Page 30 of Above
“Nova?” he asked, his voice hoarse from sleep. No anger. No yelling. Not even any fear. Well, it seemed I was smart picking eadi to rob. Shaytan clearly weren’t afraid of me in the slightest.
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to invade your space.” Wrong. I was definitely trying to do that. “I just need your help with something.”
“Help? I don’t understand.” He looked around, his gaze lingering on his window.
“Yes, Zade, it’s late. Again, I’m sorry. I just need you to show me how to get back to the barracks by shadow walking. I’m not confident I can do it, but I have to leave the island for a bit.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, standing up. He stretched, the muscles on his chest and abdomen flexing and contorting. I hated how much stronger they were than I was. How they were bred for this.
“Nowhere,” I huffed, crossing my arms. Not exactly the best way to get someone’s help. Still, it was none of his business. Zade smiled like he knew what I was thinking. “Can you just help me, please?”
“Yeah, I can help you, Supernova.” His smile widened as I groaned, the nickname ridiculous and far too friendly. Who was I to make demands though? He had the upper hand here.
Slowly, he walked my way, looking far closer to eating me than helping me. Who knew? He could have some sort of disgusting, twisted animal fetish and—like Altair—think me more beast than person.
“Magic is easier than you think, even tech.” Zade took my hand in his, raising it up until it was level with my chest, palm up. “Your mind is your most powerful weapon, but I imagine ithas to get overwhelming in there sometimes. Magic doesn’t need your mind though.”
“Of course it does,” I muttered. But I wasn’t sure. Zade of all people would know. He was probably learning about magic before he could walk, being honed every day after until he was awarded magic on his twenty-fifth birthday.
“You of all people would say that,” he huffed in return. I resisted the words that had found their way to the tip of my tongue.Don’t act like you know me.Now was not the time to argue. “Magic is a tool. All you need to do is use it. The louder your mind, the harder it is to use. The more you think, the less the magic understands. When you walk, does your mind think over each step? Do you watch your feet? Consider the bend of your knees? Contemplate what part of your brain is doing the heavy lifting?”
He had me there. Had I been overthinking magic this entire time? I had learned mostly through guides and educational texts. But maybe that was my problem. While I wasn’t bad at magic, I still wasn’t naturally exceptional like I wanted to be. Was it my tendency to overanalyze that was the problem?
Zade’s grip on my hand tightened, his other lifting.
“Want to know what I tell my magic to do?” He paused, looked at his hand, and said, “Show me Dajahim.”
A spark of silver ignited in his palm, the fire-like burst spreading and brightening as it began to form shapes. They crafted a stunning depiction of our world, the continents odd in places but unnervingly accurate in others.
Magic was mostly subjective, it only knew what the wielder did unless they possessed immense strength. Obviously he didn’t know much about the other continents and islands. However, the districts were stunning and bright, just as the island was. When he used his fingers to tug on parts of the map,it moved, the view growing closer and more specific. Soon, he had a layout of our building floating in the air.
“You don’t need some complex understanding. A lot of the time, your mind knows already, and the magic just has to be told what to do. Sure, there are some things that require more focus, but the more you overthink, the harder it becomes,” he whispered, his dark eyes locked on mine. “Now show me yours.”
Closing my eyes, I resisted the urge to dissect the steps and whispered, “Show me Elite Academy.”
Magic vibrated against my palm just before a burst of light shone from beyond my eyelids. I opened my eyes slowly, a gasp diving down my throat when I saw my own version of the island. It was the same silver glow, but there were differences to our maps, each of our knowledge, or lack thereof, showing.
“Thank you, Zade.” Awe coated my hushed voice, my gaze locked on the tech before me. I did it.
“My pleasure, Supernova. Feel free to visit my room any time,” he teased, finally releasing my wrist. Rolling my eyes, I quickly thought of my home, daring to will myself away without another word to him.
One moment I was standing before him, the next I was in front of my house, the outside obviously unchanged despite how different I felt. A few days truly could change everything. Especially since I hadn’t thought I would see it again for months.
As I snuck inside and creeped down the stairs of my lab, I realized that Celeste was right.
I was not the same, and I no longer fit here.
Chapter Fifteen
Azazel
“Something horrible happened today. Father lost the essence of the stars. I don’t even understand how it could have happened, but I do know that it’s going to change everything. And I’m terrified.”
-From the journal of Azazel Altair, 9273 AS
Iwandered through the darkness, not sure where I was, though I seemed to know the correct path was ahead. An indistinct hissing noise rang in my ears, a strange sound that made my teeth ache. That was when I felt it. One moment I was stepping on firm ground, the next I was atop moving, slithering serpents. The snakes began to coil up my legs, a faint light brightening the scene just enough for me to see the thousands of reptiles.
It hit me then, where I was. Castle Altair in the Naqi District, where all core families lived. Black walls were adorned with silver. Picture frames, wall sconces, sculptures, and even sparkling chandeliers—all the silver of the stars. Below the writhing snakes were the dark wooden floors with endless runners that matched the rest of the home, though the family crest of a snake wrapped around an eight-pointed star had been added to the patterns.
