the other. She pushed a rush of air downward and heard it plow through the rising water. Water sprayed up into her face and she nearly lost her balance, but she had stopped the churning wall of water from rising to the board.
A second round of cheers.
“Test two complete!” Rowan called.
Willa, shaking, managed to get back to her feet, now twice as wet. Cold and shivering, she tried to steady herself and the board, which wobbled beneath her. One more. Just one more then it’s over.
“Here we go, Willa. Remember, stay on your board no matter what and you’re done,” Rowan called.
She nodded. “Ready.”
Calm and focused, Willa felt outward with the magic. The air grew too still, too thick. There was a flash in her mind; and she flinched, rocking the board. What was that?! She shifted her feet to steady things. In her mind, she saw Charlotte fall into the pool, thrash to the surface and call for help. Willa flinched again, nearly sprang from the board.
The splashing and calls echoed in her head, but was she hearing them with her ears? It was impossible to tell the difference. Willa, please help me! Willa bit her bottom lip. Why isn’t anyone else helping her? Charlotte went under and then scrambled back to the surface, coughing and calling out to Willa. Everyone else left. You’ve got to help me! I can’t swim. Under she went and this time didn’t come back up.
Willa crouched, ready to dive. It was so real in her mind, but yet everything around her felt calm, quiet. Her senses didn’t match her thoughts. The conflicting information tore at her ability to decide.
Charlotte had not come back up. Bubbles broke the surface of the pool, and then the water stilled. Willa wanted to cry out in frustration, but then a thought broke through. It’s not real! It’s only in your mind! If it was only in her mind . . . she chanted a quick spell to block her mind from others, “Powerful Earth, accept this mind-lock. A magical door, make it solid as rock.”
The image disappeared. Willa ripped the blindfold from her face and scanned the water. Still as glass. Charlotte stood on the edge of the pool, smiling up at her. “Sorry!” she called out.
“Did you break into my mind?” Willa asked, breathless.
“Yeah . . . I totally did. When you reach out with your mind, it makes you vulnerable,” Char explained. “Great job sensing the difference between the vision and reality.” She gave two thumbs up.
“So I can get down now?” Willa asked weakly to the amusement of the group.
“Yes!” Wynter called out. “Come on down.”
Willa was right. This sucks!
Simon now stood out on the diving board, the fiberglass flexing severely under his weight. It was hard just to stay on the thing. He took a couple steps back. The height didn’t scare him, even with the blindfold, but being knocked from the board was not something he really wanted to experience. Poor Willa.
“Simon, you ready?” Rowan called.
“Sure,” Simon called back.
“Here we go.”
Simon opened his mind and immediately felt the presence of all his coven-mates, plus several people in other parts of the facility. Not only could he tell exactly where they were, but what they were feeling. He realized with a tug of regret that no one would be able to sneak up on him or surprise him with magic. This is supposed to be hard! Why is nothing hard?
Rain and Corbin stepped forward, summoning up a huge wave and sent it rolling toward him. He lifted his hands instinctively to send a burst of air in defense. The air plowed into the water, dissipating the wave. Test one done.
“Nice work,” Rowan called. “Here comes number two.”
Simon frowned, the wet blindfold moving against his forehead. Rowan had pulled him aside before the challenge. “You need to be extra careful tonight. What we are doing will open your mind and expose your powers to stress. Can you keep everything under control?”
Simon had stiffened at the implied meaning under the
A second round of cheers.
“Test two complete!” Rowan called.
Willa, shaking, managed to get back to her feet, now twice as wet. Cold and shivering, she tried to steady herself and the board, which wobbled beneath her. One more. Just one more then it’s over.
“Here we go, Willa. Remember, stay on your board no matter what and you’re done,” Rowan called.
She nodded. “Ready.”
Calm and focused, Willa felt outward with the magic. The air grew too still, too thick. There was a flash in her mind; and she flinched, rocking the board. What was that?! She shifted her feet to steady things. In her mind, she saw Charlotte fall into the pool, thrash to the surface and call for help. Willa flinched again, nearly sprang from the board.
The splashing and calls echoed in her head, but was she hearing them with her ears? It was impossible to tell the difference. Willa, please help me! Willa bit her bottom lip. Why isn’t anyone else helping her? Charlotte went under and then scrambled back to the surface, coughing and calling out to Willa. Everyone else left. You’ve got to help me! I can’t swim. Under she went and this time didn’t come back up.
Willa crouched, ready to dive. It was so real in her mind, but yet everything around her felt calm, quiet. Her senses didn’t match her thoughts. The conflicting information tore at her ability to decide.
Charlotte had not come back up. Bubbles broke the surface of the pool, and then the water stilled. Willa wanted to cry out in frustration, but then a thought broke through. It’s not real! It’s only in your mind! If it was only in her mind . . . she chanted a quick spell to block her mind from others, “Powerful Earth, accept this mind-lock. A magical door, make it solid as rock.”
The image disappeared. Willa ripped the blindfold from her face and scanned the water. Still as glass. Charlotte stood on the edge of the pool, smiling up at her. “Sorry!” she called out.
“Did you break into my mind?” Willa asked, breathless.
“Yeah . . . I totally did. When you reach out with your mind, it makes you vulnerable,” Char explained. “Great job sensing the difference between the vision and reality.” She gave two thumbs up.
“So I can get down now?” Willa asked weakly to the amusement of the group.
“Yes!” Wynter called out. “Come on down.”
Willa was right. This sucks!
Simon now stood out on the diving board, the fiberglass flexing severely under his weight. It was hard just to stay on the thing. He took a couple steps back. The height didn’t scare him, even with the blindfold, but being knocked from the board was not something he really wanted to experience. Poor Willa.
“Simon, you ready?” Rowan called.
“Sure,” Simon called back.
“Here we go.”
Simon opened his mind and immediately felt the presence of all his coven-mates, plus several people in other parts of the facility. Not only could he tell exactly where they were, but what they were feeling. He realized with a tug of regret that no one would be able to sneak up on him or surprise him with magic. This is supposed to be hard! Why is nothing hard?
Rain and Corbin stepped forward, summoning up a huge wave and sent it rolling toward him. He lifted his hands instinctively to send a burst of air in defense. The air plowed into the water, dissipating the wave. Test one done.
“Nice work,” Rowan called. “Here comes number two.”
Simon frowned, the wet blindfold moving against his forehead. Rowan had pulled him aside before the challenge. “You need to be extra careful tonight. What we are doing will open your mind and expose your powers to stress. Can you keep everything under control?”
Simon had stiffened at the implied meaning under the
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