Half Wylde | Book 1

Thirty Seven: Company

I was thrown into the darkness with a stale roll of bread. It took me a long time to find where it had landed in the dark, and I devoured almost all of it. With more than a little willpower I was able to set aside some for later, since I didn't know when the next time I'd be fed again was.

My mother. DuVarick knew her. So was she from the Winter lands? Or was it something else? And why did he have such a problem with my existence? And what about me was a trick that King Baeleon would want to kill me for it?

And where were my friends?

I sighed, the thoughts chasing each other around my head and making my headache. I leaned against the door and closed my eyes, rubbing my palms over my sore temples.

I let out a slow breath, the same one I let out when meditating. It was probably so ingrained in my now that I would always do it. Regardless, it tipped me into the habit and I took a deep breath.

Back in my cabin I went. At least in my mind I could see where I was, unlike the darkness that surrounded my physical body. I tilted my head back, and breathed.

One... Two... Three...

I pulled my fraying magic into myself. A few more stray wisps of fire floated around my little cabin and I gathered them up before sitting on the rug in the middle of the room.

One... Two... Three...

Things were still different. Ever since my seal was lifted and my magic flowed everywhere things seemed off. Distorted. New. Even in the cabin in my mind my senses picked up on things I hadn't been able to before. The fire I could feel and touch and move when I was meditating was sharper. Clearer.

Experimentally, I tried to hold it in my hands. With a little concentration, a light flickered to life in my palm. It didn't burn me, and it didn't feel hot, but it felt heavy as though it had a physical presence I could hold and carry around. I couldn't remember if this is what the fire felt like when it was burning on me in the crater, but the sensation was fascinating now that I had time to really pay attention to it.

I played with it in my hands for a while. Still breathing to keep myself meditating in the cabin, but it was so second nature by now that I could start to do other things while I was in the little cabin in my mind. Maybe if I wanted to learn more about myself and my fire, I was going to have to do it on my own.

I willed the fire brighter, which worked a little. I practiced making the flames rise higher and burn low. I tried to get it to float above the ground or off of my hand like Eberon, but I never could manage that trick. Besides that, this was all in my mind and I wasn't able to get this far in the real world yet, but maybe the practice would help.

I was just trying to get the fire to burn higher but narrower like a pillar in my hand, when I heard the clicking. Only here, it was so loud. It was alarming to hear when I was safely in my cabin, and I dropped the flame which sizzled out and I was nearly jarred out of the cabin.

I focused on my calming breaths while the clicking continued. It had never gone on this long.

As I stabilized myself in the cabin and the clicking finally stopped, I dared to peer outside the door. It was still open from the last time I was here and Puko had come to visit somehow, so I was able to silently walk out without any creaking doors to open.

Would the door in my mind cabin creek? I shook off the confusing thought and peered outside.

I was still surrounded by a grassy field. A light breeze fluttered through the air and the sun shone brightly overhead. But in the distance I could feel two specks of... light? Energy? Magic?