The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 3: Ward

"Are you practicing off-lesson, my dear?" Alastor asked out of the blue.

Charlie looked up from her writing, quill pen still in hand. "Only what we've already gone over! I want to make sure Invocation is perfect, so I don't mess it up again."

How had he known? Maybe because she had so many notes for just one spell. At this rate, the book containing her research would be a complete brick by the time she was done with all of them!

Or it might be that Alastor could feel her magic more acutely now. With the aid of his refined technique for channeling arcane energy, her flame magic was already significantly more powerful. She could feel the heat of its energy coursing through her if she focused on it, and he had confirmed that she'd grown in strength from when they'd begun her lessons.

The Radio Demon's maroon eyes widened as he looked down on her from his seat on the couch. "You really are eager, aren't you? You could injure yourself again!"

The tin of his voice was laced with concern, and the princess couldn't help the flutter of flattery that he might be worried for her.

"I don't cast Lock or anything else! Just Invocation, before I go to sleep," she offered to reassure him, shifting on her large cushion on the floor. She reshuffled her notes that were spread over the coffee table, having lost her place with his sudden question.

She worked at her magic daily, despite wanting to leap right into the next spell. She'd taken the lesson with her wrist to heart, letting the memory of pain remind her that she wasn't the master here.

Her pale fingers ran over her newly conjured grimoire. She had to put her trust in the magic, the same way she placed her trust in Alastor. Neither he nor Nox Magia would change for her. She'd have to work through his art, until she understood the Riddle of Magic.

How was it linked with the Hotel, exactly?

Once she knew that, she could answer the Riddle and win the game!

The blue-faced shadow sitting beside the deer demon watched her patiently, azure eyes shining with curiosity. It looked like it might speak at any moment.

She imagined it would sound like Alastor.

"Well, considering this next spell will have a more lingering drain on your strength, I propose an addendum to our rules, my dear," the Radio Demon said.

Charlie's eyebrows rose. "What do you suggest?" she asked, careful to keep suspicion out of her voice. She'd had a feeling he might start altering the game as it went along. It hurt to think that he might be trying to deceive her.

The princess reminded herself that they were technically in a game, and he was trying to win her soul.

She would have to keep on her guard.

"The win condition for each spell is going to be different, depending on the subject! We're going to be getting into more complex and taxing runic scripting as we continue. I would request you refrain from practicing outside of my direct supervision," Alastor told her.

Charlie drew in a breath. If she wanted to practice, she'd have to come here all the time? That would be basically every day! "Al... I don't know if I can come here every time I want to study. Won't that take way longer?"

Vaggie and the others had set up a weekly poker night, which coincidentally she and Alastor were both banned from (albeit for two completely different reasons), so that left her free to meet up with him on those nights. Other times she had come over when Vaggie was busy with one of the others, going out with Cherri and Angel, or wanting some time to herself to meditate and read.