Abigail glanced off towards the veil, and then back to me. “Perhaps after this, you may choose a one-on-one fight as your third trial, but this one is simply to show if you can penetrate a shield,” she said. “Let’s focus on one trial at a time, hmm?”
“Okay, but just so you know, I’ve never attempted such a thing.” I didn’t know why I was warning her in the first place. She would probably defend this without any issue. I was an inexperienced witch, just as she said I was. Maybe worrying about pretending to be weak was unnecessary. Maybe I really was weak.
My mother had taught us all how to shield ourselves, but never to get up and under one. I shook my head.
“Have a go. It is like creating a shield, but the inverse. You seek, instead of protect.”
I nodded, and then rolled my shoulders back. The tension eased, but only slightly.
“All right.” I walked back to the blue line.
Abigail pressed her palms together like she was praying. “You may attack.”
I shuddered and shook off the word. I didn’t like to think that I was attacking her, not in the least.
“Okay... here goes.” I lifted my wand and held out my left hand. I conjured up a ball of white light, concentrating on the strength and heat of the magic, making it strong, penetrating and fast.
Then I turned and threw the ball straight at her, expecting it to splatter across her shield like a snow ball on ice.
It hit her in the face and she gasped, stumbling backwards in pain.
I thrust my arm out and called the magic straight back to my palm, where it collected and grew, until every particle returned. Then I tucked it away for another day.
I hurried over to Abigail who was staggering like I’d punched her.
I grabbed her arm and held her steady. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry! Did I start before your shield was up?”
Abigail shook herself and then stood up straight, her eyes wide with awe. “No, I had my shield up. But your... magic blasted straight through.”
Shit!
How was I going to fix that mistake? I thought, considering she was a Fae, and probably quite a powerful one to be working for the Council... that I would be too weak to overpower her. Therefore, I wouldn’t need to worry about revealing too much of myself.
So much for that ‘logic’.
“Oh... that was probably just because you set it too low? Maybe... we could try again and you can strengthen it?” I was bullshitting of course.
Abigail knew it. I knew it. But maybe the rest of the audience didn’t. Maybe they would believe the lie? Please....
I released a breath. Please, please, please don’t expose how powerful I am.
Abigail glanced over at the veil again, staring at the space as though she was communicating something with someone, and then looked back at me.
“Of course.” she said. “I forgot that your mother trained you. Perhaps a level ten shield? One I use on the College students?”
There was that strange noise again. I furrowed my brow and turned toward the veil. “Is that someone coughing... or...?”
Was someone trying to tell me something? Whatever it was, it was distracting.
“It’s fine,” Abigail said firmly, not even looking to where I indicated. “If you would like to try again, that is fine by me.”
My gaze flickered over her face, to where her nose was red and burned.
“Oh my god, I hurt you!” I said. I’d never hurt anyone before, not intentionally. Guilt filled my body and I moved towards her. “I’m so sorry... please let me fix that.”
I lifted my wand, ran it over my palm, concentrating on the healing magic my mother had taught me, then lifted my hand to her face.
“It’s fine really,” she said. “You can’t....”