The Others

Chapter Fourteen

The days pass me by much faster than I like to agree. In the mornings, afternoons and evenings I train with Jonathan. In-between I walk around, scouting the camp, trying to get to know people. Almost every meal I look up Isla, and we chat while devouring what simple food we get served.

I quickly discover that Jonathan likes to keep up with an airtight schedule. In the mornings we train with the wooden swords, in the afternoon he tells me stories and answers my questions, and in the evenings he shows me the basis of practicing magic. Right when the sun starts to set, and the magic light shines brighter because of the coming dark.

I have not been able to practice magic myself. Jonathan has told me some simple spells, and ways to move my hands and fingers, but it has not happened for me yet. He has tried to comfort me by telling me it’s normal not to have it instantly, but at least a month, maybe even two, have come and gone. And I have not even seen a single spark leave my fingers.

Lilly is growing rapidly. It seems like every day I wake up, she’s grown a bit. I’m starting to believe less and less in my theory that she’s a small dragon. Yesterday I even found a small tooth in my tent, and I’m starting to believe that she’s losing her baby-teeth. I found the tooth, and decided to keep it. Not sure what I will do with it yet, but I have plenty of time to make a decision later.

It’s almost evening, and I’m looking at Jonathan and Thalia. We’re at a field, a bit further away from the camp, with no one close to us. The sun’s setting, leaving a dark orange glow on the horizon. I see Jonathan basically dance with the light behind him. He’s gracefully moving his fingers and arms, while taking careful steps. The blue, magical light follows him, and Thalia’s eyes are shining brighter again.

‘The thing is’, he tells me. ‘You need to believe in yourself. It’s something that comes as a second nature, you needn’t try to force it.’

I sigh deep, and stare at the man before me. He makes it seem so easy. ‘How long did it take you to control your magic?’ I ask him. He lowers his hands, and the light disappears.

‘Do not ask me that’, he says. I shake my head.

‘I did ask you, please answer me.’

‘Maya, everyone is different.’ I rest my hands in my sides, and look at him with a strict face.

‘Jonathan’, I say. ‘Please.’

He shrugs. ‘I have been able to use it since the day I met Thalia. But Maya, do not forget that I was raised with magic. My father has always been able to use it, so I have an unfair advantage over you.’

‘Father?’ I ask him. So far he’s never told me anything about his personal life. And I see on his facial expression that that’s not going to change today.

‘I’m trying to teach you magic, not trying to tell you sob stories about little me. Now get up, and show me what I taught you last week.’

I get up, brush the blades of grass off of my legs and walk over to him. I cross my arms, close my eyes and take a deep breath. I slowly turn my left foot out, and then in. I move my fingers, while I gracefully fly my arms through the air. After about a minute or two, I open one of my eyes a little bit, to see Jonathan.

He has one eyebrow raised, and looks me straight into my half opened eye. ‘Maya’, he says with a low voice. I quickly close my eye.

‘You’re trying to hard’, he continues. I lower my arms and open both my eyes.

‘Am not’, I defend myself. ‘I’m doing exactly what you are doing.’

Jonathan walks over to me. ‘And everyone has their own way of channelling magic, I have told you that before.’ I shrug, and feel my heart beat faster as he approaches me.

‘And I told you that I do not know my way of channelling magic.’

Jonathan stands still in front of me, and grabs my left arm. ‘And we will figure it out. Now close your eyes.’

I stare at his face. His normally cleanshaven face is showing stubbles today. His chocolate coloured eyes are staring into mine. ‘Close your eyes’, he repeats himself. This time I do as he says.

With my eyes closed and the world turned dark, I see a blue glow appear. It’s Jonathan’s magic. I do not know what he’s doing, but I feel my arms turn weightless, and warm. Without me doing anything myself, my left arms raises up, followed by my right arm.

It feels like he’s holding me, but I know it’s not a human touch. Is he doing this with his magic? The warmth takes over my entire body, and makes me feel soft. I hear his voice whisper into my ear. ‘It’s not a focus, it’s a relaxation. You need to lower the walls that you’ve learned to put up from when you were young. You need to accept the real you, the inner you. Do not think of a future, nor a past. Try to clear your mind and focus on the warm, comfortable feeling that you’re feeling now.’

This time I feel fingertips, sliding over my arms. I’m pretty sure he’s touching me now, not just with his light. My entire body fills with a tingling sensation. It feels like not just my face is getting red, but every single part of me is getting warm and rushed.

His fingertips slide up on my arms, and rest in my neck. ‘Accept it’, he says. It sounds like he’s still right next to me. ‘Do not fight it.’ I feel his breathe on my cheeks, getting closer to my lips. The light is getting brighter, but I feel like my breath is taken away. I try to inhale, but I cannot. I gasp, open my eyes, and drop to the floor.

I instantly look up, and see Jonathan is standing at least three feet away from me. It had all been an illusion. I grasp for air, and feel it flowing to my lungs. Jonathan crouches down, but keeps his distance from me. ‘You’re fighting it’, he says. I shake my head, and feel anger rising up.

‘I am not fighting anything’, I defend myself. ‘And even if I was, you can not treat me this way. Making me feel this way. It’s unfair.’ Jonathan shakes his head.

‘I’m not doing anything’, he says. ‘It’s your own magic, tricking you. Because you are not accepting it. You’re trying to fight it, because you do not believe that you are magical, Maya. Tell me right here, right now. Is Lilly your soulmate?’

My fingers dig into the wet earth under me. ‘Stop it’, I say. But Jonathan does not listen.

‘Are you treating her like an extension of yourself? Or are you keeping up appearances with her as well? She needs you, and you need her. It’s time to let go of old you, the you that was peeling potatoes and washing cabbages back in a crappy old farm.’

‘Stop it’, I warn him again. Who does he think he is, speaking of my family like that?

‘Why are you fighting this so much, Maya? Do you think you are not worthy? You’re being an embarrassment to your Other. She needs you to step up, and show her the reigns.’

I look up at him, feeling the anger boil up. ‘I told you to drop it’, I say threateningly. I see Jonathan open up his mouth to say something else, but I do not give him the chance to. I jump up, raise my right arm and keep it in front of his throat. Even with him standing three feet away from me, I see him grab his own neck. His head facing up, like he can not breathe.

I instantly let go of him, and look at my own hand. I hear Jonathan gasp for breath, but I also notice a smile on his face. ‘There it is’, he says. ‘I never thought you were that type of magician.’

I feel tears appearing in my eyes. The sensation that took over me, when I stopped his breath, scared me. I feel my chin shake, and turn away from Jonathan. I do not want him to see me like this.

‘Maya?’ I hear him say. This time he is walking up to me. He puts a hand on my shoulder. ‘Maya… I’, he starts, but I do not give him the time to finish his sentence. I start running away from him, as fast as I can. I do not care even if Lilly is following me. I need to be alone.