Reckless Magic

“Go away. Your minions are waitingfor you,” I said through bites of an apple.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Was this seattaken?” a polite and surprised deep voice sans cocky English accent asked. Ilooked up quickly, horrified.

“Oh, no! I am so sorry!” my face turneda shade of crimson red. “I thought you were somebody else,” my hand flew tocover my mouth after I spit apple all over the table and all over Avalon St.Andrews.

“It’s alright. No worries,” helaughed, while wiping a bit of apple off his cheek. How terrible.

He gave me a genuine smile that Ireturned immediately. The same peaceful feeling from earlier filled my entirebody and my senses were once again sharpened. I could hear every conversation,every fork touch the plate, and every small chewing sound in the cafeteria. Idid my best to drown it out; it was actually kind of gross.

“You don’t have an accent,” I saidbluntly.

“Were you expecting one?” his skinwas tan, ta

“Oh, I just thought, since youtransferred. I’m sorry, I just expected an accent,” I blushed again, not reallysure why I felt embarrassed.

“I’m American, just like you,” hesmiled as if he had made a joke, but if he had I didn’t get it. “My parentswere working in Brazil until last week. We only lived down there for the lasttwo years.”

“That’s nice. Accents can be soirritating anyways,” he looked up at me confused, but I didn’t dareexplain.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” heasked.

“Oh, no, not at all. As long as youdon’t mind the outcast table,” I gave him a sardonic grin.

“I don’t mind; I’m pretty sure Iprefer it,” he glanced over his should at Kiran and all of his fans; he shookhis head and took a big bite of his turkey sandwich. I was pretty sure AvalonSt. Andrews and I were going to get along just fine.

“Me too,” I rolled my eyes in thegeneral direction of the Monarchy.

“I’m Avalon by the way. And you’reEden?” when I nodded my head, he continued, “So I heard a rumor that you likesaved his life this weekend?” he jerked his head in Kiran’s direction.

“Where did you hear that?” I askedmortified.

“All of the girls were talkingabout it this morning. You’d think they’d be grateful, I mean they still have theirprecious Prince to worship,” he grunted in disgust.

“You’d think,” I agreed withanother mouthful of apple. I realized how disgusting my eating habits werearound Avalon and I quickly swallowed. The bite was a little too big and Ibegan to choke a little. The apple stayed lodged in my throat as I continued tocough and gulp my bottle of water.

“Use your magic,” Avalon suggested,sounding confused.

Oh right. I held up my finger tohim and focused on my magic. The electricity was flowing through my blood at asteady pace. It only took a minimal effort to determine that the apple would nolonger be stuck. And just like that I was able to swallow the detrimental pieceof food and cough no more.

“Thank you,” I cleared my throat,feeling like an idiot.

“Do you enjoy choking?” I heard thelaughter in his voice.

“Ha. Ha. No. It’s just that, wellthis whole magic thing is new to me,” I gave a sheepish grin and took anotherswig of my water, just in case.

“What? New to you? How can thatbe?” Avalon stared at me intently, his green eyes sparkling.

“I was raised by humans,” Iexplained dramatically. I wiggled my fingers a little, to add a theatricalflair.

“I’ve never heard of that before,”Avalon sounded skeptical.

“Well, I had never heard of thisbefore.” I gestured to the room filled with my peers, my Immortal peers.

“So you didn’t know about magic?You didn’t know what you were capable of?” He still sounded skeptical.

“Well, I knew I was capable ofsomething. But I just thought I was crazy. I guess I figured it out Saturdaynight, when people started turning into animals and I could move trees with mymind,” I said it all very casually, but the truth was I still could barely getpast what I was able to do.

“Huh,” he grunted. “You mean totell me, that you were able to save the Prince’s life and do what you did tothose Shape-Shifters and you had never even used your magic before?” hesquinted his eyes at me, unbelieving.

“I guess,” I looked across the roomto where Kiran sat, surrounded. He met my eyes, and I realized that he waswatching me. I quickly turned my attention back to Avalon.

“That seems impossible,” Avalon wasstill skeptical.

“Yeah, to me too,” I looked down atthe table, ashamed of what I did and worried for Lilly.

“What are you doing later?” Avalonasked suddenly.

“French homework.” Ugh.

“That seals it. We are going topractice your magic later tonight and that’s final,” he leaned back in hischair and folded his arms across his chest as if his decision was the finalauthority.

“I told you, I have Frenchhomework. It’s going to take me all night,” I protested; although the thoughtof sitting down to learn a language that completely escaped me made my headspin.

“Eden, there is no more homework.Don’t you get it? You are Immortal! Your magic can do the homework for you,”his voice was stern as if I should have known this forever.

“I can’t cheat!” I protestedlouder.

“You’re unbelievable. And you haveso much to learn. You’re lucky I’m here, you really are. I have so much toteach you!” he gave me a playful smile and I guessed he won, because I couldn’tthink of any other reason not to let him help me with my magic.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Do you want to follow me?” Avalonwas suddenly behind me as I dug through my backpack looking for my keys.

“Follow you?” I replied confused,pushing my things around inside of my book bag and reaching deeper beyond thebooks and loose leaf paper.

“We’re going to work on your magic,remember?” Avalon stood next to me, fidgeting a little, as if his muscularframe was having a hard time containing all of the energy within. He rockedback and forth on his heels and bit his thumb nail nervously. I noticed thathis right hand was constantly drumming a beat into the side of his Dockers andimagined that he was playing a rhythm to god-knows-what kind of angry rockmusic I was too i

I squinted at him, trying to figurehim out. The same feeling of peacefulness and tranquility passed over me againand once more I felt completely focused. I had no reason to fidget or wiggle atall. My energy seemed to be completely balanced.

“Magic, Eden,” Avalon nodded hishead in the direction of my backpack and heat quickly rose to my cheeks. Howcould I keep forgetting the magic when it was so helpful in situations likethis?

“Oh yea, I forgot,” I finallyfocused my magic on the missing keys and used it to direct my hand where to go.I pulled them out of my worn book bag, feeling quite triumphant. “Do you wantto go to my place?”

“Just follow me. We have to gosomewhere where no one will bother us,” he smiled wide and pointed to his car:a bright red, four door truck, with an extended cab and monster wheels. It notonly stood apart from the rest of the black something or others, but stoodabove them as well. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

–-

I followed Avalon for twentyminutes. I could tell he wanted to speed, but drove painfully slow so that Icould follow him. We drove over the bridge and into Iowa up into the bluffsthat looked down over the Missouri River.

Eventually the road ended and wecontinued on a dirt path through some trees. I had never been more thankful formy Rover as I bounced along behind Avalon’s ginormous truck.

We continued for miles on a dirtpath barely wide enough to accommodate Avalon’s massive vehicle. Every once ina while a tree branch smacked down on the roof of his truck and I fullyexpected him to eventually get impaled.