long seconds, he nods and changes the subject.
“So are you ready to summon the elements?” He smiles brightly, showing all of his polished, white teeth. He wiggles his brows, overly excited to test my limits once again. I wish I could fake such enthusiasm.
“I suppose…”
“What’s the matter? Don’t you want to see if you can?”
I nod. “I do, but… I’m just nervous.”
And I have a lot on my mind right now.
“Don’t worry about anything. I’m here. I’ll reel you back in if it gets bad.” Holland’s voice is soft but confident. And I believe him.
“Just…don’t let it get to that point, okay?”
He smiles. “Promise.”
The silent hum of the house threatens to lull me to sleep. The soft patter of footsteps overhead reminds me that I’m not alone, even though the darkness of the room makes me feel like I am. With the lights off and without even a sliver of light to help illuminate the room, I can’t see Holland. I hear him, though. I mimic his slow, deep inhalations and exaggerated exhalations. His breathing is comforting and eases my inner turmoil.
My arms are heavy. They rest atop my lap. I’m sitting cross-legged on the soft mat floor. My body sinks into it, the cushion giving way to my weight. I wiggle my toes and curl my fingers. Whenever I feel like I might drift away, I do this. It helps to ground my senses.
I breathe in deeply, slowly, until my lungs ache at the pressure, and then I exhale, releasing the tension in my shoulders.
I don’t know how long we’ve been sitting here like this, but I know it’s been far too long. It feels like days have stretched before us while we’ve secluded ourselves in this small space away from vampires and light.
Of course, I know this isn’t true. It probably hasn’t been even thirty minutes. That’s the beauty of meditation. It allows me to escape this place, to release the negative energy even though I’m still securely planted in the midst of it.
The steady thump of my heart echoes in my mind. I envision the muscle pumping blood through my body, providing the fuel my magic needs.
I focus on that power. It swirls inside me, a bright, burning ball of shimmery, iridescent magic.
I tug at it, and it gives way to me. Slowly, it creeps from the depths of my soul and coats my skin, seeping out of my pores. It illuminates the room, sending a burst of light to every corner. A glistening sheen settles among us. Holland stares back at me, and I’m certain the excitement in his eyes matches my own.
I’m smiling so sincerely, it actually hurts my cheeks. A rush of giggles escapes my throat, and I don’t try to push it down. I can’t contain my excitement or the giddy feeling washing over me when I allow the magic inside to consume my entire body. I feel warm everywhere. No longer do I feel like I control the magic. All at once, I become the energy encased within it. With magic flowing all around me, it wraps around my body, covering me, protecting me, revitalizing me.
“I wish you could see it, Ava,” Holland whispers. His eyes sparkle, and his hands are shaking.
I risk a peek at the wall of mirrors to my side, straining my neck until I can see what mesmerizes Holland.
The rush of energy all around me gives the glow of a physical appearance. It swirls and sparkles all around me, never straying too far. It illuminates the entire room and glimmers off my pale skin. I’m shiny and slick, strong and elated.
“Do you think you can summon a fireball?” Holland asks.
I face him, a sudden rush of nerves overpowering my initial excitement at practicing magic.
I swallow the knot in my throat and nod. “I’ll try.”
Closing my eyes, I focus on the fire element. I envision its strength and heat, its fury and dominance. As one of the strongest elements, it takes a powerful witch to maintain control over the element—and I imagine there is no stronger witch than one with the blood of a vampire.
Gnawing on my lower lip, I silently call to the element. I speak to it in my mind and in my heart, calling its name like I used to when I didn’t survive on an all-liquid diet.
“Incendia.”
The Latin word for fire rolls off my tongue with ease. It’s familiar and makes me homesick. The feeling passes quickly, but it was there nonetheless. It leaves an