Legacies (Mercedes Lackey) - By Mercedes Lackey Page 0,23

the table and looked down at it. Arranged on the surface were a stone, some kind of plant in an ordinary red clay pot full of dirt, a clear glass bowl filled with water, a copper bowl filled with charcoal briquettes, a tall white pillar candle, and several feathers. The surface of the table had several burn scars on it.

“Sit down and make yourself comfortable,” Ms. Smith said. “I’ll explain what you’re going to do here today.” She settled herself into one of the chairs and set her clipboard on the table. Spirit sat warily in the seat on the other side.

“I know that all of this has to seem very strange to you,” Ms. Smith said. “But we won’t ask you to take any of it on faith. What today’s test is for is to determine which elements you have a particular affinity for, in order for us to determine what your Mage Gift is.”

“Kelly said Fire was the most common one,” Spirit said hesitantly.

“Right,” Ms. Smith said, nodding. “Now, scientifically, there are one hundred seventeen elements, but the ancient world believed there were only four: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, which aren’t really elements at all. But for the purposes of magic, we treat them as if they are, and your Mage Gift will probably fall into one of what we call these ‘Elemental Schools.’ ”

“Probably?” Spirit asked.

“It’s possible that you might have Gifts from two different Schools,” Ms. Smith said, “though in that case, they’re less likely to be strong Gifts. While a Mage can have an entirely elemental Gift—such as being a Fire Witch—they can also have a power that belongs to an Elemental School without controlling its underlying element. For example, I know you’ve met Burke Hallows. His Mage Gift is Combat Magic, which has an affinity with the School of Earth. Knowing the supporting School to which your Mage Gift belongs will be important when you go on to study magical theory. And you’re wishing I’d stop nattering on at you and get to the testing part of things, aren’t you?”

Spirit glanced up, guilty and a little alarmed.

“Oh, I’m no mind reader,” Ms. Smith said gently. “But I’ve administered a great number of these tests. This is how it works: the items here on the table symbolize the Four Elements. You should feel a resonance—an affinity—with one more than another. Take your time. And remember, there aren’t any wrong answers here. This isn’t a test you can fail. We already know you’re a magician, or you wouldn’t be here.”

Two hours later, Spirit wanted to be anywhere but there. She didn’t have the least “affinity” for any of the objects on the table: not the stone or the potted plant that symbolized Earth, nor the bowl of water that symbolized (of course) Water, nor the candle and the bowl of charcoal that symbolized Fire, nor the feathers that were the symbol for Air. Despite the fact that Ms. Smith said Spirit had magic, nothing she could do seemed to be able to get its attention. While Ms. Smith hadn’t stopped being kind and supportive—something Spirit instinctively mistrusted after all those weeks of social workers and nurses at the hospital and in rehab—Spirit could tell she’d been getting more and more frustrated.

But as far as Spirit could tell, the stuff on the table was just a bunch of tacky New Age decorations. She couldn’t set the candle on fire with the power of her mind. She didn’t even want to. Ditto for making the water swirl around in the bowl, or suddenly wanting to cuddle up to the rock, and she wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to do with the feathers.

“What’s the problem here?”

Spirit was sitting with her back to the door; she jumped as it flew open and hit the wall with a bang. Doctor Ambrosius came storming into the room.

“I’m sorry, Doctor Ambrosius,” Ms. Smith said, getting to her feet. “Miss White hasn’t been able to manifest an Affinity yet.”

“Not able? Not willing, you mean,” Doctor Ambrosius said contemptuously. “The child is a natural magician! This is no time for tantrums or games, my young woman,” he added, glaring at Spirit sternly. “Hiding what you are will gain you nothing.”

Up until that moment, Spirit had been frustrated and even a little intimidated by what was happening, but now she was just angry.

“In the first place, how am I supposed to hide something I barely believe in?” she demanded hotly. “In the second