Page 39 of Body of Echoes

I let my eyes wander to the king and queen, watching their arms wrapped around each other’s waists with smiles on their faces as they spoke to two students in the back.

The teacher’s kind gaze fell on me. Her hair was parted down the center, black bangs flaring out around her cheeks and pinned back. Long, loose strands fell over her shoulders. Her high-arched brows lifted in surprise by my question and her raspberry lips with a deep cupid’s bow twitched upward into a pleasant grin. “I can certainly help you.”

An uncontrollable squeal burst through my lips.

It caught the queen’s attention because I heard her announce, “Teacher Talia, meet Princess Ripley.”

At the sound of my name, the class went quiet. In fact, I think possibly all of Elizy went quiet. For a split second, I could hear the refreshing wind swooshing by and insects buzzing. Hell, I could hear the hum of the barrier.

Gasps filled the air, the student’s eyes widening as they zeroed in on me.

Talia lifted a hand, palm facing the students as she smiled at me and said with enthusiasm, “Oh my goodness.”

I swallowed hard. I did not want this to be about my title. I wanted this to be about honing my magic. I sent a hard glower at my parents before I huffed.

Talia’s grin reached her eyes, making the indigo pigment of her irises illuminate her features. She put her hand down and turned to the class. “Princess Ripley wants to learn to use her magic, so let’s teach her, yeah?”

I cringed then clenched my teeth, annoyed that she had just announced my intentions. Daring not to glance at the king and queen, I kept my eyes glued to her delicate movements.

The crowd of students agreed in unison. The sound of their squeals and chatter soothed a part of my soul that I had lost two months ago. Caring for Ellion City’s children was a joy I had really missed.

Babysitting. I had made money. The stash must still be somewhere in Aldris’s house. I mumbled quietly into her ear, “I will pay you for private lessons.”

She shook her head and smiled. “You will do no such thing. You will join the class. We learn from each other.”

The students cheered with agreement. Their faces lit up and it ignited a joy in my heart I couldn’t deny.

“Would you like to show us what your magic looks like? Call it forward, down your arms.”

I cringed thinking about how mine didn’t even slightly resemble the beautiful patterns down all the children’s arms. My heart raced, and the pressure from fifty prying eyes made me want to run and hide.

“Don’t worry,” Talia encouraged, “we all had to start somewhere. We’d never judge.”

“Fine.” I let the aquas streak down my arm in shaky lines. Each held a glimmer of sparkle, but it was inconsistent.

“Interesting. What we want are curved lines that draw patterns over your skin in a way that’s unique to you.” She brought her own magic forward and showed me. The designs were beautiful. “It looks as though perhaps you are trying to copy what you see in others instead of thinking about your magic as its own life. You do not control your magic, Princess. You and your magic must work in tandem. Think of it as a stranger you are trying to win over.”

“That’s okay, Princess Ripley. I did the same thing,” a small voice called out to the right of me.

I looked to see a blond boy with cute freckles dotted across his skin, a missing front tooth, and eager eyes with a dark ring around the irises. “Thanks, kid.”

Talia smiled at the interaction between us and so did the king and queen.

“How do I do that?” I posed.

“How about we all have this homework today? For ten minutes before you go to bed, I want you to sit, breathe, and listen. What is it that your magic wants? Where in your body does it rest? Does it sound like anything? What shape does it take on? What’s its temperature?”

“Cool beans, Ms. Willbe,” the class said in unison as if they had practiced it many times.

“Good. Return tomorrow with your answers. Nine in the morning.”

“Actually,” my mother blurted from the back, “tomorrow, we will be conducting a recrowning ceremony at that time.”

“Okay, then—” Talia chimed.

“The ceremony will be at ten thirty,” I corrected, glaring at my parents with narrowed eyes. Stay incontrol. I could feel pride for myself building in my chest and steeling my spine. I turned back to Talia and said confidently, “I will be here for class at nine in the morning.”

“Ten thirty it is then,” my father grinned.

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