Auctioned off to a School for Magic

Chapter Two: Summoning Fire

“And that’s how to summon fire.” Officer Ruma demonstrated. “At the end of the week you’re expected to be able to demonstrate this yourselves.” The bell rang.

I was shaken at my desk. “Ruth wake up.”

I raised my head and saw Zander. He was one of the first friends I made here. “I’m not sleep.” I yawned. “She’s talking about fire.” There was something about summoning spells that just put me to sleep. I can’t really help it. 

Zander rolled his eyes. “What’s the summoning spell for fire then?” 

I chuckled. “You’re gonna have to wait to hear it come out of my mouth Friday.” I got up. 

Zander got up and followed me. “So you can perform magic now?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.” I was struggling with magic, no matter how I tried I couldn’t perform it. “I mean it is magic so you never know what could happen.”

“I heard elixirs can help with that sort of thing. Have you tried any?” He suggested.

I shook my head. “I don’t think I want that stuff entering my body. I don’t want to be elixir dependent like some witches.” Witch was the term for human's who study magic. Spell caster and siphon were also terms for people who aren't natural magic users. I smiled when I saw Jezebeth sitting at a bench in the hall once we turned a corner. “I gotta go Zander. You should go bother someone else.” I joked.

“Alright Ruth.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously. Good luck learning the summoning spell.” He went in the opposite direction.

I walked up to Jezebeth who had her nose in a book as usual. “Jeze.” I said then gently pulled her book down. “I need help learning a summoning spell.” I frowned. 

She looked up at me. “How can you learn a summoning spell of you can’t perform magic at all?”

My frown deepened. “I don’t know, I thought you’d know how to help me you’re one of the best students here.” She was even in advanced classes on an advanced track. Those students were always first pick to become officers when they graduate. 

“Have you tried meditation or elixirs?” She asked.

I sat down next to her and threw my bag down beside me on the floor. “Ugh meditation doesn’t do anything but put me to sleep and I don’t like the idea of elixirs.” 

Jezebeth chuckled. “Sorry... I don’t think I can really help. They shouldn’t expect you to be able to perform magic already.”

“I know but I told them I could in the questionnaire.” I chuckled nervously. “We haven’t had to demonstrate spells till now.” Before all we had to do was warm ups that I were able to fake my way through and memorizing spells. We’ve mixed potions and done other things that doesn’t require magic.

She frowned. “Why would you tell them that Rue?”

“I can teleport.” I shrugged. “That has to count for something. I told them I can perform magic because if I didn’t they’d put me in baby classes with younger kids.” I didn't want to be so far behind Jezebeth.

“You use your psychic abilities to do most the work.” Teleportation isn’t a psychic abilities but when paired with a little bit of magic it’s not the hardest thing. Unfortunately I couldn’t do the same thing with summoning spells because it took more magic. Plus I never really teleported far. “I think you should tell them the truth or you’ll get more behind.” 

I leaned on her and watched as students passed. “Maybe I will.” Or maybe I’ll find out another way to learn how to perform magic fast. 

Jezebeth pulled her backpack up onto her lap. “We got a letter today from Red.” She pulled out the letter.

I gasped. “What does it say?” Since I was sold to The Order Red was the only sister who’s visited me. One of our older sisters Rain gave me a call but she hasn't visited yet and she lives in the magical realm.

“I haven’t opened it yet because it was addressed to both of us so I thought we should read it together. There’s even a magic seal on it so the ink will only appear when the letter is in one of our hands” She opened up the letter. “Dear Ruth and Jezebeth, I’m writing to let you know that there are going to be a lot of changes in The Order soon hopefully for the better. There should be a change in leadership. You both have and are always welcome to come live with me at the castle. I miss you both and hope you’re doing well. Love, Red.” She read. She put the letter back in the envelope and put it in her bag. “Are you sure we shouldn’t go live with Red? I overheard the officers talking and their idea of ridding the realms of evil isn’t really good…”

I sighed. “Jezebeth. I love Red but that’s the easy way out. I want to do things on my own terms. I want to prove we can do this.” Maybe I was scared of how different things would be again. “I don’t want to have to depend on anyone. I already depended on my father and I see where that got me.” I knew I could trust Red but it was about more than just that. “We’re not going to let it get to the point of us being officers. Plus Red said things are going to change. We’ve already made friends here.”

