The artwork above is not mine.
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The afternoon was cool. An autumn breeze wafted through the mountain clearing, where they had been working with Estelle's magic. The trees and shrubs that grew within the valley had nearly finished changing colors already. The Dawn Court looked more like the Autumn Court with each passing day.
Just as Mikael had predicted and Estelle had hoped, Thesan agreed to teach her more about her magic after he saw the control she'd gained. The second day they were back in the Dawn Court, he taught her how to shield herself and others. Estelle hadn't mastered the trick yet, but she worked on it daily. Today, Thesan was showing her an entirely new move.
"I want you to try to separate your magic into different strands," Thesan said. "Similar to how the shadows can separate into different tendrils."
Estelle cocked her head. "How do I do that?"
"Summon your magic and shape it."
Estelle obeyed, forming her magic into a mostly smooth ball of golden light. Mikael watched her from behind Thesan, his hands glowing as he reinforced the shields around himself.
"Now, feel your magic," Thesan continued. "Feel how it pulls, where it wants to go, and how it wants to manifest. Feel the individual threads that form it."
Estelle closed her eyes, trying to do as the High Lord instructed. She could almost see her magic in her mind's eye. "It feels like...lightning. Crackling and unpredictable. It pulls in several directions at once. The threads are jagged and full of energy."
She opened her eyes and Thesan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If that's what you see, then that is what you should try to create. Let your magic have its way. It'll be easier to predict what it will do then because you'll be working with it, instead of against it." He backed towards Mikael, palms glowing with magic as he shielded himself. "Begin."
Estelle drew in a deep breath, staring at the magic between her palms. I can do this, she told herself. The shadows squeezed her arms in encouragement. Lightning. It wants to become lightning.
Estelle exhaled, dragging her hands away from one another. The ball of magic between them stretched into a barbed strand of sparking energy. She stared at the electricity, the magic, with delight. A smile spread across her lips.
Estelle's gaze fell on a large boulder a safe distance from Mikael and Thesan. She took aim, then hurled her magic. It struck the boulder and Estelle watched with wide eyes as it split in half.
Shadows chattered in her ears as she approached the boulder. She touched the ridged crack, then yanked her hand away. It was scalding to the touch. Estelle rubbed her fingertips against her palm.
Imagine what that could do to a person, she thought. The idea was both exciting and horrifying. She smiled, staring at the boulder. I did this. I was...mostly in control too. She glanced over her shoulder. Thesan regarded her curiously and Mikael wore a broad grin.
"Can you do that on a larger scale?" Thesan asked.
"What do you mean?" Estelle crossed her arms, facing him.
"I've heard that some of the more powerful Illyrian warriors can topple mountains."
"That's true. My father and uncles have destroyed their share of mountains. Why do you think the Illyrian Mountains are so desecrated in certain areas?"
"Do you think you could do it?" Thesan raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want me to try?"
Thesan nodded. Mikael's head bobbed in silent agreement as his father said, "I'm curious about the true extent of your power."
"Is it safe? I could destroy a mountain."
"It will be fine. There are no homes or settlements nearby. This entire area has been secluded since Mikael began his training. Ameer and I made sure of it."
"What about the wards? My magic won't reach beyond them."
"I'll lower them for now and restore them after this experiment."
Try, try, try, the shadows urged. You want to know what you can do. Here is your chance to find out.
Estelle nodded after a moment. "All right."
Thesan lifted his hands. His palms glowed briefly as he undid the wards protecting the clearing. He and Mikael backed away even further. Thesan gave her a short nod.
"Try not to kill anything, Batsy," Mikael called.
Estelle rolled her eyes, turning her back to them. She summoned her magic once more, letting it take the electrical form it desired. She stared at the peak of a mountain in the distance. Estelle crossed her hands towards her shoulders. The magic spread before her. She sliced her hands outward and magic ripped through the air.
Estelle stumbled back from the force of it. Mikael was there in a heartbeat, grabbing her by the shoulders to keep her steady. His shield fell over her and they watched her magic tear through the sky. Mikael's hands tightened on her arms as an echoing crack split the air.
Dust billowed from the sides of the mountain as the summit was severed from the base. It crumbled into boulders and dust, raining down into the valley below. More dust rose from the now hidden debris as it crashed to the ground.
"Shit," Mikael breathed next to her ear.
"Shit," Thesan echoed.
Estelle let out an uneven laugh. "I've never wielded my magic like that before." She leaned into Mikael, a dull headache blossoming through her temples.
Thesan massaged his forehead, staring at his feet with unmasked surprise. "That was... I mean... Wow," he chuckled breathlessly. "It's a wonder you haven't been given siphons yet. With power like yours, you should have been training with them for decades by now."
"It's not uncommon for Illyrians to receive siphons only after they complete the Blood Rite," Estelle replied.
