Magister Orion keeps me in the training room for an entire week.
Eating. Sleeping. It doesn''t matter; I do it all there.
At first, it''s weird. I''m always rushing, wanting to go back, to see if we''ve heard from Sister Miriam or Selene, but Magister Orion points out every time—enough time hasn''t passed in our world.
It''s weird. I don''t think it''ll ever feel right.
"How long has it been? Didn''t you say it changes?"
"It changes from time to time, but stays stable for long periods." He rests in a hammock, swaying from two palm trees in the middle of our weird, metal training room. He looks like he''s on vacation.
Marcus is watching in silence, as he always does.
Vanessa''s asleep in her own hammock. They''ve been taking turns.
Me?
I''m drenched in sweat, but there are three different flames, about an inch in size, floating in the air in front of me. It''s little more than candle-strength, but I''m proud of it.
Maybe it doesn''t sound like much, but it''s massive progress.
Instead of pestering Magister Orion for a more concrete answer, I try to pull the three flames together and merge them into one.
It all falls apart after that.
One flickers out of existence. Another bounces off, and I cut my trickle of magic as it dives straight for Magister Orion''s face.
It, too, disappears.
In the end, I''m left with one feeble little fire.
"Damn it," I mutter, cutting my magic and watching it fade away.
"Nine hours have passed in the Fae Ward," Magister Orion announces on the heels of my failure.
I blink, surprised. "How do you know?"
"Stop," Magister Orion''s voice cuts through my concentration. "Focus on gathering your magic inside of you until it''s stable. Your control is poor."
My eyes snap open and I stare in exasperation. "Why didn''t you tell me that earlier? I''ve been at this for days!"
He chuckles, a deep rumble that fills the room. "How would I know if I didn''t watch you trying to control things?"
His point is fair, but I still feel like he''s dragged me around for way too long. "Fair point. So, what should I do?"
"Close your eyes again," he instructs. "This time, don''t try to push your magic outward. Instead, imagine it as a ball of energy in your center. Focus on containing it, making it denser, more compact. It will fight you. You have to subdue it."
Following his guidance, I close my eyes and visualize my magic as a swirling orb of light within me. It''s harder than I expected, like trying to hold water in cupped hands. Every time I think I have a grasp on it, tendrils of energy slip away.
It isn''t a fight. It''s like my power''s laughing at me.
"Good," Magister Orion''s voice is softer now, encouraging. "Keep at it. Control is the foundation of all magic. Without it, you''re just a walking disaster waiting to happen."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I mutter, but I don''t lose focus.
Time seems to stretch as I work on containing my magic. It''s frustrating, like trying to solve a puzzle with pieces that keep changing shape. But slowly, ever so slowly, I feel the energy becoming more stable, more solid.
The wiggling is back.
It doesn''t want to be contained, but can no longer slip away like wisps of smoke. Now, it''s like wrangling a goddamn alligator.
My head pounds. I''ve been concentrating for too long.
"Open your eyes," Magister Orion says after what feels like hours.
I do, blinking as the room comes back into focus. To my surprise, there''s a faint glow emanating from my skin. It''s subtle, barely noticeable, but definitely there.
"What''s happening?" I ask, my heart fluttering. Did I do it? Is this my magic?
Magister Orion smiles. "Don''t get excited. I''m transferring some energy to you. I can sense your magic going wild. It will help your headache."
"Oh."
Damn it. I thought I''d done something.
My disappointment must be clear on my face, because he clears his throat. "You''re doing well, Ava. Most students take months to get to this point."