JOURNEY INTO THE REALM: The Spell Master (Journey into the Realm Series) (3 page)

We chatted for a few more moments before our teacher arrived and class began. His name was Lord Clark, and his black hair and forest green eyes made him appear wise and intriguing. When he explained his power, it reminded me somewhat of mine. By touching something, he could know everything about it.

“An example of my power is this fountain pen right here.” He held up his large fountain pen for everyone in the class to see. “Because I have touched this pen, I know its history. It was sent to this school a few weeks ago with the new shipment of pens that the school receives every year for its students and teachers. It was made on a rainy day in a very popular pen shop.”

We all looked at Lord Clark in awe as he told his tale, some giggling by how much knowledge he had about a simple pen. It was kind of funny to hear him talk about pens in such a serious fashion, as if the pen itself was priceless history. He was very wise indeed.

“For our first class, I would like each of you to come to the front and display your power for us. During the school year, I will teach you to control your ability. When you leave here in July, you
should
be prepared.” He smiled and chuckled lightheartedly.

I was excited about the class, but uncertain of how I would display my power. How would the class watch me watching someone else’s memories? Just thinking about the idea confused me.

“Daran, why don’t you come up first?” he asked, looking down at what I guessed was a class roster.

“All right,” Daran said confidently, eager to show off his ability.

“What is your power?” Lord Clark asked when Daran arrived at his side.

“I can turn one object into something else with my mind,” he said.

“Can you change my pen here?” Lord Clark asked.

Daran grinned. “You bet I can.”

“Go ahead then,” Lord Clark encouraged.

Daran took the pen in his hand and focused on it for a few moments. Then suddenly, it morphed into a red rose. Everyone clapped as Daran walked down one of the aisles of desks and handed the rose to me. I took it and blushed.

“Thanks, Daran,” I said.

“You are very welcome, Beautiful.” He winked and took his seat.

Giggles erupted from the classroom. I continued blushing and smelled my rose. Oddly enough, I detected the aroma of pen ink.

“Settle down, everyone!” Lord Clark instructed. “Okay, Ramsey, seeing as how Daran has passed the baton to you by giving you that rose, why don’t you demonstrate next?”

“Yes, Lord Clark.” I put my rose down on the desk and walked over to the teacher.

“What is your power, Ramsey?” he asked.

“When I hold both of someone’s hands, I can see their life memories. Everything they have done I can relive.” I could hear questioning murmurs from the classroom.

“Very interesting. Try it on me.”

Feeling nervous, I reluctantly took his hands in mine and waited for the flash of colors that always came when I used my ability. A few seconds after I closed my eyes, my power began.

Lord Clark’s memories took a while to watch. He must have lived for a very long time because he had quite a lot of interesting experiences spanning over many decades at least. He had always wanted to teach, and secured his job at the school seventy years ago. I also saw that he had met the Queen before, something I could relate to myself. I tried to skip over personal things like family and relationships. It wasn’t any of my business.

When the memories ended, I opened my eyes.

“How do we know she saw the memories?” an elf in the second row asked.

“I’ll make her prove it. Ramsey, how old am I?”

“You are two hundred and forty-three, Lord Clark,” I said with admiration. He didn’t look a day over twenty.

“Correct,” he approved. “Thank you for that wonderful display, Ramsey. You may take your seat.”

“Okay,” I replied.

For the remainder of the class period, I watched as my classmates displayed their powers. There was mind reading, moving objects with the mind, and countless others. Aimee showed off her power by healing a scar on an elfen’s arm. It was a satisfying class, and quite fascinating to learn and observe other elves’ powers. I never enjoyed school so much until meeting Lord Clark. He had a fun attitude and didn’t seem to have a serious side. Once again, I was sad to leave my class.

However, that was partly due to the fact that self-defense was next, a class I wasn’t exactly looking forward to attending.

***

Walking through
The Allura Elfin Ability School
was like navigating a maze…with castle walls and magical, pointy-eared people. The atmosphere was hectic and crazy but also slightly amusing. Quite a few of the students resembled the green-wearing elves in Santa’s workshop…only they were much bigger.

