds everything together. They mirror each other in many ways. Just as there are seven Light abilities, there are seven Dark ones. Each Light ability has its counterpart in the Dark.”
“You’ve mentioned these seven Light abilities before,” she said. “But I don’t even know what they all are. I only know about the Light and healing.” She paused for a moment. “And if they mirror each other, then there must be one that plays with people’s emotions. I’ve been thinking more about that second attack, and I couldn’t believe I would get so scared and run out of the restaurant on my own.”
She was a smart woman. That was good. It spelled trouble when a strong mage lacked common sense and reasoning.
“That’s right. Certain Light mages can comfort others, projecting a sense of calm onto other people. The Dark version is spreading chaotic emotions, encouraging rash decisions.”
Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked in a breath and mulled it over. “Is that what Drake did when he tested my abilities?”
Alex thought fast. Would she piece together the inconsistencies in what they’d told her about Drake? If he wasn’t a Beacon, he shouldn’t be able to both manipulate Light and project calm. “It’s similar. A trick he’s learned.”
He held his breath and waited to see if she would question the explanation, but she let it go.
“Okay, so what are the others that I haven’t heard of yet?”
“The Light abilities are Light calling, projecting calm, healing, charming, Farsight, animancy, and prophecy. Charming is when a Light mage uses her power to increase the probability that a random event will turn out in a favorable way for the target. For instance, if I knocked that altar over, you could pour energy into a charm with the hopes of it falling in such a way that the sculpture doesn’t shatter.”
She looked at him sharply. “But it’s not one hundred percent?”
“No. And the more you want to influence the outcome, the more energy you need to use. But you can never be sure what will be enough. If what you want is impossible, you could drain your entire reservoir of Light energy and it still won’t happen.”
They reached the end of the long hallway and turned the corner, entering the bottom part of the “U” the building made. A sitting area on the east side of the hall gave a spectacular view of Central Park through the windows.
Zara walked over to a window.
“It’s gorgeous,” she said.
He joined her, careful not to touch her even though he wanted to wrap his arms around her.
“It is. It’s one thing that was done right in the planning of this city.”
She nodded. “Tell me about the other abilities. What’s the Dark version of charming?”
“Cursing. It works on a similar principle, but it increases the chance of something unfavorable happening to a target.”
Zara frowned, a small crease appearing on her forehead. “Wait. Who determines what’s a favorable or unfavorable outcome? They sound like they’re the same thing, depending on who the target is and what I want to have happen.”
“If something will help the target, it’s a charm, and if it will hurt them, it’s a curse.” Alex shrugged. “There’s a bit of an art to which is which, but you can’t ever fool the Light. If you try to charm in such a way to bring the target to harm, you might as well just throw that energy away, because nothing will happen.”
She nibbled on her lip but said nothing. He gave her a second to think it through before continuing his lesson.
“The next ability is what the Light mages call Farsight. It allows the user to see another person and the area around them, but there are limitations. The person’s aura must be heavily slanted toward the Light to act as a focus for the energy, and you must know them well enough to direct the Light to them.”
He didn’t mention that Light mages wouldn’t be able to focus on her since her aura was so balanced. Hopefully, no one at Lighthaven would figure that out before he found out why.
“And the Dark side?”
“Similar ability, but the target must have enough Darkness within them to act as the focus.”
She nodded. “Not surprising. You weren’t kidding when you said the abilities were balanced. It’s like they’re the same ability, but one uses the Light and the other uses the Dark.”
“That’s exactly right,” he said. “Astute observation.”
Zara’s cheeks reddened slightly at the compliment. He liked the way it made her face glow under her blonde hair.
A creak behind them preceded a pronouncement in such heavily accented English that Alex couldn’t decipher it.
A girl stood in the hallway, looking at them expectantly. She wore jean shorts and a loose t-shirt, her chestnut hair rippling in a wave over her shoulder.
“Oh, hi,” Zara said. She glanced at Alex, and he gave shrug. “I didn’t catch that.”
It was easier to understand when he could read her lips at the same time. She spoke slower, enunciating the words. “It’s time for Zara’s first lesson in the courtyard.”
Alex placed the accent—Scottish.
He looked at Zara. Her sapphire eyes gleamed. She was ready to learn how to control her magic.
“We’ll finish this discussion later,” he assured her. “Practical lessons in using the Light are far more valuable to you right now.”
They joined the girl, who led them down the hallway. “I’m right glad you’re here,” she said. “Sophie and I could use another girl to hang out with. I’ll introduce you to her later. I’m Grace.”
“Hi Grace, it’s nice to meet you.” Zara’s voice was a little shaky, but the Scottish girl didn’t seem to notice or mind.
They reached the stairwell, Grace leading the way.
“They said you’re a Beacon? That’s really cool. We haven’t had one here since before I was born. Everyone’s buzzing about it. I can’t wait to sit down with you. We’ll be such great friends.”
