Cursed to the Bone

3. Charlatans

The majority of my peers did not choose Distortion for their first class of the school year. Out of twenty-five seats, only ten were filled. Chances were, they chose Elemental, but I always considered lobbing fire a lame approach to problem-solving.

Hurried steps thundered on the floors. I snapped my attention to the door to see none other than Lucien Lacroix striding in as sleek and mysterious as could be. He lowered a stack of books to his desk and faced the room with a rushed smile. "Good morning."

Only a few of us returned the greeting, myself not included.

His crimson stare swept from student to student, passing over me and on to the next one. Leaning against the desk's front, he crossed one ankle over the other while gripping the edge.

"Welcome to your first class in Distortion. It is primarily a defensive study, but you will find that it is often used to aid in enchantments."

A hand shot in the air.

"Your question."

"Is it true that we'll learn to teleport in here?" a boy asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"In time," Lucien said before pointing at a student in the back. "Let us review theory. You. Name the types of magic."

I glanced back to see a boy straightening up. "There are five, sir. Um, Distortion—"

"Incorrect. Those are areas of study. There are two kinds of magic. Does anyone know them?"

I looked around the classroom. That wasn't something I was familiar with. I'd always considered the five studies their own types of magic.

Nix's hand reluctantly slid into the air, earning an appraising look from both Rhett and I.

"Go ahead," Lucien said, eyeing Nix.

"External and Internal?"

Lucien dipped his chin. "Can you explain the difference?"

"External is what we'll learn here," Nix said, shifting in his seat. "It draws magic from our bloodstream, which causes us to get colder the more we use."

"Internal Magic?" Lucien asked.

"The magic casts inside the blood before it exits," Nix said, voice growing as he gained his confidence. "It makes our blood boil instead of freeze. Kinda why they call it blood magic, too."

A chuckle escaped Lucien. "Exactly so. It would be wise to exercise caution when dealing with blood magic and those that use it. This leads to the topic of feral witches and their curses, and I say this only in warning."

My spine snapped straight and my heart skipped a beat as his stern gaze met mine.

"While it is true that Distortion can be used in an attempt to dispel a curse, it is discouraged to try at all. Think of cause and effect"—A ball of flame engulfed his raised palm—"Take this fire. It is crafted with the will to burn. Every magic command is a result, an effect if you please, of will." The flame twisted into a tendril of smoke that vanished in seconds. "Be it on a person or object, attempting to alter the will of a more powerful witch will kill you."

"What about curse-breakers?" someone asked.

"Charlatans. All of them. Never place your trust in a curse breaker for it is your life they wager."

Hunching over my desk with sinking shoulders, I perched my chin on my hand. I knew that, of course. I endured visits from many witches explaining the inner workings of curses and the complications of un-doing them. It didn't mean curses couldn't be broken, though. One way or another, I'd break mine.