Even so, my next class was easier to find because it was the only classroom in the lower level of the school. I was still a bit late to arrive. Luckily, our teacher hadn’t walked in just yet. The teachers here seemed a little more laid-back than in the Human Realm.

My self-defense class was in a large room that reminded me of a gym or basement. It wasn’t very bright, and seemed a little cold. Then again, fighting wasn’t a comforting subject.

I saw Aimee and hurried over to join her. “Another class together,” she commented cheerfully when I reached her. “I hope the class isn’t too difficult, though, because I’m not much of a fighter.”

“Me either,” I agreed.

“Why do elves have to fight, anyway? I mean, we aren’t exactly the strongest magical beings ever created. Other than swordplay and archery, we don’t have many physical skills, and we are talented in those areas only because we are slender and graceful, not because we are brutes,” Aimee added, making a valid point.

“The class must be held because of the war. Elves have to be prepared, especially the ones who are recruited,” I supposed.

“You’re probably right, but I’m still not fond of the idea,” Aimee admitted.

“Are you going to do something about it?” I joked.

Aimee rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”

I liked Aimee’s determination, but I wouldn’t want any part of the situation if she were to actually complain about class requirements. I loved watching drama unfold for entertainment purposes…as long as it wasn’t mine.

The sound of a door opening grabbed everyone’s attention.

“Listen up, class!” an elfen yelled as she walked into the room. “It is time to learn the art of self-defense. This means fencing, fencing, and more fencing!”

Everyone applauded. I was too busy looking at her to clap. The instructor’s height and strong build made her appear far more imposing than the average elf or elfen, and I guessed her ability had something to do with strength, since most elves were not physically fit in that way, but rather thin and long-limbed. She wore brown breeches and a green peasant shirt, and her pale hair was stacked on top of her head in a tight bun. In her hand, she held what looked like a dull sword.

“I am Lady Brianna and, as you can probably already guess, my ability is strength. This,” she said, holding up the sword, “is a foil. It’s a training sword, and you will use it as you learn how to fence. This class will be difficult – that I can assure you – but I will do my very best to make it fun as well.”

More cheers sounded as Lady Brianna did a twirl with her foil. Then she quieted the applause with her free hand.

“To begin our first lesson, we will start with a demonstration. I will need a volunteer. Anyone brave enough to learn from me first?” she asked.

She looked around the room. I looked down. There was no way I would go out there first; I was too shy. Sure, coming to the Elf Realm brought out more confidence in me, but I wasn’t exactly ready to be a social butterfly.

I saw a hand raise nearby, and an elf stepped forward. I couldn’t see his face as he walked over to Lady Brianna, but I guessed he was of average build for an elf, so I knew his ability wasn’t strength. I wondered how he would do against such a mighty opponent like Lady Brianna.

“Thank you very much for volunteering,” she said, handing him one of the foils hanging on the wall behind her. “Here is your foil. This is just a practice bout, so it is all right if you flounder. However, first you must face your audience and take a bow. They must applaud for their brave volunteer who is about to battle against me, the best fencer in all of Aubrey!” Lady Brianna smiled broadly and urged the elf to take a bow. I liked her flourish. She was quite the entertainer.

The elf turned around to face the class.

And my entire world came to a startling halt. I felt as though gravity couldn’t hold me any longer, like I was floating, disconnected from everything that had once made me…
me
.

Even from far away, I could see the familiar emerald eyes with the silver slashes.

Even from far away, I recognized the beautiful, welcoming face.

Even from far away, I could feel the electricity between us as our eyes met.

Even from far away, I could still see the Stranger, who I had thought about off and on for the past three months. Who I had dreamt about.

As he took his bow, his eyes remained locked on mine…

…and reality fell away from me like tiny puzzle pieces, leaving me an empty board, unable to put myself back together.

I didn’t hear any of Lady Brianna’s advice on fencing as I watched their practice bout. I couldn’t take my eyes away from him. From his eyes, his beautiful emerald eyes that held me whenever I saw them. The eyes that always seemed to take my breath away and make nothing else matter in the world but him. My heart pounded in my chest and I felt faint. The show was a complete blur, as were the cheers that came from the elves around me. The only part of him that was in focus was his eyes.

Aimee nudged me but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t move. I could scarcely breathe.

He
was here.

