A few days later Cleo grabbed Maddie as they were on their way out of Moral Philosophy class.

“I want to try something. Something I just remembered reading about. Let's go straight to the greenhouse after class later.”

“We'll bring him along, of course. If this goes the way I think it will, he won't want to miss it.”

Cleo practically dragged Gaius and Maddie to their bench in the greenhouse after class. They had started more advanced training in Elementary Magic, reaching out to affect the universe for the first time in months. Cleo was so enthusiastic she was practically vibrating. Just watching her made it difficult for Maddie to concentrate, but she had managed to feel something, so she figured she had done all right. Corentin had even cautioned them not to expect too much from their first experience.

“I can't believe this is the first time we've actually tried something like magic,” Cleo complained as she dragged her friends across the lawn. “But we'll see about that!”

Maddie was a little frightened. Cleo was usually so composed. It was gaius who was prone to fits of the dramatic. Cleo was their rock. But she was actually scaring Maddie more and more the closer they got to their spot.

“Are you sure this is a good idea,” she asked, not even knowing or caring what the idea was.

“Trust me.” Less trustworthy words are almost never found than that phrase.

They arrived at their secluded spot and sat down. Cleo rubbed her hands together.

“What are we going to do?” asked Gaius, somehow excited rather than terrified. Maddie wasn't sure how that was possible, but she seemed to be the focus of Cleo’s plan, so it made sense that she would be more affected. Part of her wondered if it was worth it to have friends or if she would have been better off staying alone. At least she might have lived longer.

When they were settled, Cleo turned to Maddie and said, “I was just thinking about the way the examiners tested us, and I remembered that I had read up on some of the examination practices that the other Academies use. There are some differences, and I think we might be able to figure out your affinity.”

Maddie looked sceptical. Gaius looked excited. Cleo saw her friends’ looks and said, “Okay, okay. I'll go first. After all, the examiner did say I had affinity for something other than elemental magic.”

She sat on the ground in the posture that they usually used for their meditation.

“You have to reach out and feel the energy of the universe, just like Corentin has been teaching us. Slowly teaching us. Very slowly. Okay.

“Now you feel inside yourself, which he hasn't been teaching us for some reason. You have to look very deep and find the spark of energy inside. Then you have to examine it to find out what it's like. This is what the examiners do with their assessment abilities. Then they have you try something to see if you can access that spark at all, and how much. But if you can do it when they tell you to, you can do it anytime. And I've been practicing for the past day or so, so I should be able to make it work.”

She fell silent, finally reaching a point where she could not focus on her magic and explain at the same time.

“Got it! No, wait, lost it again. I really need to focus more.”

A few more minutes went by. Maddie stared at Cleo,waiting for something to happen. Gaius yawned and started to complain but was stopped when Maddie put her hand out and gave him a look. Finally something started to happen.

“I'm doing it,” Cleo said in an extremely calm voice, still focusing, “Can you see it?”

Maddie and Gaius couldn't see anything. Cleo slowly opened her eyes.

“It's not there. But I can feel its presence.”

Maddie looked closely. Maybe there was a faint shimmer in the air in front of Cleo. She reached out her hand toward the shimmeriness, then jerked it back.

“I felt something. It feels like there's a ball of something there, but I can't see it.”

Gaius reached out, only to feel the same disconcerting sensation.

“What kind of magic is that?” he asked, “I've never heard of invisible magic before.”

“That's only because you don't really know that much about magic. I read a little about the different forms magic can take. There was something about an invisible kind of magic, but it wasn't well known. I think it's rare.”

Gaius scoffed. “Lucky you to get such a rare magic.”

“You might not realize it, but I come from a long line of people with magical affinities. The Ptolomies have been using magic since the first Ptolomy daughter with Alexander.”

“That hardly makes you special. There's plenty of magic in my blood. My ancestors were some of the greatest mages in all of Albion.”

“Oh, I'm well aware of your ancestors. You never stop talking about them!” Cleo lost focus and the ball of pure energy dissipated. Maddie had been examining it, feeling for its edges and pushing against it, feeling it almost push back. When it went away she felt it almost pop like a bubble.

The snap of the bubble snapped Cleo out of her ire. She opened her mouth and started to speak, but stopped. Maddie filled it in for her.

“Gaius, you should have felt that. It was amazing. And I think I'll be able to do it myself.”

Cleo and Maddie shared a smile.

About an hour later Maddie was still at it. Gaius was seriously bored and even Cleo was starting to get impatient. Every time he started to complain Cleo would shush him. Maddie managed to stay calm throughout most of it, but finally puffed out a frustrated breath.

“I feel like I can almost reach it. Like I keep grabbing at it, only to have it slip away again. I didn't really have any trouble finding it, either. I just can't grasp it.”

Cleo frowned, thinking about her own experience. “When I looked for the magic in myself, I found my water magic first. I tried to tough it for a second, but it was a little slippery, almost like touching water. When I found my other magic, it felt the same way you described it. Like I was touching something but couldn't really tell what it was. Maybe magic is always like that. Maybe you have a magic that's inherently elusive. Gaius, you try.”

Gaius startled. “Why me?”

“Because you have the most easy to access type of magic. And you already know your affinity. You magic is probably closer to the surface. Maybe more powerful, too,” she added, appealing to his ego.

Maddie got up and Gaius sat down on the ground, fiddling with his clothes in an attempt to keep as much of them as possible le from touching the dusty stone. It took him a while to gain focus -- he was one of the worst in their class at meditating -- but soon his breathing was measured and his fidgeting eased. A few minutes later a small ball of light appeared in the air before him. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled.

“I got it. And it was easier than I thought it would be. Corentin should have had us doing this from the first day. It's much easier to meditate if you have an actual goal in mind. I even managed to change it. It wanted to be a ball of flame, but I convinced it to be a ball of light instead.”

“Convinced it? Like it was a living thing?”

“Well, not really. It's hard to explain. It's like a powerful force inside me, with a strong will. I know it's really my own will, but...well, it's not really my will.”

“The magic must have a tendency to behave a certain way. That's why it manifest the way it does. It chooses the path of least resistance. And you managed to change it. Good work, Gaius.”

Gaius smiled and the ball of light winked out. He got up and dusted himself off.

“Thanks. Do you want to try again, Maddie?”

“It will have to wait, Cleo interjected, “It's later than we thought. If we don't hurry, well miss dinner.”