Page 102 of Possession

Thirty minutes later, the breakfast is but crumbs, and Henry and I are on my bed, knees touching as we sit parallel.

Henry’s hands are raised, one gripping a wand to cast, the other a stage for his demonstrations. While I ate, he showcased different types of magic, and so far, we’ve gone through elemental and a bit of restoration.

“How is it that you’re able to do so many different kinds?” I ask as he fists his hand, extinguishing a flame.

“I grew up at the Institute,” says Henry. He makes a series of swirls with his wand, murmurs a word, and a cloud forms in his hand when he opens it again. Slowly, snow trickles out. “There wasn’t much to do but study.”

I lean forward, reaching out a finger to catch a few of the tiny snowflakes. By the time they’re close enough to inspect, they’ve already melted. Still, I shake my head in wonder. “That’s incredible,” I murmur.

He laughs. “It’s basic.”

I feel a twinge at that. I’m sure that, to him, it is simple, but I know nothing. Of course, I’ll have to start somewhere.

“Show me more,” I say. “Tell me everything.”

So, he does, and it turns out that the foundation of magic isn’t difficult. It requires energy, and spells can weaken over time. Different kinds of magic require different kinds of techniques, though all forms could theoretically be utilized by a single person. It’s doable, like going to medical school and getting a law degree, only to become a scuba instructor.

“Simon said it can only be learned through a formal education, but couldn’t you teach me?” I ask, then rush my words when I see him hesitate. “You said I shouldn’t learn it because I’m not part of your world, but I am. You know I am.”

“You don’t have a wand,” he finally says with a firm press of his lips. He isn’t exactly angry… more exasperated that I continue to insist with this. But he has power; he couldn’t understand how it feels to be me.

“You said that they aren’t necessary.”

“They aren’t, but there’s a cost to casting spells without one. Like I told you, there’s an order to things: if you get, you have to give.”

I’m not exactly sure what he means by that. I watched Dominachion teleport, and that hadn’t seemed to hurt him. Cera drew runes and created a portal, and she was fine. Do they face repercussions in private?

“You just had fire in your hand,” I say. “What’d you give in order to do that?”

“Nothing, because I used a wand. They serve as conduits, like a protective casing. When enchanted, the negative effects of magic go into the wand instead of me.”

“Okay,” I say slowly. “So how do I get one?”

“It must be given to you formally.”

What does that even mean?

I glance at his wand by his side, and have the quick thought to grab it and run. But then what? “Could I use someone else’s?” I ask.

“Each wand is bound to a single user.”

But of course. “So, to use magic, I either have to deal with mysterious consequences or turn into a man so I can be accepted at the Institute.”

He sighs. “I never said it was fair. And honestly, I’m not adept at using magic without a wand—it’s a different form. I doubt I could even teach you.”

I sigh, stewing on for a bit. It sounds like a lot of excuses. “So how come the Grand Mage aged so much when he trapped Aris? Why didn’t he just use a wand?”

“He did. Normally, there would be no consequence, but he casted a spell to contain Aris. Chaos isn’t meant to be trapped. He broke the natural order of things, and, as I said—”

“Magic is order,” I finish.

I’m not sure what I think of all of this. It sounds like a lot of stupid rules put in place for no reason. Did Aris make them up when he brought magic here, or were they created by whatever entity he stole it from?

“You know, you look quite cute when you’re pouting,” says Henry.

I look at him and then quickly away. “Do I?”

He moves viper-fast to plant a kiss on my nose, lips there and then back in an instant, and Henry grins while I stare in shock. “You’re also cute when you’re shy,” he says.

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