to get another power boost like I saw with the confirmation. On the other hand, it was one step closer to being Prima. “Great,” I said, trying to seem enthusiastic.
“But we can talk more about that later,” Zara said. “Today, your training begins. What would you like to work on first? Memory spells, enchantments, transfiguration?”
“Defense,” I said.
Zara stared at me with a surprised look on her face. “Defense? That’s not as much fun as some of the other types of magic.”
“I want to learn how to keep my focus even in battle.”
“Battle?” she laughed. “You say that like you’re expecting to go to war at any moment.”
She was laughing, but that was exactly how I felt. I was extremely disappointed in how I reacted during the last couple of attacks. Illusion or not, I should have been able to stand up for myself.
“I can teach you a few defensive spells,” Zara said. “But to be honest, I think you have handled yourself extremely well when it comes to everything you’ve been through here in Peachville.”
“Thanks,” I said, but I didn’t feel like I’d done all that much. For the most part, I’d gotten lucky or had a lot of help. I wanted to be able to protect myself even if I didn’t have Aerden or Jackson there to stand up for me.
“Harper, I know it seems like you’ve been in danger ever since you first came here,” she said. “But I can assure you the life of a typical Prima is not like this. Once you’ve settled in after your final initiation, you’ll see that life as Prima is a lot of fun and extremely rewarding. Now that the crows are gone from this area, I hardly think you’ll have to worry about fighting anymore.”
I cleared my throat. She didn’t understand what I was dealing with here. “I’d still like to learn,” I said. “Just in case.”
Zara sighed. “Very well,” she said. “Let’s go out to the woods and get started, shall we?”
We walked together toward the ritual circle.
“Some of these spells are a bit advanced for your level,” she said.
“I can do it,” I said.
“We’ll see,” she said. “Some of this magic is beyond what most futures learn.”
“Most futures don’t have their lives threatened on a daily basis,” I said.
Zara ignored my comment and started her lesson. “First, in order to defend herself, a witch needs to understand the idea of shielding,” she said. “A shield is exactly what it sounds like. A barrier between you and whatever’s coming toward you.”
Zara motioned for me to stay put while she walked several feet away, then stood facing me across the clearing.
“Throw a fireball directly toward me,” she said. “And don’t hold back.”
I closed my eyes and focused my energy deep inside my core. When I opened them again, I was fully connected to my own power. I lifted my hands together and created a ball of fire between them. I pulled my right hand back slightly, then pushed the flame straight out in front of me. It flew toward Zara with decent speed behind it.
For a second, I thought it was going to hit her. She didn’t look concerned in the least, but she didn’t seem to be doing anything either. Then, at the last second, just before the fireball hit her, she lifted both of her hands in front of her body. The fireball smashed up against what seemed to be an invisible wall of some sort. Flame shot out to the sides, then dissipated completely.
“A shield absorbs whatever crashes into it,” she said. “Fire. Ice. Poison. Most of these things can be absorbed by a normal shield. There is a catch, however.”
Zara held her palms out toward me, and at first, I couldn’t see what she was trying to show me. Then, I noticed a glittery substance on her skin.
“What’s that?”
“The essence of the shield,” she said. “I put it out in front of my body using my own magic. My own core. The further out the shield extends from my body, the more of my essence it consumes. Almost all shields
“But we can talk more about that later,” Zara said. “Today, your training begins. What would you like to work on first? Memory spells, enchantments, transfiguration?”
“Defense,” I said.
Zara stared at me with a surprised look on her face. “Defense? That’s not as much fun as some of the other types of magic.”
“I want to learn how to keep my focus even in battle.”
“Battle?” she laughed. “You say that like you’re expecting to go to war at any moment.”
She was laughing, but that was exactly how I felt. I was extremely disappointed in how I reacted during the last couple of attacks. Illusion or not, I should have been able to stand up for myself.
“I can teach you a few defensive spells,” Zara said. “But to be honest, I think you have handled yourself extremely well when it comes to everything you’ve been through here in Peachville.”
“Thanks,” I said, but I didn’t feel like I’d done all that much. For the most part, I’d gotten lucky or had a lot of help. I wanted to be able to protect myself even if I didn’t have Aerden or Jackson there to stand up for me.
“Harper, I know it seems like you’ve been in danger ever since you first came here,” she said. “But I can assure you the life of a typical Prima is not like this. Once you’ve settled in after your final initiation, you’ll see that life as Prima is a lot of fun and extremely rewarding. Now that the crows are gone from this area, I hardly think you’ll have to worry about fighting anymore.”
I cleared my throat. She didn’t understand what I was dealing with here. “I’d still like to learn,” I said. “Just in case.”
Zara sighed. “Very well,” she said. “Let’s go out to the woods and get started, shall we?”
We walked together toward the ritual circle.
“Some of these spells are a bit advanced for your level,” she said.
“I can do it,” I said.
“We’ll see,” she said. “Some of this magic is beyond what most futures learn.”
“Most futures don’t have their lives threatened on a daily basis,” I said.
Zara ignored my comment and started her lesson. “First, in order to defend herself, a witch needs to understand the idea of shielding,” she said. “A shield is exactly what it sounds like. A barrier between you and whatever’s coming toward you.”
Zara motioned for me to stay put while she walked several feet away, then stood facing me across the clearing.
“Throw a fireball directly toward me,” she said. “And don’t hold back.”
I closed my eyes and focused my energy deep inside my core. When I opened them again, I was fully connected to my own power. I lifted my hands together and created a ball of fire between them. I pulled my right hand back slightly, then pushed the flame straight out in front of me. It flew toward Zara with decent speed behind it.
For a second, I thought it was going to hit her. She didn’t look concerned in the least, but she didn’t seem to be doing anything either. Then, at the last second, just before the fireball hit her, she lifted both of her hands in front of her body. The fireball smashed up against what seemed to be an invisible wall of some sort. Flame shot out to the sides, then dissipated completely.
“A shield absorbs whatever crashes into it,” she said. “Fire. Ice. Poison. Most of these things can be absorbed by a normal shield. There is a catch, however.”
Zara held her palms out toward me, and at first, I couldn’t see what she was trying to show me. Then, I noticed a glittery substance on her skin.
“What’s that?”
“The essence of the shield,” she said. “I put it out in front of my body using my own magic. My own core. The further out the shield extends from my body, the more of my essence it consumes. Almost all shields
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