As she spoke, her foot slipped on the stairs and she tumbled. With an oddly graceful cartwheel, she grabbed hold of the banister and flipped over it to land on her feet the next landing down. Barely pausing in her speech, she continued as if nothing had happened.
“I bet you’ll be stronger than Ethan. It would be good to put him in his place. He’s way too full of himself.”
Zara stared at Grace, then looked to Alex, a wordless question on her face.
“Charm,” he whispered to her. It was strange to see such clumsiness married to such grace, and magic was the only explanation.
Grace carried the conversation to the main floor and the courtyard, talking about Lighthaven and its inhabitants. If she noticed that the two following barely got a word in, she gave no sign.
The courtyard was a comfortable expanse of flagstone and gardens, with a few seating areas interspersed throughout. Balconies lined the upper stories, overlooking the sunny square. The rear wall where they’d entered the night before blocked off the fourth side of the courtyard, mostly covered with climbing vines.
A dozen mages stood on the balconies and looked on as Grace led them across the courtyard to an older man with silvered hair waiting at one of the seating areas.
“Got the girl, Reg,” Grace said, turning to go.
“That’s Reginald, Grace,” he snapped after her. Grace gave no indication of having heard him, continuing on her way. He frowned and turned to them. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Alex. “You aren’t welcome here. Only mages may view lessons.”
Alex to
ok the measure of the other man. He was the type to grasp any authority he had and flaunt it as much as possible.
“I won’t be any trouble, and it won’t be anything I haven’t seen before,” he said. “Zara and I have been through a lot over the past week. I don’t want to abandon her now.”
Reginald made a shooing motion with his hands. “Get out of here. Mages only.”
Alex stared at him, and Reginald at least had the good sense to look away, but he remained standing there with his hands on his hips, resolute.
“Fine,” Alex muttered. He turned to Zara. “Enjoy your lesson. Let me know if you have any problems.”
She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Alex.”
With a final hard look at Reginald, Alex turned to leave.
I wish Alex were here.
She hadn’t realized how much she relied on his presence to be her anchor until he wasn’t there anymore.
There was only one other student in the courtyard with her and Reginald. He looked to be a little younger than her, but not much—a year or two at most. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal a set of tattoos, but they weren’t the usual black ink on white skin. These were made of Light.
Zara gaped as she stared at them. The young man noticed and smirked, but she couldn’t help herself. The Light formed geometric patterns that moved subtly as she watched, crawling across his skin.
His hands were busy weaving strands of Light through the air, tracing them with his fingertip. They hung there after his finger passed, a delicate work of art that shouldn’t be possible. It put the brief display Drake had shown in the hotel room to shame.
Reginald cleared his throat and she tore her eyes away. “Don’t bother Ethan. He’s doing his exercises.”
“Sorry,” Zara said, face flushing. “When can I learn to do that?”
“You won’t be able to create forms like that for a long time, if ever. Ethan has been a practicing mage since he was six years old. He’s far beyond your talent and power. You’ll be lucky if you can make your palm glow, let alone perform even basic projections.”
Reginald’s tone was so dismissive that she withdrew into herself more.
Only then did she notice the mages lining the balconies on the second and third floors. Were they there to watch her?
She wished Drake and Alex hadn’t had to tell the elders at the enclave she was a Beacon, but it was a key detail that made them agree to house them. The weight of expectation from the watchers was stifling.
“Are we the only students?” she asked.
“You and Ethan are the only youths with Lightcalling ability in Lighthaven. It’s the purest of the abilities.” Reginald sniffed, as though he wished Zara couldn’t lay claim to it. “Enough chatter. It’s time to begin your lesson.
Zara tried to settle herself, shoving down her growing dislike of the man. If he taught her how to control the Light, she’d let him be as crotchety as he wanted.
“There’s a reservoir of energy within every Light mage,” he began. “You must become attuned to its presence within you. Be aware of and in contact with it at all times. Over time, it will become an extension of yourself, and you’ll know exactly how much power you have left and what you can do with it at any time.”
She frowned. Alex and Drake had mentioned this reservoir. “If this reservoir is limited with how much magic I can do with it, then how does it fill back up again?”
“Each mage will recover energy from his or her surroundings. If they are in a place full of Light, such as this enclave, a Light mage will recharge their reservoir faster than if they were in a cesspool of Darkness. That difference in the balance of power in each place can shift based on the people living there and the deeds performed nearby, not only by mages, but ordinary mortals.”
“You mean if someone near me helps an old lady cross the street, I’ll gain energy from that?” It sounded ludicrous.
Reginald nodded. “Every action affects the balance, and the balance affects the strength of the Light. Truly selfless acts can supercharge a mage’s power.”
A memory pulled itself loose in Zara’s mind of Alex jumping in front of her, defending her from attackers. Sacrificing himself for her. That magical spot in her mind, her reservoir, had been throbbing with Light, near to bursting with power after he selflessly gave himself to protect her.
