The Son of Ice and Dusk

Where I am invisible and for once it's on purpose

Even after I had a good night's sleep, I actually felt too weak to go back to my training, but knew we couldn't lose any minute.

That morning, Raegan showed up to my room with a weird pink plastic cube.

"Don't worry, it's not a chew toy for dogs," she said, reading my puzzled expression. "It's a polymer cube that imitates the reactions of Enchanters. You can cast a spell on it and see how your opponent would react. We are going to use it to learn our second lesson: how to kill."

She shifted the cube into her hands.

"This polymer is called ReAd, from the Latin word Readopto which, I guess, could mean remodelling in this context."

"I never got to ask you why Enchanters are so obsessed with Latin," I said. "I have a theory, but I don't know if I'm right."

"I have no clue whether it's just Enchanters in the United Kingdom or not. Maybe all across Europe," she replied. "But this was our language when most of our rules, politics and culture were created. Right before we had to separate ourselves from the world of humans. People who write history books say life was great back then. It was good for us to dwell between humans."

I wanted to reply that it was never good for me, but what did I know? It must be hard to live separated from the creatures that look more similar to you, all the while being less technologically advanced and having traditions that are almost only based on magic — because that was what had divided the two species in the first place.

"ReAd was invented by an Enchanter who had your name," Raegan said jokingly. "Ryan Young. Maybe it's a sign. Maybe he's your father."

I wanted to tell her that it certainly didn't work that way, but I was too angry to speak. I knew she was only joking, but I didn't need an excuse to learn how to kill anymore. I couldn't wait to get my hands on that cube.

"You're an asshole, McIntosh," I whispered.

I hoped Malinov wasn't going to kick me out of his Academy of Perfection and Politeness for swearing.

I looked at the cube, concentrating, for some time but nothing happened. Hey, killing is not that easy.

Sometimes, to cast a great spell, it takes hours. Unless you're an expert, of course. After an hour, the cube was crumbling up.

"That's good!" Raegan exclaimed. "Though you'd have to be faster. I figure it's going to take us a few more days to start our quest."

I would have wanted to learn quicker too, before joining what was likely a suicidal quest.

But killing on the spot is not easy, not even if the thing you're killing is a polymer cube invented by someone who shares your name.

As it often happens, just when I was about to give up, I felt something clicking inside of me.

And the cube vanished into thin air.

"I know I shouldn't say this," Raegan commented. "But it gets easier with time."

I hoped she meant it in a theoretical sense.

With a nod of her hands, she put the cube back together.

"No," she said bitterly, her voice shaking a little. "You can't do that with people."

"So, what do we do now?" she asked then. "Do we have to try it again?"

"No," I said. "Let's talk."

"Talk?"

"Yes, I want to talk to you, Raegan. I've been meaning to tell you something. In the past few days, I tried to pretend everything was cool. But it wasn't. I had never even imagined one day I would join a quest. I have never been more scared. I fear this isn't enough. I fear it will never be enough. You're a good teacher and I'm a quick study, but until a month ago I didn't have any magic in my veins. And what about Jeff? How can we know what he's learning, or how quick he is?"