Page 70 of Tempest Awakening

"Disperse into your groups," Hawthorne instructed. "Each group will work with four cubes, one for each member. Remember, this is about control as much as strength."

Our mismatched quartet approached our set of cubes. Kane and Mason eyed them like a welcome challenge, while Anya and I hung back, considerably more cautious.

"So, uh," I whispered to Anya, trying not to broadcast my ignorance to the whole class, "what exactly is Core Magic?"

Anya raised an eyebrow, but there was no judgment in her expression. "It's the fundamental magical energy all supernatural beings can access," she explained quietly.

"Oh," I nodded, then paused as her words sank in. "Wait,allsupernatural beings? Does that mean humans don't have it?"

Anya's lips quirked in a half-smile. "Actually, humans do have it, just in very limited amounts. Most don't even know it exists."

My eyes widened. "Seriously? How come I've never heard of this before?"

"Well," Anya lowered her voice further, "humans usually can't access it consciously. They might call it intuition or a gut feeling. It's not enough to do big magic, but it's there."

"Great," I muttered, eyeing the imposing metal cube. "So I'm supposed to lift this thing with my 'gut feeling'?"

"Don't worry," Anya said, a hint of dry humor in her voice. "I'm not exactly thrilled about this either. My kind of magic isn't great for feats of strength."

Curiosity piqued, I was about to ask Anya what kind of magic she had when Kane stepped forward, a smirk playing on his lips. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and bent to grip the cube. As he straightened, the cube rose with him smoothly. He held it steadily at chest height, then with a controlled movement, lifted it over his head.

"Show-off," Anya muttered, but I could hear the impressed note in her voice.

Mason grunted, stepping up to his own cube. He rolled his shoulders, the movement drawing my attention to the broad expanse of his back. I found myself holding my breath as he bent down, his t-shirt stretching taut across his muscular frame.

When Mason gripped the cube, I could see the muscles in his arms and back tense. Then, with a powerful motion that made my mouth go dry, he lifted. Unlike Kane's smooth movement, Mason's lift was a display of raw power. The cube didn't just rise; it shot up as if it weighed nothing at all.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight of Mason holding the cube overhead, his arms steady, veins standing out against his skin. A bead of sweat rolled down his neck, and I had the sudden, inexplicable urge to... No. Focus, Tess.

"Now who's showing off?" Kane muttered, but there was a note of respect in his voice.

As Mason set his cube down with a resounding thud that shook the floor, I realized I'd been staring. I quickly averted my gaze, hoping the heat I felt in my cheeks wasn't visible.

The knot in my stomach tightened. The difference in their strength was clear, but both were so far beyond what I could do that it hardly mattered.

Anya stepped forward next. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her hands gripping the cube. I watched closely, curious to see what she would do.

Her fingers twitched, and the cube began to rise, albeit slowly and with a bit of wobbling. Anya's face was a mask of concentration, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She managed to lift the cube a few inches off the ground before gently setting it back down.

"Not bad," she muttered, wiping her brow. "But not exactly my forte."

Now it was my turn. I approached the cube, my palms sweaty and heart racing. I placed my hands on the cool metal surface, trying to summon... well, anything.

“Thalon?”I called out mentally. “Any chance you could lend a hand here?”

“I'm here, little one,”his voice resonated in my mind. “Try to feel the energy within you. It's like a ball of power deep in your chest.”

I closed my eyes, concentrating hard. A ball of energy in my chest. Right. I tried to imagine a sphere of power nestled behind my sternum, willing it to expand and flow into my arms, my hands.

Nothing.

“It's not working,”I thought, frustration building.

“Patience, Tess. Focus on our bond. That connection is your gateway to magic.”

I took a deep breath, thinking about the moment I first saw Thalon, the instant connection I felt. A warmth spread through my chest at the memory, but when I tried to channel it into lifting the cube, it fizzled out like a damp match.

"Ms. Whittaker?" Professor Hawthorne's voice cut through my concentration. "Is there a problem?"

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