Page 139 of Crimson Promises
The night had swallowed the last remaining rays of light. A blanket of thousands of stars shone down, bathing us in a silvery moonlight.
“Shouldn’t we stay here? There’s better lighting here.”
“Do you have to oppose and question everything I say?”
“Yes, if your suggestions present zero logic to the current scenario.”
He ran a hand through his hair. My attention snagged on how it matched the color of the inky night sky. “We are going to practice closer to the shadows because, in addition to the self-blocking techniques we worked through at the gym, you should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the magical arts. The shadows will give us the cover we need.”
I hopped up and down. “Yes. Okay. You always told me to ignore my magic. I’m ready.”
“You definitely are not,” he mumbled.
“Heard that,” I replied in a singsong voice. Usually, I would have responded with a snarkier comment, but I was going to finally learn more about my magic. Instead of trying to mess with it on my own. My body thrummed with excitement.
Ben walked away from the edge of the cliffs towards the line of trees. He stepped onto a dirt trail engulfed by the darkness. A few seconds later, he called, “Come on Aurora.”
I could barely see beyond a few feet in front of me. The only light source was the moon, partially obscured by the tree branches, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.
The sounds of rustling leaves and snapping twigs were amplified, and every little noise made me jump with nervous anticipation. My heart began to race, and my senses were heightened, trying to pick up any clues of danger.
I still couldn’t see Ben in front of me.
I had to watch to avoid tripping on rocks or roots. I didn’t want to ask for Ben's help; I wanted to prove that I could do this on my own. I may not have the same sight an angel had, but my optometrist has always said I had twenty-twenty vision.
A small yellow orb floated roughly ten feet in front of me. It illuminated Ben’s impressive form standing in a haphazard clearing. There were gnarled roots across the space, but it was devoid of the dense amount of trees like the path we just came from.
“You could have lit the way the entire time,” I whisper-yelled at Ben once I joined him in the clearing.Still not willing to disturb any of the nightlife that could be lurking nearby.
“We needed to be somewhere covered first.”
“Well, that would have been a lot of help, considering one of us doesn’t have angel eyesight,” I grumbled.
The orb remained floating in the middle of the clearing. Ben walked behind me, his thumbs drawing quick circles onto my shoulder blades. I suppressed a groan. My muscles felt heavy and shaky from the training at the gym.
He guided me to one end as he headed towards the other. When he was facing me again, his voice carried on the wind.
“Today, we are going to get started on reshaping habits to help you control your magic instead of suppress it. I’ve shared my background with you. You know I am not trained or exactly proficient in teaching the magical arts, but I’m the best shot you got.”
“Anything is helpful.”
“Most Ordinaries are not born with much power. The power that runs through your veins and mine was decided at birth. There is no way that one could obtain more magical power unless?—”
“Unless what?” I stepped closer.
“Unless one experiments with demonic power. Often, those who are most desperate will resort to such measures. Using that magic always comes at a cost. Demonic power was not born out of angelic power; it is an entity entirely other and can rarely be controlled. You received a first-hand account of that when you touched that book.”
“Never again,” I whispered as I stared down at my hands. The memory of my skin melding to the book made my body shiver.
“Good,” Ben said curtly. “With wielding any magical abilities, you must understand the responsibility you have not only to yourself but to the well-being of others.”
“I understand.”
Ben shook his head. “You don’t. There will come a time in your future when you will be forced to make choices, and those decisions will have disastrous consequences no matter what you choose. That’s when you must remember these words: Aurora, your healing gift is rare.”
“I know. You already told me that, Ben.”
“You don’t,” he began pacing his end of the clearing. Pulling at his hair with every other step. “What you have seen and experienced is a blip in what is to come. He flicked his hand to the stars. “If all of those stars were angels, maybe only one other would have the kind of powers that you do. From all of the stars in the entire sky, covering the earth, you have the ability to rewrite history. To be used as a weapon or save us from our fall from grace. Now, do you understand?” Ben admonished, his pacing form finally still.
