Page 21 of House of Marionne

“Yes,” Dexler shouts. “The transfiguration is setting in nicely.” She lets go of my shoulder and I rear back in my seat. “You did it.”

“You . . . helped?”

“No more than I do with anyone. Cultivators can share a little of other magic”—she indicates the ring—“but I can only bolster what’s already there. You did it. Quite easily, I might add.”

I blink and blink again.

Oh my god.

I did real magic!

SEVEN

My mouth is still wide open. Dexler squeezes my shoulders.

“Don’t be so surprised. You’re a Marionne. Magic is strong in you.”

I can access real magic.

I can access real magic!

It blew around in me like a vicious dust storm and fought off my toushana, I felt it. Excitement wells in my eyes. Maybe I’m not entirely broken.

“Very good.” Dexler folds her arms. “Dare I say Headmistress will be ecstatic to hear it.”

It’s then I notice no one else in the session has managed to transfigure their fabric and bone to muscle yet. Cultivator Dexler’s lips are pursed with the tiniest curl at the end. She’s impressed. A weird feeling rolls through me. A smile tugs at my lips.

“All right, time.” She passes out textbooks, pulling the class’s attention back to the front. But I’m still reeling from what all this means.

“Who recalls the Second Rule of Natural Law?” Session moves on, hands shooting in the air.

“Magic strengthens with use,” the girl with the blue eyes says, her book parted in front of her.

My ears perk up.

“Precisely, Miss Duncan,” Cultivator Dexler says.

I sit up in my seat, flipping to the page they’re on.

Dexler goes on as I find the text on the page.

2nd Rule of Natural Law

Magic strengthens with use.

When you bind to one sort of magic, it dulls your ability to reach other sorts of magic.

Wait. I raise my hand.

“Yes, Miss Marionne?”

I check the page again. “Does this mean that as I use one type of magic, it becomes easier to reach?”

“Precisely. When—”

I raise my hand again, and the session appears relieved to get back to their side conversations.

“Yes, Miss Marionne, another question?”

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