“There’s a magic…test?”
“Of course.” He sounded like he was explaining something to a child and it set her teeth on edge. “They couldn’t let just any old magic wielder join the council. They only admitted those of the highest caliber.”
“And you think this test will work on me?” Hazel asked them doubtfully, all of her old insecurities rising up to the surface. All of her life she had been told she wasn’t good enough. Wasn’t as strong as she should be, or as clever as she should be, and even now, as an adult, it was hard to move past those insipid doubts.
“Hazel, you are stronger, so much stronger, than you think you are.” She blushed again as Jayce read her thoughts so easily.
“It’s really not fair, you know.” Hazel sulked, and both of them just smiled softly in return. Somehow, she didn’t think the men were as bothered by their one sided communication as she was. “Well, what do I have to do for this test thingy?”
Jayce sent her an exasperated sigh, “We will guide you through this test thingy, and hopefully break through whatever you have that is blocking your magic, making it harder for you to reach that power inside of you.”
If there really is anything there blocking her, she thought cynically. She had struggled for years to get control over the spark that she knew lay hidden deep inside her, and she failed every, single, painful time. After so many years, it was hard to work up even a smidgen of optimism that it would work now.
“Well,” Hazel said again, throwing up her hands in acquiescence, “are we going to do this thing, or what?”
“We need to go to a place you can focus, really focus. Where you can shut out everything else.”
“The attic,” She answered Jayce immediately. “I have everything we might need for a spell or rite is up there already.”
But Nika was already shaking his head. “The attic is great, but there are no spells to cast, no rituals.”
“Then how–.”
“This is just you, and you alone. We will guide you, but in the end it is only you who can break through to reach your power.”
“Alright,” Hazel sighed, still not believing that this test would actually work, “Let’s go.”
Within moments, they were upstairs in the large, finished attic room that Hazel had spent so many countless hours fighting herself, trying to reach that secret part of herself. And countless more sobbing as she failed over and over and over again. Hazel took a seat cross legged in the middle of the floor, clutching her mug of coffee to her chest as she stared up at Jayce.
“Put the coffee down, Hazel.”
She played the mental image of a junkyard dog growling over his favorite bone and both of them laughed. It made her smile, and it also made Hazel wonder what else she could communicate to them through this new found connection.
“Hazel…” Nika warned, and they must have picked up on the mischief bubbling up inside her.
“Okay, okay. Just hold on to your horses.”
“I don’t have any horses.” Nika said, and she cast him a sideways glance, positive he was messing with her, but his voice and expression were dead serious. It wasn’t until she caught the laughing glint in his silver hued eyes that she let out a small chuckle of her own. Finally, she set the mug of coffee to the side.
Jayce sat in front of her, instantly absorbing all of her attention as he stared at her with his piercing golden gaze.
“Okay,” Hazel said, more breathlessly that she had intended, “what’s next?”
Jayce inhaled, deep and slow and steady, and instinctively she mimicked his movements. A heavy silence fell over the room, as if gravity itself had just increased a little, time slowing so that she could watch every dust mote catch in the morning light that shone through the big windows, falling slowly amidst a million sparkling brothers and sisters.
“Just breathe, and focus.” Nika said so softly that she almost didn’t hear him. Hazel realized that he was right behind her and moved to look back at him over one shoulder but his gentle touch stopped her.
“Look at Jayce, watch the way he is breathing, his focus, just do what he does.” Nika’s words whispered past her ear, and she tried to do what said, but Hazel couldn’t ignore his presence behind her.