Bleeding Ink

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Milena's smile across from her was a little too bright for how early it was. Dessa was still trying to wake up herself after tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep. Her mind was racing...and she might have been playing around with her magic into the early morning hours. How could she not when she thought she'd never have it?

For not even having it for a full forty-eight hours, she was surprised at how easy it was for her, how natural it felt. Her shadowflame was what fascinated her most, watching as the glittering onyx flames dance around her wrists, weave in and out of her fingers, expanding past her body into the space around her. This magic was wholly her own, though she had to try out some of her ancestral magic she got from both her mother and father, which was what they were working on then.

Dessa had on her riding leathers, mostly to cut through the chilly morning air, and even had her cloak wrapped tight around her. One hand poked out of the front, palm up to the orange-pink sky as the sun started rising in the east over the hills past the Branvon estate. It was just the females for now – Dessa, Milena, their mothers, and Cleo. And the dragons, of course, though they were cozy and still sleeping in the dragon quarters.

"You're not going to get it on the first try, Des, so don't worry, all right?" her mother told her. "Len still can't manage it for long."

"She's three. Her magic is strongest when her temper and sass gets the best of her."

"Just another thing both of you get from me," Lyv grinned. "Jai already blames me for that gray hair he found this morning and not the fact that he's almost three hundred and fifty."

They all burst out laughing, but it was Dessa who they focused on then. Because as soon as she stopped concentrating so hard on trying to get her magic to cooperate, it finally did.

A tiny glowing orb of blueish light no bigger than the size of a pea appeared in the palm of her hand. The light illuminated the space between them. Dessa's heart raced in her chest, excitement bubbling up inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother's bright smile and tears glittering.

"I take back what I said about you not getting it on the first try," Lyv said, furiously swiping under her eyes. "You're doing it perfectly."

Dessa wanted to keep going, wanted to push herself to see how far she'd be able to go. That tiny orb of light started to steadily grow as she willed it to, feeding more of her magic into it until it was a few centimeters in diameter.

Until it sputtered out like a dying matchstick.

"Let me try again," she mumbled, shaking her hands as if to prepare herself again.

But when she did...nothing happened. She could feel her magic humming through her, but it didn't want to do what she wanted it to. Growling, she tried again. And again. Nothing.

"Well, there we go. My magic's nothing again."

Milena was the first one she saw to roll her eyes. "It's not nothing, Dessa. It's literally day three of you finally having it. It takes time to build it up, to figure out what you're able to do. You'll get there."

She wanted to get there now, but knew they were right. She didn't get so good with a blade overnight, though she could have poked a few holes in someone when she was little. She had to practice, build muscle and stamina, and hone her skills and regularly use them. It would be the same with her magic.

So, Dessa practiced.

The first day was mostly with her mother and Cleo with Milena and Thia cheering her on. Lyv not only continued helping her with the orbs of light, but also seeing just how similar their healing magic was. She grimaced as she stared at Dessa's hand before looking up at her.