Casters Book Two: Shadow Caster

Chapter One

"Easy now, easy does it. You almost have it." Cyrene hovers close to me.

I narrow my eyes and press my lips into a thin line as I concentrate. The glyph is steady and as I activate it, I watch the glass of water shake a little before levitating up in the air. I concentrate as hard as I can as I levitate it to the yellow tape line on the wall.

"Hey, how's it going?" Lorelei walks into the room.

The glass faulters and nearly crashes to the floor. I catch it just in time with another glyph and the water plops out and back into the glass.

"Shh! She almost has it." Cyrene waves her off.

I release the catch glyph and once again refocus on the levitation one. The glass goes up and up and up until it reaches the tape line.

"Ah! I did it!" I scream in excitement.

The glass falls and crashes to the ground, water splattering everywhere.

"You did it!" Cyrene celebrates with me.

We jump around in excitement and squeal in Joy.

"I knew you could do it!" Cyrene high fives me.

"Now that you two are done being doofuses, food." Lorelei shows us the bags of takeout.

I haven't had outside food in forever. Not that I'm complaining but sometimes a girl really just wants a big fat greasy fast-food burger.

"Lifesaver," Cyrene kisses her before taking the food from her hands.

"How would you function without me?" she smirks.

"I ask myself that every day." Cyrene begins to dig into the bag.

I roll my eyes.

I look at my phone to avoid addressing Lorelei.

It's really late, but Cyrene is pulling an all-nighter with me. Tomorrow is my placement exam in spellcasting. If I pass, I get to move up a level. I really, really, really want to pass. That way I can at least stick with the same class for the new semester. If I fail, I'll be put in a new class with a new wave of young students.

Things have calmed down a lot since everything. With the task force at my side, I've been improving greatly. I've officially been here a few months. The semester ends soon and then winter break. This will be the first time I can see my family in person since I got here, hopefully, I will have good news to give them.

The visions have been few and far between, but I have had a few. Nothing groundbreaking though. Lorelei and I still don't get along, but we put up with each other for the sake of Cyrene.

'Sleep!' I smirk at the new text from Vega.

'You can't mind bend me through the phone.' I respond.

'Worth a shot.' She responds with a shrugging emoji.

I giggle.

"Emery, food." Cyrene draws my attention away from my phone.

I sigh and walk over to her and Lorelei, sitting with them at the break table. Cyrene's office was too crammed to practice, so we came to a break room, one designated for the four pillars. Lorelei let us in.

"Okay, four down, one left to go," Cyrene says as she sticks her paper straw into her drink.

"I got this," I say confidently.

"You are going to pass out and sleep through your test." Lorelei comments.

"It's not even 3 in the morning yet," I say.