All the strange emotions I experienced only when I saw him came rushing along with his presence. I felt my chest tighten, and my stomach did a tiny flip. Most of all, I felt a lightness in my head. It wasn’t the kind that alerted me I was about to pass out, that far-away fuzzy feeling before losing consciousness. No, it was the kind that made me experience a serenity I had never known before. I watched him with a steady gaze, unable to tear myself away. It felt perfectly normal to be glued to him like this, even though in the back of my mind I knew it wasn’t natural for me to do so. Unfortunately, I barely seemed to listen to that part of my brain.

The Stranger didn’t seem to be able to ignore me for very long either. He appeared to be fighting half-heartedly, the majority of his energy focused on watching me as I watched him, our eyes never drifting from one another’s.

I had first encountered the Stranger after moving to the Elf Realm, his eyes drawing my attention every time we crossed paths. We had even danced together at the homecoming party for Zora and me. I hadn’t seen him since that night, although he was never very far from my thoughts….

I had no idea why I thought about him so much. He was just always
there
. Whenever I needed to focus, I saw his face. Nothing I did could keep thoughts of him very far away. I couldn’t even escape him in my dreams. The word
fate
echoed in my mind.

A fierce electricity ran through me, as if every nerve ending in my body was an electric fire, a hot wire. I couldn’t move; I didn’t care. Just by looking at him, I felt whole.

This realization frightened me more than one hundred Element fairies, because even though I loved this feeling, I knew it was
wrong
.

This elf wasn’t Stellan, and Stellan was the elf I belonged to, the one I loved.

But for some reason, I felt that the Stranger was a part of me. When I thought about him, I only felt calm and serene. Everything seemed to magically fall into place.

Lady Brianna and the Stranger continued practicing as I stared. I couldn’t stop. Nothing could make me draw myself away. My feet wanted to carry me toward him, wanted to make me move at least an inch so I could be even the tiniest bit closer to him.

I felt a burning inside of me, a longing to be nearer to him. Memories of our dance flooded my mind, the feelings I experienced when his hands rested on the small of my back, my blissful reaction to his comforting smile.

In my head, I called myself crazy, but every other part of me willed me forward.

Even so, I kept my feet grounded on the floor, and it was one of the toughest moments of my life. This inner conflict was exhausting. While one part shouted no, another screamed yes.

Then the worst happened. He stopped fighting.

He simply stopped, dropping his foil in the process, and his eyes bore into mine. In an instant, I was locked on his emerald irises again, unable to see anything else, not even the rest of his face. He seemed to have the same reaction to our connection. We focused only on each other.

What was this strange connection we had? Why did this always happen when I saw him?

I finally looked at my feet – a very difficult task to accomplish – and tried to calm down. I was breathing heavily, and now my legs wanted to carry me out of the room and run all the way home. I was feeling a mix of emotions I couldn’t control. My heart was beating so loudly I wondered when someone would scream “earthquake!” and head for the hills. My mouth was dry, and my cheeks flushed with what I knew must be the deepest shade of red imaginable.
What was wrong with me?

Almost as soon as our eyes had locked on each other, the elf lost the practice bout. While he hadn’t been paying attention, Lady Brianna had fake-stabbed him in the chest. Everyone applauded once more. I noticed both he and I were silent. He muttered a thank you to Lady Brianna and went back into the crowd, never taking his eyes off mine.

“Well, that was strange,” Aimee observed. “Why did he just stop fighting? He seemed to be looking at
you
when he did.”

I bit my lip. “Really? I hadn’t noticed…”

“Are you sure? It seemed like you were looking at him too,” she said, beginning to smile and nudging me with her shoulder.

I clenched my fists, praying that this wouldn’t go any further. I didn’t know what I would do if she were to question me again…what I would say….

Finally, I thought of a brief subject changer. It still concerned the Stranger, but it drove the conversation away from myself.

“Do you know who that elf is?” I asked, more curious than ever to finally know.

The elfen healer nodded. “That’s Nathan,” Aimee informed me. “He’s a friend of a friend, but I had no idea he was in this class until he volunteered.” Aimee stood on her toes and peered over the crowd of students. “I should invite him over.”

Before I could stop her, she was calling, “Hey, Nathan!” and gesturing for him to join us.