"We'll take more precautions while training. I'll strengthen the wards when I reset them. We might have to see about other conduits that could help you until you receive siphons," Thesan listed, beginning to pace.
Estelle's headache was growing worse. "I think I'm done for the day. That took more out of me than I expected."
Thesan paused, glancing up briefly. "Of course. We'll resume this tomorrow if you're feeling up to it."
"Can the shadows take you back to the training grounds?" Mikael asked. "I should stay here and see if Father needs my help with anything. We might have to come up with a few explanations for the sudden disappearance of a mountain."
Estelle nodded with a quiet laugh. "I'll be fine."
Mikael's gaze flickered towards his father. Thesan was pacing once again. Mikael partially extended his wing, hiding Estelle from sight. He hooked a finger beneath her chin, drawing her lips to his.
"You haven't told them yet?" Estelle murmured when he pulled away.
"Not yet. I will soon, when I can tell them both at the same time. They've been busy lately." Mikael smiled, tucking his wings against his back. "I'll see you later."
Estelle nodded and let the shadows fold over her. They carried her away from the clearing and back to the training grounds, where a warm bath and a soft bed were calling her name.
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Mikael slouched into a chair beside Nyx. Corbin and Lysander were sprawled across the floor in front of the fireplace. Calden was out of sight, but the running water from upstairs told him enough.
"How did Estelle's training go this afternoon?" Lysander mumbled, his eyes half closed.
"I saw a mountain collapse," Nyx remarked. "Did she lose control?"
Mikael shook his head. "She split a boulder and Father wanted to see if she could do that on a larger scale. He had her aim for the mountain."
"And the lesson of the day is don't let Estelle mistake you for a rock formation," Corbin snickered. He crossed his arms and rested his chin atop them.
"Are you sure you should be teaching Estelle to wield her power to this extent?" Nyx asked.
"Why shouldn't we?" Mikael knit his brows.
"Suppose she gets angry and summons her magic. She could severely injure or kill someone."
Mikael crossed his arms. "Apparently, it wouldn't be the first time that happened."
Lysander's head snapped up. "You told him?" He fixed a cold hazel gaze on Nyx. "She doesn't like us talking about that without her permission."
"I know. Don't worry. I only told him that she killed five people and how she killed them."
Lysander narrowed his eyes. "If it's not something you're supposed to talk about in front of me, maybe you should stop talking about it," Mikael huffed. "All you're doing is making me want to ask questions."
"Questions that we can't answer," Lysander snapped. "And questions that she won't."
Corbin looked between the three of them, a note of hesitation in his eyes. "Nyx does have a point. How many people has she almost killed with the shadows alone?"
"You should have a little more faith in her," Mikael interrupted.
Nyx shook his head. "It's not that we don't have faith in Estelle. We just know how she is. She's impulsive, stubborn, and hotheaded. I'm worried that her learning to use her magic will cause more problems than it's worth."
"She's going to learn to use it eventually anyway. If not now, then after she completes the Blood Rite. Why shouldn't she learn about something that is an integral part of her? A part of her that she will never get rid of. A part of her that she needs to know how to control?"
"And maybe she'll be ready by that time, but is she ready now?"
"Yes." Mikael's gaze hardened as he watched Nyx. "You don't know how happy this makes her. She wants to learn. She's excited to learn. It excites the shadows too."
"What if she loses control?" Nyx asked. "What if she hurts you or Thesan...or worse? What then? What will happen to her?"
"She won't hurt us. We shield ourselves and she's careful as well."
"I don't think she's ready."
"It doesn't matter what you think!" Mikael snarled. They both leaped to their feet, wings flared and glaring at one another. "What matters is what she wants and what she's willing to learn. How many times has she been told she isn't ready for something? How many times has she been held back from reaching her full potential because no one trusts her to know her limits? When does she get to make those choices for herself?"
"I'm just expressing my concerns."
"How would Estelle react to your concerns?"
"I'd hope she would listen to me and actually consider them."
"I didn't ask what you hoped for. I asked how she would react."
They continued to glare at one another. Lysander and Corbin had risen and lingered nearby, ready to grab them should they attack one another. Angry instincts pounded through Mikael's mind. Nyx held his gaze, refusing to back down.
"Hey, what's going on?" Calden appeared at the foot of the steps. No one acknowledged him. He shouldered in between Mikael and Nyx. "Whatever this is about, it can wait. Let's go, Mikael."
"Where are you going?" Corbin called as Calden dragged Mikael out the door.
"To get him calmed down."
Mikael forced himself to look away from Nyx and follow Calden through the training grounds. The farther they got from the house, the easier he could breath. His instincts dulled slightly and Mikael ran his hand down the back of his neck, loosing a heavy sigh.
"Thanks," he said. "I don't know how much longer I could've stood there without doing...something."
"Don't mention it," Calden replied. "Mind telling me what all of that was about?" Mikael sighed and recounted the contents of the argument to his friend.