Although Violet did not have much faith that they would be able to do anything, it made her happy that Carl wanted to try, and Yana felt like she was able to. So, even if Violet wasn't expecting awesome results from the spell when she sat down amid the chalky lines, she was optimistic enough about life in general.
"Remember we did the exercise with the tennis ball?" Yana asked. "Try to let the power flow out at a steady trickle."
It was all well and good for Yana to say, but it was hard to concentrate with Carl holding Violet's hand. His fingers were entwined between hers, and he held on with a firm grip, whereas Yana held Violet's hand loosely. It made her feel unbalanced. Violet liked the way Carl's hand interlocked with her own and she didn't want to change it, but it felt too intimat
