Conjured

Chapter 4 - Alarms

AUTHORS NOTE: Image above is how I imagine Mark (Josh Hutcherson)

I sit down in a corner trying to make sense of how I managed to push her so hard and how she knew my nickname... no one in the camp knows my nickname.

I decide to head back and try the weights again. As I lay down and put my hands on the bar it feels different, I push up and at first it's difficult but then as I try a second time it becomes easier. I keep lifting and even put more weights on. I stay still for a minute, shocked that my thin arms can lift such weights.

Blair was right. I'm stronger than I thought.

I leave the gym feeling frustrated and confused and decide to walk back towards my room. As I walk I begin feeling weirdly confident. Something inside me is pulsing, waiting desperately to get out. "Hey Willa, why are you out of training so early?" Henry questions as I walk past him. "I pissed off Blair," I say shrugging as I walk past him. His eyes bug out. 

"What did you do?" He asks, beginning to walk alongside me.

 "I pushed her into a wall, by accident of course but still she got pretty angry" I answer. 

"You should be careful with her Willa..." Henry murmurs cautiously. 

"Yeah well she said I'm going into the arena tonight so I guess  it's too late," I say casually. 

Henry stops walking and grabs my arm. "What?" I ask annoyed that he's stopped me. "Willa the arena is somewhere you need to practice for before entering. It's a mass training area where young conjurers are put up against each other to fight competitively," Henry explains. Suddenly my confidence from earlier sags a bit as I imagine some massive guy throwing me across a room. "I've stuffed up haven't I?" I murmur in a worried tone. "No, I'll go and talk to Blair, you may be powerful but you're not trained for it and she knows that. Just go and relax in your room for a bit, I'll come and let you know how it goes as soon as I know what's happening," He says responsibly. "Thanks Henry" I say giving him a small smile. He nods and chases off in the direction Blair must've gone.

As I enter my room I see the blue box near my bed again. I sit on the edge of my bed and pick up the box. It's about the size of a shoe-box and not too heavy. I slowly unwrap it to reveal a cardboard box on which someone has hand-drawn hearts and stars in beautiful detail. As I'm studying the box someone knocks on the door so I put it down back where it was before going to open the door. Outside are Henry and Blair.

"Can we come in please Willa?" Henry asks. I nod and open the door wider and walk back towards my bed. Henry and Blair sit on the chairs near my bed and both of them stare at me for a minute. I don't say anything waiting for them to talk as I don't know what to say. Blair doesn't look as angry as before which is hopefully a good sign. 

"I would like to apologise for my earlier behaviour Willa. It was wrong of me to push you so hard when I don't know you properly yet," Blair blurts out. I stay quiet for a few seconds, taken aback by the apology. "That's okay. I'm sorry I pushed you like that, I think you were right about the strength thing," I say with a nervous laugh. She gives a small laugh and nods. "I had a hunch you'd be strong. It's always the one's you don't expect" She explains. "Okay well if you two aren't fighting anymore I suggest getting back to training. You've got a long week ahead of you Willa" Henry says standing up. Blair and I stand as well and we all leave my room together.

The next few days working with Blair to figure out my powers are as painful and tiring as Henry predicted. My speed and strength increase easily through the practice. The harder bit was working out my third power, telekinesis.