Crown Of Spells

Chapter 22 - Practice

3 Weeks Later

I held the second book in my lap carefully, trying to decipher the words that were scrawled on the page. I sighed, rubbing my forehead, overwhelmed by the information. Both Miya and I were in the library studying the necessary spells and skills needed for the entrance exam for the prep school—the prep school that would be our one-way ticket into the Divination Games.

These last weeks had been stressful for both of us, especially me. My anxiety about learning as much as I could kept piling on me.

"Another headache?" She inquired, pushing the books away to get a clear view of me. I nodded, slumping onto the table, taking steady deep breaths to relieve it. "Have you considered going to the doctors and getting it looked at? It might be from the injury you sustained after running away with Julian," she chuckled.

"Funny, Miya, but I doubt they could do anything to fix my migraine. I had some minor headaches growing up as a child, and I never had an issue till now... they suddenly came back so suddenly," I whispered, trying to reason an explanation. "I've been getting more nightmares too, so something's triggering it," I added, noticing Miya's quizzical expression.

"Perhaps you're stressing so much over studying for the entrance exam. Even if you don't get into the prep school, you can still have a shot at competing in the divination games. It's just that the prep school gives you more tailored practice," she rambled.

"Yes, that might be partly why..." My body stills as I recall Julian's burning eyes.

"It's him, he did something... I don't know what it is but he's causing me to feel this way," I sit up more straightly, running my fingers through tangled hair. Did that sneaky Knight put a spell on me without knowing it? Miya smirked, and placed her chin on her hands.

"Either you've got some sort of trauma from getting held hostage or you can't stop daydreaming," she coughed on the last part, biting back her lips.

"Honestly, I wish it was either... But I don't think so... Something's putting me on the edge," I sigh, standing up and shoving the books away. Miya follows my moves, standing up beside me, sliding her wand back into a pouch she brought.

"Let's go outside and practice, it might make you feel better," Miya nodded. She led the way behind the library to a courtyard filled with shrubs and flowers. She guided us towards a marble bench, sitting down, smoothing out her yellow plaid sundress and patting a seat beside her. The sun beat down on us, and I quickly tied up my hair in a ponytail, feeling the heat glisten down my neck.

"Let's hurry, I'm practically melting," I sighed, grabbing the wand, letting my fingertips dance across the carved wood. With independent practice these past weeks, I was able to master basic and intermediate spells with my hands, however it was harder with the wand.

"I'm surprised you're having a harder time mastering your wand compared to using your hands," Miya asked quizzically, waving her wand across the sky, a trail of bubbles floated across, glistening in the sunlight before popping.

"I don't get the concept of bonding with a wand... it's an inanimate object? How am I supposed to communicate my desires to a stick?" I asked with a grave face.

Miya offered some insight. "Think of it less like talking to a stick and more like forming a connection with an extension of yourself. The wand becomes a conduit for your magical energy, like an amplifier for your intentions."

I pondered her words as I attempted another spell, focusing on channeling my energy through the wand. It felt awkward at first, like trying to write with my non-dominant hand, but with each attempt, it became slightly easier.