“A mage’s power determines how wide of an area they can draw energy from,” Reginald continued. “Someone with barely a hint of magic, like Grace, can't extend past the room they’re in.” His voice was dismissive. “Whereas Ethan can get a boost from a shift in the balance on the other side of Central Park. There are stories of Beacons long ago who held sway over entire cities.”
She chewed on that information for a moment, but Reginald didn’t give her much time.
“Now, find the place inside your mind that glows with Light.”
She waited for further instruction, but there was none, just his eyes staring at her as if daring her to fail.
Zara hunted for the spot she’d touched a few times now. Reginald wasn’t the only one looking at her, judging her. Ethan had stopped what he was doing to look their way, and she could hear the murmurs above her from the spectators on the balconies.
The pressure made her thoughts spin, her mind chaotic. She panicked and became frustrated as she couldn't sort through the quagmire.
Where is it?
She’d never had to search for the Light before. It had responded to her need, and she accessed it by instinct. The harder she tried, the worse she felt and the more she found it hard to recognize her own mind.
“Of course, you might be too weak to find it,” Reginald said.
She had never felt so deflated.
The failure in her first lesson set back Zara’s confidence. She’d been feeling better about herself ever since she met Alex. The revelation that she could use magic and the way she’d used it to defend not only herself, but Alex, had given her inner strength she’d been sorely lacking.
That strength ebbed as she failed to call Light not only in her first lesson, but her second lesson the next day.
She’d closed herself in her room after the first lesson, not wanting to face anyone, not even Alex. The embarrassment and self-doubt consumed her, leaving her a nervous wreck.
The second lesson had gone even more poorly than the first one, and Reginald had stopped trying to help, telling her he couldn’t teach her anything until she could control her own mind.
Alex caught her after that lesson before she could escape into her room.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing her arm as she tried to slip by him into the calm fortress of her room. “I heard the lessons have been challenging. Want to talk about it?”
Her lips set into a grim line, disobeying her commands to fake a smile. “Not really. I think I’m still just tired from the other night. I need to rest.”
He didn’t let her slip away that easily. “You know, not every Light mage can call their abilities consciously. It happens sometimes.”
That gave her pause. “Really?”
“You remember Grace? I’ve talked to her more, and to others about her. She’s a charm mage, as I suspected, and also the clumsiest person I’ve ever met. She’s always falling over, dropping things, and bumping into shelves. It almost never turns out badly, though. Without even thinking about it, she charms herself and lands on her feet, and the things she drops never break. I saw her lose her grip on a plate last night, and it flipped once, landed on the ground, and all the food landed back on it. It was incredible.”
The story absorbed Zara. “She sounds like a human hurricane.”
Alex laughed. “That’s a good term for it. The point is, she’s never been able to charm anything on purpose. Despite using her magic almost constantly, she can’t call it by will.”
Zara thought it over. “I don’t want to be like that, though. I need to use it whenever I want, not just when my life is in danger.”
His hand found her
back. The touch was electric—he hadn’t touched her since they were alone in the hotel room, and she’d missed the contact.
“You’ll get there, Zara. I have no doubt. Just keep trying and try to relax. It will click soon, and then it will become second nature before you know it. Stressing yourself out about it won’t do any good.”
She huffed. “Have you ever tried to stop stressing by telling yourself to stop stressing? It’s impossible!”
Her stomach growled, a long, low sound that stretched on for a few seconds. She hadn’t eaten for a full day. Eating would have meant going down and facing other people.
“Why don’t you go grab dinner?” Alex asked. “I’m sure Grace would be glad to eat with you. Integrating yourself with the other mages would do you good.”
“Can you come with me?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I have to go find Drake, assuming he’s even here. I haven’t seen him since the first day we got here, and we have lots of things to discuss. You’ll be fine, Zara.”
It felt like he was pushing her into the deep end.
Zara wandered downstairs, making her way to the dining hall. At meal times, staff cooked meals and set the food out in covered dishes for the mages to help themselves. It wasn’t clear if the cooks were other Light mages or hired hands.
As if Alex had some special insight, Zara ran into Grace in the hallway outside the hall.
“Zara!” Grace said in that thick Scottish brogue. “Where have you been? Are you grabbing dinner? Come sit with Sophie and me.”
Dinner was roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and buttered mixed vegetables. From what Zara could tell, the meals were never complicated, but they were better than she ever had at her apartment and were cooked to perfection.
Grace led her to a wide table near the sliding doors to the courtyard. Another girl sat there. If Grace was in her late teens, this girl was between her and Zara in age. Her stylish black and white dress made Zara feel scruffy, and her hair was a strawberry blonde even lighter than Zara’s.
“This is Sophie,” Grace said. “Soph, this is Zara.”
The girl looked up to Zara, her face and body language perfectly composed. “Ah, I’ve been eager to meet you, Zara. The entire enclave has been buzzing ever since you arrived, but hardly anyone but Ethan and Reginald appears to have met you. And we don’t talk to them.”
Fallen: An Angel Romance Page 11