“Like Zander?” She stood up. “I have to get to my transformation spells class.”

“Well yeah Zander’s cool.” I shrugged. “We’ve made lots of friends here.” I stood up. 

She put her backpack on. “No... you’ve made a lot of friends Ruth.” 

I felt bad as I watched her walk away. Maybe the fact that I didn’t even know magic made it hard for Jezebeth to believe we could break out ourselves. Maybe I should give Red a call. 

I went to my potions class and it was the same as it always was except this time I really focused. “Wow Ruth, you’re doing better today.” Julie complimented. She was my potions lab partner. 

I smiled. “I’m glad the effort shows.” I poured the potion on the leaf and it was supposed to grow it but instead it shrank. “Oh.”

Julie chuckled. “Usually your potions don’t do much of anything so I think that’s improvement. Here you used the wrong main ingredient and you didn’t mix it thoroughly enough.”

By the end of the class I was mixing potions that worked. They weren’t as good as Julie's but it was a big step for me. I decided I was going to work harder in all my classes for Jezebeth’s sake. “Hey Julie.” I said after the bell rang. “What do you think of Jezebeth?”

“Jezebeth? Oh she’s an advanced student right? I have one advanced class and I think she’s in it. She seems shy and I never see her talking to anyone.” She answered. “The class I have with her is next actually.”

“Don’t tell her I asked but could you talk to her? I think it'll be good for her to make some more friends. She’s really talented at magic and a good friend.” I grabbed my bag and got up.

Julie nodded. “Sure Ruth. I think friendship is important in a place like this.” She waved and left.

I went to my last class and after that I went to the library. I grabbed a book on how to perform magic. I was there for hours. I turned around when I heard someone calling me. “Zander?”

He sat down on the floor against the wall next to me. “You know I could help you? I know it’s not easy for humans to learn magic.”

“I'm not a regular human, I’m a psychic and a second generation witch so it should be easier for me than other humans." My mother was an amazing witch but sometimes it felt like the blood running through my vines weren't hers. "I've been here for more than two months." I sighed. "How did you even know I can’t perform magic?” I asked.

He chuckled. “You make it obvious. I don’t sense much mana coming from you when you do warmups.”

I facepalmed. “Yeah, I’m surprised our teacher didn’t say anything. But she probably assumed I was choosing to use my psychic abilities to help me. But I need to.”

“How do you usually try to siphon?” He asked.

I pulled out a dragon scale. “My sister mailed it to me a week ago. She said she uses dragon scales.” Mages and really powerful elves could use magic naturally while the rest of us had to channel it from things that are magic.

“How about I siphon the magic from the scale to you. I’ll be your personal adapter.” He chuckled.

My eyes lit up. “Really?? You can do that?”

“I-I should be able to.” He shrugged. “No big deal.” He grabbed the scale with one hand and grabbed my hand with the other.

I started to feel the mana coursing through me. “Wow it feels good.” 

He let go and gave the scale back. “I think you have enough for a few summoning spells. Practice and right before class on Friday I’ll do it again for you.”

I mumbled the spell but nothing happened. “Dang it.”

Zander laughed. “You’ll have to try for a while, you have a little mana but using it is gonna be the tricky part. That book should help.” He got up. “I’ll see you tomorrow Ruth.”

I nodded. “Thanks Zander!” I covered my mouth quickly since I was in the library. “Sorry.” I whispered to the people around me. I got up and checked out the book then went straight to my room. When I opened the door Jezebeth was already there. “Hey.” I threw my bag down, went right to my desk then opened the book and my notes on summoning fire.

