Page 28 of Ash and Feather

She thought for a moment before continuing, using her hands to mime the concept as she explained it. “Imagine a current that weaves between all the places of the world. It carries you on its own; you don’t control it any more than you control a rushing river. It’s a bit like the paths that twist and turn through Eligas: You simply surrender to its power, but tell it where to let you out of the waters by picturing or feeling a particular place. A place that, as you know, is much easier to travel to if you’ve left a marker there, so to speak—a concentration of your particular brand of magic.”

I nodded, feeling a touch more confident. Ididknow how it worked—and had for some time. Putting it into practice was simply the next step.

I could do this.

“We’ll stay close to the palace,” Mai said, “since it’s drenched in Fire magic residue, obviously. It will draw you toward it, so even if your spell goes way off course, you shouldn’t end up too far from here.”

My gaze swept over that palace, studying its twisting spires and white stone, admiring the colorful glass windows that had all been personally crafted by Dravyn.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw fire building in the distance—Moth and Zell, still playing. Their burning display drew me in just as before, and now it gave me an idea.

“Could I try to move myself toward their fires?” I asked, nodding in that direction. I felt a connection to them and their magic—more so than to the palace itself.

“Good thinking,” Mai agreed.

The praise gave me another surge of confidence that lasted for approximately five seconds—until I turned and fully focused on the hill the two playful creatures were tumbling around on.

They seemed much higher up and farther away all of a sudden.

“Relax,” Mai reminded me.

“I’m here to extinguish whatever you inevitably set aflame,” Valas added, ever so helpfully.

I closed my eyes, trying to empty my mind of everything except the image of the fire show Moth and Zell had been putting on. I tried to imagine being a part of that show, sitting astride Zell’s back, flames dancing all around me—andfromme. We drew from the same divine source of fire, so now I just needed to let it pull me in.

Same fire, same fire, same fire…

I clenched my eyes even tighter for several beats, then opened them, blinking slowly.

Nothing had happened.

I tried again with the same results.

“Well, at least nothing’s on fire yet,” Valas said cheerfully.

“That’s not helpful commentary,” I heard Mai hiss.

They both sounded very far away, even though I hadn’t managed to move an inch.

I ignored them and tried again.

And again.

And again.

Whatever it took, whatever I had to endure, I would not stop until I got this right.

Hours later,my head was pounding and sweat dripped down my face, stinging my eyes. My bones ached as though some invisible force had been trying to rip them from my body—which I suppose wasn’t far from the truth; though I hadn’t managed to transport myself anywhere, itdidfeel like every attempt rattled something inside me a little looser, and it was only a matter of time before all those broken pieces ended up flying out in all directions, out of my control like everything else seemed to be.

Mai had assured me this was a normal feeling and that it would pass.

Valas had volunteered to help me collect my bones and organs whenever they inevitably scattered, which earned him another scolding from the Serpent Goddess.

I’d lost track of the exact time, but it felt like we’d been at this for almost an entire day now.

And I still could not get the spell anywhere close to right.

I’d managed to wrap myself in flames repeatedly—a good start to a method many divine beings used. I’d seen Dravyn do the same thing before he disappeared, essentially letting his magic bleed out of him in order to make it easier to surrender to the older, deeper magic that allowed one to be carried away on thatcurrentMai had spoken of.

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