“Stop calling him that. He’s notlike real royalty is he? It’s like I don’t know….”  I tried to search for the right word….pretend, make-believe, fairytale? Kiran was the Crown Prince of what was nowthe world that I lived in. How was that even possible?

“I’m afraid my dear, that theImmortal Monarchy is as real as it gets. They have been a ruling Monarchylonger than any institution in history. And as immature as Prince Kiran is, hehas the power over your life and death,” Principal Saint’s expression hadturned grave, and I knew that he was serious. But I couldn’t be. Prince Kiran….what a joke.

“So what, I have to bow, andcurtsy…. call him your Majesty?” I couldn’t hold back my sarcasm.

“I’m afraid the best course of actionis for you to avoid him completely. He is here, like I said before, for a veryspecific purpose and you are only getting in the way. If you don’t leave himalone soon, his father is going to have something to say about it,” I blusheddefensively. Wasn’t he the one always bothering me? Besides I didn’t see how Iwas getting in the way of anything. Moreover, I wasn’t sure if I wanted him tostop bothering me….

“Principal Saint, did you know myparents?” I nearly whispered, trying to change the subject, but almost afraidto hear the answer.

“Hmmm….” he smiled softly, “Pleasecall me Amory outside of school grounds. Yes, yes I did know your parents. A long time ago, I knew them.” Helooked up at me and an expression I couldn’t define settled on his face. “Youlook so much like your mother, Eden,” he continued to stare at me for severalmoments longer and I began to feel a little uncomfortable. “Now, let’s work alittle on your powers alright? Let’s make sure no one can read your mindagain.”

I nodded my reply. I had no ideawhat it meant to “work on my powers,” and I was not completely sure I wanted toknow. I felt completely overwhelmed by everything and I wasn’t sure if I couldtake anymore. The electricity pulsating through my veins would suggest otherwisehowever and I felt almost itchy to exercise the supernatural force that was, asPrincipal Saint said before, my Life Blood.

Chapter Nineteen

“Try it again,” Principal Saint….Amory commanded me.

I closed my eyes, letting in everysound, every movement, and every breath. The magic flowed through me, puttingevery nerve on edge. My senses were sharpened like I didn’t think was possibleand my breathing even.

My blood felt hot under my skin, asif it was boiling my insides, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. I welcomedthe sensation, understanding it was the magic finally unleashed. The hairs onthe back of my neck stood up straight and I could feel the magic wanting toescape, wanting to be set free.

Now that my senses were heightened,I felt the extra sense that came with being an Immortal. My sixth sense was theperception of nearby magic. What felt like electricity rushing through mewhenever I was around another Immortal, was my perception of someone else’smagic. When I was near another Immortal’s magic my blood began to tingle andpulsate. The magic that consumed me now alerted me to not only Amory’s presencebut that he was at this moment trying to read my thoughts.

I closed my eyes tighter andconcentrated. I could not clear my mind, because then I would lose focus. Iallowed it to be full of everything I could think of in order to practice forday to day activities. Closing my mind to outside forces must be natural to meor I would never survive another day at Kingsley. A small blush rushed to mycheeks as I thought about all of the days before and how open my mind had beento everyone else.

I allowed the magic to build insideof me, feeling as natural as breathing. Now that I knew the magic was a naturalpart of me I no longer felt the need to oppress it. I finally understood thatwhen I would push it down before I would only make things more difficult formyself; I was not human, I could no longer act like it.

I felt Amory’s magic prying theoutside of my mind. It was as if someone was trying to cover my head with aheavy blanket. Slowly he worked his magic around my mind, trying to slip underor through any way that he could; but the longer I kept him away the easier itbecame. My magic grew stronger and I stood up straighter. The force field I hadbuilt around my thoughts became fortified and I relaxed, this was becomingnatural.

I glanced at the clock, careful tomaintain my defenses, 3:OO AM. We had been working on this for hours andfinally I was getting the hang of it. I felt Amory pull his magic back and Ilooked over to see that he was finally wearing a smile. After hours ofdisappointment I was thankful I could finally come through.

“Good Eden. That was excellent!” heclasped his hands together. “Do you think you can keep that up at school?” hissmile faded and his expression became worried.

“Yes, I think so. It’s gettingeasier,” I smiled reassuringly.

“I would not risk it if I didn’tthink your absence would cause suspicion. Everyone is going to be askingquestions and we can’t afford one mistake. It’s bad enough your only friend atschool was a Shape-Shifter, but then to display your powers in such a way as tomake the Crown Prince look weak is an entirely different matter,” he wrung hisclasped hands together and began to pace. I didn’t exactly understand what hewas talking about, but I did trust him.

I watched him silently, realizinghow similar we looked. He had the same oversized onyx eyes that I did and atall frame topped with almost black, wavy hair. I went over the story he told meonce again in my mind: my parents died when I was a baby and Aunt Syl found mewhile she was on a hike in the woods; I had been raised as a human until nowwhen by accident I discovered I had powers. As vague as the story was and maybea little farfetched, it was the only one I had.

“There is one more thing I wouldlike to try with you. It will require your full concentration, and it will notbe easy,” Amory stopped pacing and looked at me full in the face.

“It can’t wait? I’m exhausted,” Iyawned in reply and sat down lazily on the edge of my full-sized bed.

“No it cannot,” Amory snapped. “Doyou realize what is at stake here? There is no time for sleep; you must masteryour magic as quickly as possible. Now stand up and focus.”

I obeyed, feeling a little like azombie. I stood to my feet, the magic moving with me. It was almost as if Icould feel my very blood circulating throughout my body. The magic moved withit, pumping from my toes to my heart to my head and back down.

“Now build your shield again,” Amorycontinued. I threw my force-field around my mind and realized how easy it wasbecoming. “I want you to hold on to your own mind-defense while trying to readmine. Let your magic leave you slowly searching for my thoughts. Concentrate onme, on being me, on what you want to know,” he stood still, focusing on aframed picture of Aunt Syl. I realized that he had built his defense and waswaiting.

“I thought only Psychics couldread minds? Aren’t I a Witch?” It was late. I was tired. I felt like Icouldn’t keep my thoughts together.

“Yes, you are a Witch, butafter what happened last night, I just want to see exactly what you are capableof. There have been Witches in the past that have been able to read minds and Iwould like to see if you are one of them,” Principal Saint explained. Iwas too tired to argue.

I did as he said, thinking first ofmy magic, bringing it into my mind and creating a heady feeling. I swayedslightly, feeling a tad bit drunk, and tried to refocus. I concentrated onAmory moving my invisible and silent magic to the place where I imagined hismind to be.

I closed my eyes and focusedharder. Suddenly it was as if my magic ran into a brick wall. With my mind, Imoved it from side to side and up and down. I at least had found his mind; notthat that was hard, a mind was where most people imagined it to be: in thehead. I worked to penetrate it, to slide underneath his defenses but nothingseemed to work.