I pulled the pain into my hand, my fingers tingling with the burn I’d caused.
Then her skin was healed, and my heart lifted. “There.” I said. “All fixed. I’m so sorry Abigail... again.”
“How... how did you do that, Ava?” She touched her nose, her eyes on me.
“Oh, it’s nothing really.” I flicked my wrist dismissively.
She tilted her head to the side. “You’re a healer?”
“Not really. My mother taught me how to pull my own magic back into myself, and then how to fix any damage I’d done. I can’t heal anything... only, my own mistakes.” I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not even sure that makes sense.”
Abigail gave me a strange assessing look, and I swallowed hard against the feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy.
“Is that weird...” I let my voice trail off. I didn’t want to stress too much about it. “I never know what’s normal now. In this world.”
“It’s a good talent to have, Ava,” she said. “Your mother was very... smart, teaching you such a thing.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded at the blue line. “You ready to try again?”
“Sure.”
Surely this time I could fail? It couldn’t be that hard.
“Same idea?” I asked, not sure I wanted to do the same task.
“Yes. My level ten shield is up. Go.”
I lifted my wand and pointed it straight at the shield, and then pulsed red energy at the Fae.
My magic bounced off, revealing a shield that was held out in front of Abigail. It did not have a roof, or a floor. It would be way too simple to get around.
I flicked the energy up and over and her second hand came up, the shield extending.
I laughed. “Clever.”
I flicked my wand down, encouraging the red magic to make Abigail adapt quickly, as I had with Tavlor, but again, Abigail’s magic followed.
“I want you to throw the white ball again,” Abigail said, though her voice sounded strained.
“But... it hurt you.”
Abigail laughed. “It won’t get through this shield. I promise.”
I shrugged. “Are you sure...”
“Do it!”
Seriously, these people loved bossing me about.
I let the red magic go. It was probably a little too pathetic after that first blast.
I pointed my wand at my palm and concentrated on the white light of my magic. This time, instead of hot, I made them sharp small. Like splinters. Just in case one or two got through- I didn’t want to hurt Abigail again.
Once the magic was sealed and complete, I threw the ball at her.
It splattered on the shield, just as I had anticipated it would, and spread out and around, looking for areas to penetrate.