I wanted to scream. He couldn’t come over here! Not after what had just happened. I knew I was the reason he had lost the duel. In addition, after what took place the last time we met, I knew it wasn’t a good idea to speak with him. I didn’t know if I would even be able
to
speak. My mind wandered back to the night he had asked me to dance. I had said yes. Stellan and I had been fighting. I was so desperate to let go of my pain and anguish that I never once thought about the repercussions.

I still remembered how wonderful it felt to dance with him, so light and carefree, as though none of my problems existed. He took them all away as he held me, our bodies swaying in tune to music neither of us paid attention to because we were too focused on each other. Now it felt weird to know his name.
Nathan
. I had grown used to calling him the Stranger.

I noticed Lady Brianna lecturing the class on fencing, and even though I knew I should pay attention, I couldn’t. Every time I tried, my mind wandered to thoughts of Nathan.

I tried to prepare myself as he walked toward us. What would I say to him? Did he remember me? What would he say? My head was swimming with thoughts when he stopped beside Aimee. I froze, and instantly my mind went blank.

“Nathan,” Aimee said, beginning the introduction, “this is Ramsey. She’s the elfen who saved her sister from Element fairies.”

I would have been flattered if I were greeting someone else, but I just couldn’t feel happy or proud about this meeting between us. I was too afraid to be around him, afraid of the strange connection we seemed to have. The current between us begged to pull me forward. I planted my feet on the floor and held my ground, but a swift fire of desire swept through me before I could chase the temptation away. I wouldn’t, and
couldn’t
, allow myself to be drawn to him. I felt my body tense and waited nervously for him to speak.

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you,” he said, sticking out both of his hands.

“I don’t think you want to do that,” I said with a nervous smile. “Not unless you want me to know everything about you.”

He looked confused, so Aimee helped to clarify my ability. “If she holds both of your hands, she can see your life so far. All of your memories will appear before her eyes.”

After a moment of hesitation he said, “That’s a truly remarkable gift you have.”

I blushed. “Thanks.”

“Nathan’s a Spell Master,” Aimee explained, raising her eyebrows in obvious admiration.

“Really? That’s so cool. My father was a Spell Master,” I blurted.

I hadn’t wanted to mention that, but the words had spilled out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

“I know,” he replied, looking at me sympathetically.

“Everyone knows about your parents, Ramsey. Everyone in Birchwood, at least,” Aimee commented.

I looked down. “Yeah, I guess they would.”

The truth was that I disliked talking about my parents, and I was angry with myself for bringing up the conversation, even though it was by accident. It always started a long string of, “I’m sorry about your parents” and “Do you miss them?” comments. I couldn’t stand them. They always made me feel uncomfortable and unsure of what to say in reply. I didn’t know my real parents. I didn’t remember them. I didn’t know why they abandoned me. And I didn’t know if I actually missed them, or just wished they were here so I could finally learn my secret. I knew my father would never return, but I wasn’t certain about my mother. Finn never mentioned her.

I always had mixed emotions when it came to discussing Alanna and Carlow, my birth parents, the ones who had sent me away to the Human Realm; I never knew what to say or even what to think.

“What you did for your sister was very brave,” Nathan said, breaking the silence.

I looked up and half-smiled. “Thanks.”

I could tell that he was trying to make me feel better and less awkward. I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks, the effect of his compliment, as if his opinion meant the world to me. I instantly felt guilty over the emotion. I had to stop these feelings before the situation grew out of hand. I couldn’t allow Nathan to distract me from my relationship with Stellan, who was bravely fighting Element fairies to keep me and everyone else in the Elf Realm safe.

Nathan returned my smile. “It’s true. Elves in town are still talking about it.”

Our awkward, yet still-pleasant conversation was interrupted by Lady Brianna’s booming voice. I was both delighted and disappointed that she did so. These conflicting feelings were beginning to become a bother.

“Tomorrow we will begin lessons on fencing,” she told us. “Before you go, I must give you elfens one warning. Do not wear dresses to my class. Fencing and dresses do not mix.”

The first self-defense class was over. Before Nathan could say anything more to me, I walked swiftly out of the room and on to my next class.

I had to avoid him, because I desperately needed to breathe normally.