Forbidden Magic

Chapter 14

By the end of training on the first day, Prudence was only able to drag the book off of the bench. She watched with disappointment as it hit the ground with a thud and refused to move any further. Myam explained that it was a great start for an apprentice. Prudence was frustrated. How could she shove an entire wagon loaded with logs but not pull an item that weighed less than a few pounds?

It was also a little unnerving to her how calm and amicable Myam was being. She was used to his hostile temperament and the way he looked at her with hate. But, what Prudence did not know, was that Myam had been at the ready for her to lose control at any moment. While he walked about her, he watched for anything that would cause a problem and was ready to snuff it out if needed. However, he was going to do his best not to incite the reaction he had received on their first day together.

On the third day of practicing in the courtyard, Prudence was once again trying to get the book to come to her. She stood with her hand stretched toward the bench, her face scrunched in concentration. But she could not get her mind to quiet down. Nor could she get her heart to settle as it ran with embarrassment.

“Calm yourself, Prudence, you have to center and ground yourself,” Myam instructed.

“I am trying sir,” she answered, then let out a sigh and opened her eyes, staring sadly at the bench. “I can’t seem to focus today.”

Myam stepped to her side and turned her to face him, then he grabbed her hand. She resisted the urge to yank it back. He had kept a respectable distance from her until now, and it made her a little nervous that he was this close. He placed her palm flat against his chest and just above his heart, gently holding it in place. Prudence stared wide-eyed at her hand, then moved her eyes to his face. She could feel a blush crawl up along her neck, ears, and over her cheeks. She was sure that her face was the same color as Lord Dumont’s flag now, which did not help in easing her embarrassment. Her heart caught in her throat. She had never been this close to anyone except her family. She always viewed touching someone as an intimate act. But Myam did not seem fazed by it. His dark gaze held no emotion as he watched her.

“S-s-sir?”

“You need to be calm and focused, more so now than you will need to be later on. By then, wielding magic will come as second nature, but it takes time. You have to establish the connection first. Pick one constant thing and use it to ground yourself. For most mages’ it is their heartbeat… Feel how calm and steady mine is?” he paused for a moment, allowing her to pick up on the thumping before his fingers started to tap with each beat. “Bu-bump….. bu-bump..… bu-bump..…”

She could feel his heart beneath her fingers. He held his other hand out towards the bench, while he stared down at her. The book smoothly glided through the air and into his outstretched hand. He took a step back and let her hand drop from his chest.

“There are things you can control in this world and things you cannot. You cannot control what happens around you, but you can control how you react to it. You can be calm in the midst of chaos, you can be focused in the middle of battle.” He let the book go and it floated back to the bench. “Calm and steady breath, calm and steady heart. Now, let's try again.”

Prudence could still feel the blush burning across her face. She cleared her throat, attempting to shake the uneasiness away. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused on her heart. It was still beating fast, Myam’s sudden venture into her personal space had not helped. She concentrated on how steady his had felt under her palm, ‘Bu-bump….. Bu-bump…..’ she mouthed silently, willing her being to mimic the steady rhythm. It took a few moments of her silent chanting before her heartbeat cooperated. Her green eyes flashed open, and the book soared through the air once more. She snatched it from its flight with an excited smile.

“Well done.” Myam smiled. “Now onto the next one.”

The rest of the training session went by with her moving books from place to place. Myam watched her cautiously but praised her when she did well. Even though Lord Dumont ordered him to teach her, it was a two-sided coin. He hoped this would keep her from going off again, but also wondered if it would only make things worse for her. Prudence was unaware of Myam’s inner turmoil. She was very pleased with what she was able to accomplish today.

When she was back in her room, she began to practice grounding and centering herself. As she had done the past two days after training. In days before, she could still see the power there, but not touch it or feel it.

Sitting cross-legged in the center of her bed, she closed her eyes and focused on her heartbeat. Imagining that with each pump of blood, her magic was pushed through her as well. She could feel the golden power flowing through her limbs, causing them to tingle. It was as if she was waking her limbs up after they had fallen asleep and gone numb.

She began to relax deeper into herself, focusing on that connection.

“You are not ready for the power you possess.” her own voice echoed in her head, and it startled her. She quickly glanced around her room to make sure no one had snuck in on her, but it was empty.

“Wh-who’s there?” Prudence questioned the air.

“I am you, and you are me.” the voice spoke back softly. Prudence shook her head, her auburn ringlets bouncing with the motion.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“In time, little one, all in good time….” the voice trailed off.