Faith Heights

Chapter 37

Lydia gestured for me to sit at the couch. "I hope Leclair didn't frighten you too much. I won't be keeping you here against your will for hours at a time, but I do hope to help you better your abilities by the end of the year." She clapped her hands. "Shall we begin?"

I nodded, and spoke through the nerves and excitement fighting for control within me. "What would you like me to do?"

"Firstly, I'd like to know if Lucas has shared much with you of what you are capable of?" She asked, repeating Leclair's question.

"No, not much. I know that I'm a shaman, but I know little more than that or how to access my powers." I said, more than a little enviously. Gabby, as the descendant of a spirit of the wind, had already begun flaunting her powers in class. She could run from one place to another as if she flying, and proudly manifested stirs of currents in the air. It was hard not to be awed by the sight.

Lydia bowed her head, taking in the information. She remained still for a minute before looking up at me. "I'm hesitant to call you a shaman, even though it is probably the most accurate description of where your power stems from. You are a shaman in the most fundamental sense." She paused. "Your people – in your first life – paid their worship to the spirits, and served as healers of the mind and soul. But they didn't follow some of the most important religious beliefs of typical shamans. Your village worshipped the gods, and in return, the gods granted them longevity and physical health. Some bloodlines, like yours, were gifted with abilities of divination and healing, amongst other special properties. It was as simple as that, in their isolated village. Although I wouldn't say that your power comes from the gods, directly."

"How do you know so much of my history?" Had she been there in the village? Or did she simply know more of my story?

She merely gave a sly smirk, tapping her temple, before continuing. "Your powers are just as similar to a witch as a traditional shaman, but the energy that you use to generate such power is entirely different. You don't possess your own supernatural energy. You just have a phenomenal connection to the energies around you."

I nodded quickly, gratefully, as if I understood any of the words escaping her. "How do I access this energy?"

She motioned for me to lay back on the couch. I kicked off my shoes and rested my head on the plush headrest. I faced the plain space above the door, and the natural light turned the soft, pink walls into a faint sunset. 

I felt a little like a therapist's patient, but I listened to her instructions, and closed my eyes.

"You need to enter a trance-like state to access the dormant power in your soul. But don't close your eyes with any expectations. Just relax, breath in, and sink deeper into the couch."

I followed her words, a little sceptically. A few minutes passed, and I was tempted to make sure this wasn't a hoax and she was still actually in the room, when she spoke again.

"Focus on the crown of your head. Imagine a gold glow emanating from that point. Keep your thoughts on it as you breathe in, and out."

Visualisation? I'd never tried any kind of meditation before. Mum had attempted it once, but she could never keep her mind from scattering for more than a minute. I turned my thoughts to my breathing- but my mind refused to stop spinning. The longer I tried to relax, the more it felt as if my thoughts were hornets, loud and intent on keeping me tense. I was still so distracted by Nick, and how on earth I was going to handle the surreal situation. I could be honest enough with myself to confess that I wanted to be with him, more than I could ever remember wanting anything. But the world was telling me something wholly different.