Whitethorn Academy

Chapter Forty-Five

Sunrise came sooner than expected. I'd tossed and turned all night, thought thankfully it meant no nightmares had plagued me.

Loki was nowhere to be seen this morning, which meant he was probably with Alek.

"Scheming fuzzy traitor," I muttered under my breath as I dressed in some workout clothes: a set of leggings and a long-sleeve shirt.

Outside in the living area, Alek was already dressed and waiting for her. He seemed particularly distracted this morning, barely registering when she walked out of her bedroom.

He didn't look up at her until she was almost next to him. Though if she startled him, she wasn't sure.

"Let's get going," Alek said, his voice sharp and commanding. For a brief second, I wanted to fight with him, but then thought better of it. He had the potential to make most of my life currently a living hell. And I was too tired to deal with his retaliation too. Besides, he may by my only chance of learning to control this magic.

Outside, the sun had just started to crest over the horizon, casting long, ominous shadows and leaving a deep chill in the air. The ever-present frost glittered darkly in the low light.

Alek didn't say anything, just quickly moved down the sidewalk and into the gym. But instead of taking us to the normal training area, he led me through another door.

It was a wide open space, with a high ceiling and a cement floor. The room smelled of dust and something slightly metallic, like old pennies. A chill ran through the room and I was glad I'd chosen my long-sleeve instead of a tank top.

In the center of the room, a large pentagram stood, with swirling designs spaced around it.

"What is this place?" I asked Alek as I approached the center of the room, eyeing the pentagram suspiciously.

"It's a practice room for battle magic. The pentagram is for protection. Magic, even magic as destructive as yours, shouldn't be able to escape the protective space. It's bound by magic and the runes around it. Inara assures me that it will contain your magic."

As she tried to ignore the fact that Inara and Alek had been discussing her once again, she asked, "So I can't lose control here?"

Alek stood near the entrance still, his arms crossed over his chest and a look of annoyance plastered on his face. "I didn't say that. Your magic shouldn't be able to leave the circle and set the school on fire."

Well isn't that reassuring, I thought bitterly.

"Get inside the circle and let's begin. We don't have all day."

Trying to calm her nerves, she fidgeting with her hands as she made her way into the center of the circle. She could feel the magic of the runes, a sensation that pressed down on her. It wasn't suffocating, but it wasn't particularly pleasant either.

"Start small," Alek commanded. "You don't need to summon lightning every chance you get. Magic like that will burn you out."

"What happens if someone burns out?" I ask idly, trying to buy myself some time before I have to try to figure out how to start small. Small has not been my strong suit. Large bolts of lightning that nearly kill people have been the only thing I've summoned.

Is that really the truth? A voice in the back of my mind asks. A shudder creeps through me at the thought of Oliver's burned body. Was it possible I'd done that? Had Parent's Day been the first time I'd accessed my magic?

"Burnout is when you reach the point of no return in your magic. You've used too much but keep reaching for power anyway. It burns through you, setting you aflame from the inside out. I've heard it's an excruciating way to die."