Changeling (Sorcery and Society Book 1)(29)

As distasteful as I found her, I would have to keep Callista very close.

I inclined my head in a regal fashion that would have made Mrs. Winter proud. “Thank you for your gracious welcome.”

“Good choice,” she said, rising from the table. “Shall we?”

I slowly pushed to my feet, resisting the urge to clear the dishes from the table. Callista linked her arm with mine and sashayed out of the room. Her two handmaidens followed as we marched down the hall, and into the solarium. I opened the envelope containing my schedule. I scanned my course list, which included crystallography, remedial symbology, medicinal botany, table etiquette and “independent study.” I supposed the independent study was the time I was supposed to devote to the Mother Book. And then there were electives available to me each day: ritual dance, belomancy, and magical embroidery. I would be so tired from my class schedule that I wouldn’t need to worry about insomnia.

“By the by, I know that you’re new here, but we typically take our gloves off while we eat our meals.” Callista glanced down at the green silk gloves I’d chosen to cover my dragonfly

“Thank you for the reminder,” I said in as pleasant a tone as I could muster. While we weren’t late, walking into the spacious glass-walled room, a dozen or so girls were already seated two to a table, their hands cupping fist-sized blue crystals. Each of them had their heads bent over the crystals, as if meditating.

Morning light poured through the glass panel walls, lending a golden corona to the dark hair of the corpulent woman standing at the front of the room. She stood perfectly still, with her eyes closed, holding a large, cloudy blue crystal aloft. According to my class schedule, this was Miss Selsye, my crystallography teacher.

Anxiety spread, heavy and cold, in my chest. What if I couldn’t do any magic when the teachers asked me to? What if they called on me and I didn’t know the answers? I’d always been a good student, but these girls had more time to study, private tutors, families who could teach them House specialties. What if they realized I didn’t belong?

Ivy was sitting in the back of the class, alone at a table, staring into her crystal with red-rimmed eyes. Callista forged ahead to a desirable table shaded by a potted palm, even though it cut us off from the beautiful view of the manicured lawns. Two younger girls were already seated there, deep in meditation. But when Callista seethed, “Move, now” at them, they hopped to their feet and scrambled out of the way. Callista offered me a sweet smile and dropped gracefully into her seat. I followed suit, watching as the younger girls ducked around the classroom to find empty chairs, now that Callista’s lackeys had dethroned two other students sitting behind us.

Now that I was seated, I could make out the little oil lamps embroidered at the rounded collar of Miss Selsye’s gown. That would connect her to House McCray, a family that mined and charged rare gems for the crayfire lamps that kept the city well-lit, amongst their many energy-based efforts. Perhaps she was a distant cousin?

Miss Selsye opened her wide blue eyes. If she noticed that she now had an extra student in her classroom, she didn’t say anything. Callista sat high and straight in her chair, her face the very picture of an eager, interested pupil. I ran my fingers around the edge of the rounded blue crystal, smiling slightly at the low hum it gave in response.

“Today, we will review the process of charging the crayfire lamps, one of the basic student maintenance duties at the school. As you know, crayfire lamps are made from azurite crystals, due to the valuable copper deposits found within. The copper vibrates at just the right frequency to conduct the necessary energy, providing hours of illumination, safe from the fire hazards or smoke pollution of the lesser Snipe-created methods,” Miss Selsye intoned.

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the “lesser Snipe” comments were called-for when discussing lamps? Was it really necessary to drop reminders of the Snipes’ so-called inferiority into conversation quite so many times per day?

“Aside from being useful in healing spells, azurite also happens to provide an additional ‘spark’ to nearby magical practitioners, fortifying the strength of their casting work. Now, different crystals require different charging rituals. Depending on their use, you might use sea salt or sunlight or even exposure to turbulent weather. But for today’s discussion, we will focus on azurite crystals. Azurite requires a personal sacrifice, if you will, of your own energy. You can’t expect something for nothing, even if it’s just light to read by. Now, hold your crystals between your palms and close your eyes, imagine the copper deposits deep under the surface, imagine the life force that keeps your heart beating from one moment to the next and then picture that same energy pulsing within the crystal. Picture the cold, still rock giving way to life in its depths.”

Clearing my throat, I cupped my hands around the cloudy rock form and mimicked the other girls. I imagined my brain, my heartbeat, connecting with the minerals inside the crystal. Nothing. I opened my right eye and peeked at Callista, whose crystal was glowing bright and clear. A handful of other girls had a subtle azure radiance growing between their palms, but couldn’t seem to manage the brightness needed to illuminate the school halls.

Miss Selsye’s eyes were now open, and she was giving me a very stern look.

I blew out a frustrated breath and closed my eyes. Clearly, I needed a different picture to motivate myself. I’d floated the vase at Raven’s Rest when I was afraid. I was near panic when the Mother Book’s symbols were crawling over my skin. Maybe I needed fear to produce effective magic? I imagined myself trapped in a dark room, with only the crayfire lamp for light, and it was cold and useless. I pictured the shadows closing in on me. I imagined how frightened I would be, in that strange room, not knowing what was lurking in the corners. The crystal grew warm in my hands. I peeked through my lashes and saw that it was glowing brighter. I took a deep steadying breath and added more detail to my frightening imaginary room. A cold draft coming from under the door. Eerie taxidermized animal heads snarling at me from the walls. A strange shadow winding its way along the floor, barely visible in the light provided by my lamp.