way. We’re out in the open. Here, follow me. Once we’re under the trees, no one will be able to spot us.” Without another word, he turns and begins to walk out of the quad, heading in the direction of the trees in the distance. I have to hurry to catch up to him, and he doesn’t bother to check to make sure I’m still with him; we continue in silence until we arrive at the edge of the forest. The trees tower over me, making me feel even smaller, and the dense foliage makes it difficult to see very far in. That doesn’t deter Shade, however, and he strides in between the trees, hands stuffed in his pockets, with me following uneasily behind him.
“Is it… safe in here?” I ask, my voice low.
Shade laughs. “As safe as any forest can be, I guess. If you’re asking whether there are monsters living here or something…” He shakes his head, turning to me. “Not likely. Although the faculty will probably tell you differently--it’s an easy way to make sure everyone stays within the bounds of the campus.”
“I see,” I say, looking around. I can hear the sound of a woodpecker tapping away at a tree in the distance, and all around us, birds shout and crickets chirp. It’s quiet, almost tranquil, and I allow myself to relax a little as I turn to Shade, spreading out my arms. “All right,” I say. “Here we are. Do your worst.”
There’s a gleam in Shade’s eye as he replies, “I like your style, Boots. All right.” He takes a step back, giving me an appraising look before continuing. “So tell me a little about what your magic feels like.”
“I…” I think back to that feeling in my stomach, those cool fingers branching out and radiating through my body. “I guess you could say it feels cold,” I reply. “A bit like that feeling you get after drinking ice water--that sort of coolness in the pit of your stomach.” I shake my head, realizing how ridiculous that must sound. “God, I sound like a lunatic.”
“Not at all,” Shade replies without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “Everyone’s magic feels different. Mine feels a bit prickly--like, itchy, you know? Sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint it at first.”
“I’ll say,” I mutter.
“But you’re already a step ahead of the game if you can recognize it,” Shade continues. “It took me nearly a month just to get that part down.”
“Really?” I raise my eyebrows. “You seem so confident.”
“Damn right, I’m confident,” Shade replies. “But I was a late bloomer. Anyway, I want you to close your eyes.”
“But I already did that,” I protest. “In every class I’ve had, they say that’s the first--”
Shade holds up a hand. “Who’s the one doing the teaching, here?”
I give an exasperated sigh. “Okay, fine.” My eyes drift closed. “Now what? They kept talking about trying to concentrate so I can find my magic, but I have no idea how.”
Shade snorts. “And that there is why the teachers at this school are idiots. It’s not about concentrating, Boots--it’s the opposite. It’s about letting go.”
“Letting go?”
“Yeah. Hippies might call it meditation, but I like to think of it more as letting your senses experience the world around you. In my experience, the key isn’t to focus on the magic itself--that’s like trying to hold on to water. You can’t force these things.”
“So then how am I supposed to control it?” I ask.
“You have to let it come to you,” replies Shade. “And the best way to do that, at least at the start, is to stop trying so hard.” There’s the sound of crunching leaves, and I open my eyes to see that Shade has moved closer to me, standing to my right. There’s silence between us, but I’m intensely aware of his proximity to me. If he moves any closer, his chest would be brushing my shoulder. “Here,” he says, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t be so tense. Let your body relax. And keep your eyes closed, damn it.”
“Okay, okay.” I do as I’m told, and I feel his hands gently smooth my shoulders down. I didn’t even realize how much tension I was carrying until just now.
Slowly, Shade moves one hand to my lower back. “That’s it,” he says. “Now take a deep breath. Forget about the magic, forget about where we are, forget about everything. Just listen to the forest and let the world around you come