I settled back down, belongings in hand. Eyes shut.
Maybe there was a reason my mind was being drawn away. Maybe it wasn’t even my fault.
Perhaps my mana was trying to tell me something.
Again, the energy within me greeted me with open arms. I thought, We all have limitations.
But there is one exception.
Cackles and chatter and slamming cups echoed in my ears.
I imagined I heard the sound of Clove’s soft voice. I visualized catching a glimpse of the sharp wit in Jam’s gaze.
Life has no limit at all. Even when we expel energy, it returns to the cycle.
Even as our bodies die and decompose, they return to their origins. Our souls join the nothingness of the ether, of energy itself.
Even as I cast this shield spell, even though it has energetic limits, I am giving the energy back to this world.
Expelling mana that will find its way back to me again one day.
My mana surged upward, enclosing my consciousness with its acceptance.
I couldn’t hold the smile back. So, this was how assimilation felt when I actually had a bond with my mana.
It was euphoric, if I was being honest. Even as weariness settled over me and the start of a headache formed, I was overjoyed.
Thank you, I told it.
It whirled around me, almost as if in a dance.
When I returned to my surroundings, I reviewed the rest of the spells. I had two shield spells now.
Two of the spells were offensive, if I counted Valley Leash. Considering how many different applications the spell had, I felt confident in classifying it as such.
And of course, I had one convenience spell Quick Collect .
I needed more in my attacks.
I wanted to learn something fun and dramatic like Kraken Hook but Light Dart would serve me well.
I was shocked to find that it had taken me thirty minutes to learn Body Block.
Rather than be deterred, I buckled down and began the slow process of forming a mana connection for Light Dart.
Twenty-five minutes later, I assimilated the new spell. This one needed me to understand that light was energy in a pure and undeniable way.
Of course, I knew this already, but my mana wanted me to consider it from a more personal way, as if I were composed of pure light.
Light affected every aspect of our perception of the world. Even the darkest shadow could only be put into context using light.
When the insight passed, I was struck by a second helping of Mage Fatigue. I flopped backward and rested my head on the cold ground.
My muscles filled with lead. My mind felt muddled by ale, though I hadn’t had any.
It takes so much energy to learn spells! I mused. For my mana to accept them. I feel like I could go to sleep for the rest of the day now.
The foolish part of me wanted to dive into learning Kraken Hook or Time Stop. But my eyes drooped and my head pounded.
If I tried to take on another spell, I might actually die.
Damn this mortal body!
I allowed myself a period of drifting consciousness. Exhausted and wrung out, I waited for the world to stop spinning.
Then I found my feet at last.
I found Jam in the kitchens with Clove.
The cat demi was casually peeling potatoes while Mabel munched on an apple, likely taking a break. Clove was working over a pot of roast.
When Keegan saw me, his frown deepened. “Clove! You have enough visitors in the kitchen! What do you think this is? A waiting room?”
Clove winced. “Sorry! I just finished the seasoning on this. We’ll be on our way. Mabel, you have the next two hours to play. Come back for the dinner shift and see if Keegan and Bree need you.”
“Nah!” Keegan exclaimed. His face had completely shifted as he patted Mabel on the top of her pink hair. “She’s done plenty for us today. Mabel, you’re getting extra pie tonight. Good work. Now go have fun.”
Mabel shot up and danced in place. “Thanks, Kee! Hi, Luc! Bye, Luc!”
She zoomed out of the kitchen, apple extended in the air like a trophy. The women watched her with raised brows and smiles before returned to their chatter.
Bree bustled by with a basket of carrots, turned, then thrusted them into my hands. “Chop!” she commanded, turning on her heel and marching away.
I obeyed with a chuckle and got to work.
I’d gone from marching on the Burned Plains, days and nights filled with slaughter, to chopping vegetables in a mortal realm’s kitchen.
Before, I looked forward to things like endless nights of revelry to distract me.
Now, all I wanted was a warm bed with Clove beside me, her hair inevitably tangling in the sheets. I wanted a life with a mixture of peace and exhilarating adventures.
Freedom. That’s what freedom looked like to me.
And yet, my heart was not at ease. In the pit of my stomach, I sensed something was on the brink of breaking.
Amarantha wouldn’t be safe until the Tower found balance.
Ria was in danger.
And this was only the beginning.