Page 80 of To Kill a King
The air exploded. She landed on her butt with a yip.
“Too much! Have you forgotten everything you learned yesterday?” Cressida rubbed her temples. “You’re extremely gifted, child. But you must learn to control the amount you use, or you will never master the results.” She sighed. “Let’s put this aside for the time being. I’d like to explore your abilities as they relate to shapeshifting.”
Her shapeshifting? Uh, oh. “My shifting’s always been easier to manage than the rest. Are they the same thing?”
“I’m not certain, but if one takes less effort than the other, perhaps we will be more successful in your training if we approach your magic through the lens of that particular ability.”
Aliya tilted her head, absorbing Cressida’s words. “Yes, I can give it a try. I’ll need some water.”
“Excellent.” Cressida poured a tall glass from a pitcher Aliya hadn’t noticed. “Center yourself on the feeling right before you change.”
Aliya drank, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Now, reach for the magic. When you have a small tendril in hand, focus on adjusting the grass beneath you as though you were shapeshifting. Make it blue.”
Aliya gave her heart a few beats to steady, then imagined pushing her ability into her feet.
“Close.” Cressida’s voice was strained, like she was trying to hold back a laugh.
Opening her eyes, Aliya glanced down. Heat flooded her face at the cerulean hue of her skin.
“You look like a water nymph.”
Aliya held her arm out in front of her as she examined it. Was this what they looked like? They were supposed to be as elusive as dryads. “Good to know, for future reference.” She swallowed and readjusted her skin tone.
The sparkle in Cressida’s eyes enhanced her smile. “Try again. This time, extend the power beyond your body, out through your toes and into the surrounding glade.”
“But what if I damage something permanently?” The last thing they needed were trees with blue leaves and bark.
“Don’t worry. I’ll stop you before it gets to that point.”
An invisible weight lifted off her shoulders. Any consequences rested on Cressida’s head if she failed, not on hers. With a deep breath, she let her vision blur out as she focused on the ground beneath her feet.
Cressida clapped. “Well done! And only on the second try! I think we may have found the key to unlocking your power.”
She opened her eyes. An azure circle of grass, several footsteps wide, surrounded her.
Lindir burst through into the clearing, panting. He stared at Aliya for a heartbeat before turning his attention to his aunt.
Cressida glared at him. “What is it?”
He walked up and whispered in her ear.
Cressida’s eyes widened as she glanced at Aliya.
“Take a break, child.” She turned to Lindir. “I’ll handle this.” She left, heading back the way her nephew had come.
Aliya’s pounding heart froze.
The young elf cast his gaze down, drawing a pattern in the grass with his toe. Several strands of hair fell across his face, hiding his eyes.
“Lindir?”
He ran his hand over his head, pulling the errant locks away and sighed. “I’m sorry. I—” Swallowing, he took a few steps toward her. “I was in the glade I showed you. In the gardens, with the fish.”
She nodded, blood turning to ice.
“I overheard…well, the sun elf princess was there, talking with Elessan. She plans to use you as a political hostage against the human king.”