Jezebeth walked to me. “I think I made a friend today.”

I looked up at her with a smile. “Oh really? Who?”

“A girl named Julie, she just started talking to me today and it turns out we have a lot in common. She’s a mage too and she grew up in the demon realm too.” She explained. 

I turned back to my work. “I’m friends with Julie too, she’s super nice. Maybe we could all hang out sometime.”

Jezebeth nodded and yawned. “What took you so long?”

“I was trying to learn this spell. Zander helped transfer mana from my scale to me so I have the mana I need. I just need to learn how to use it.” I answered.

Jezebeth frowned. “Oh… okay well I’m going to go to sleep.” 

“Okay.” 

I stayed up for hours and it started getting super late. I was able to get a little spark but nothing else.

I heard a noise and turned around. “Jezebeth? I thought you were sleep.”

She yawned. “I was but now… I’m not.” She pulled the seat I was sitting on out. “You need to sleep so I’m going to help you learn the spell. Up.”

I smiled. “Thanks Jezebeth I knew you’d help.” I got out the chair.

“Hold my hands…” She cleared her throat and we held hands. “Close your eyes. Take deep breaths. Focus on the mana you’re feeling and nothing else.” I started breathing in and out and doing exactly what she instructed. “Try first teleporting, it’s a simple spell. Don’t use your psychic abilities. Just think about teleporting.”

I nodded and I felt myself use the mana. I opened my eyes and I was in a slightly different place. “Oh my gosh I did it.”

Jezebeth nodded. “Magic is all about concentration and decline. Summoning fire is going to be a little harder but magic is about growth… so don’t try to skip the basics anymore.”

I hugged her. “I won't skip the basics anymore, I promise and thanks Jeze.”

She nodded against me. “Mm-hm.” 

I pulled away. “If you want to go live with Red we can. I just don’t want to be a quitter or a burden on her. She has her own family and we have ours now. I’m not ready for things to change all over again.” I was fine being here as long as I was here with my best friend. I didn’t know how things would be living in a big castle in a new realm I knew nothing about.

Jezebeth sat on her bed. “We’ll stay. Red does have her own family and I don’t think I’d really have a place there.” 

I sat down next to her and yawned. “You know that’s not what I meant?” 

Jezebeth nodded. “I know. I should stay here anyways because when my father comes for me I want to be here.” 

We laid down and stayed up longer to talk and ended up falling asleep in her bed.

When Friday came I stood in front of the room in my summoning class. “Ready Ruth?” I nodded. I saw Zander giving me thumbs up and a few of my other friends also being supportive with smiles. I took a deep breath and put my hand out. All I had to do was put myself in a calm state by thinking about those closest to me. Then I thought about the mana and what I wanted to do with it. I watched my hand as fire was summoned into it then I put it out. “Good job Ruth. Next student.”

I went back to my seat and I felt really good. “That was great Ruth.” Zander complimented.

After class I met up with Jezebeth at the same spot on the bench as yesterday. “How’d the demonstration go?”

“I was able to do it, it-“ I stopped talking when I saw groups of officers heading for the elevator and they didn't exactly look happy. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…” Jezebeth responded.

“Attention students, if you’re between the ages of ten and fourteen you need to report outside.” We heard over the loudspeaker.

I got up with Jezebeth and we went outside and grouped up with everyone else. There was only one officer outside with two hundred kids. “Do you think it’s what Red was talking about?” She asked me.

“Maybe.” We checked in with the officer then waited around for a while. “Look Jezebeth. There’s Red.” I said when I spotted my sister leaving the building with another sorceress.

“Red!” We both shouted and waved our hands. We watched her turn around. “Thanks for the letter!” 

She waved at us. “They’ll be more!” Then we watched her leave.

When we were allowed to go back into the building we were told the leadership in The Order was changing. Things here were going to be a lot different but that didn’t change my and Jezebeth’s plan to rule the world.