Chương 32: Perpetual Motion (of Discoveries)

That night, I sit on the floor of my room pouring over the mystery book. I've read it multiple times, but this is the first time I feel like I have a better grasp of what it's trying to tell me. Sects, Segues, and Suspicions—How the Power Around us Died. The history contained in here is nothing like what we've all learned. It is, but not the underlying qualities. Magic has always been around. Alive. Breathing. Until it wasn't.

The rise of Blood Magic is when people seemed to start forgetting about the magic of the earth and elements. I frown, as I read each word. It's almost as if the pages are spelled to be forgotten as soon as I've gleaned the information. Because I know I've read it before. It's familiar, a lingering sensation of knowing. Like when you bite into a lemon. Sour at first, but then a subtle hint of taste afterward. What I need to understand better is Blood Ties. What are they?

I understand that the Blood Sect operates sort of like a family who lend each other strength. If your family practices coercion. As good as this book is, the style of writing won't let me understand more than I'm ready to. It's like magic is guiding the words. I guess it really is true. Information is served through lenses. Unless you acquire it firsthand, you can't be sure of anything. Perspective. That's what I have to gain, and I feel like I'm slowly inching toward it.

While I read, I transfer water between two glasses in a steady, arching stream. It's the best way I've found to utilize my affinity for water without having to bring in another element. A steady flow also allows for me to practice this while doing something else. Multitasking is the first step to performing it unconsciously. I've come to another conclusion today. It's my sense for water that allows me to tell where people are, and who is approaching.

Sure, the steps they take on the ground also help, but the sensing an approach is a combination. Not just one element. Mainly water for living beings. Knowing that, I feel safer with water than I did before. Now I'm aware that I've been subconsciously wielding both all of my life. In a way, it's scary. That's why I don't drop my connection to the water arches as Xan steps into my room.

"You're getting good at that." They plop down next to me.

"But what if I'd have been someone else walking through that door."

"I knew it was you. If it wasn't you, or Minx, or Lennick, I would have stopped before you got in here." Sadly, I realize that if I want to talk, channel water, and read, I'm going to drop one of those balls. Reluctantly, I stop reading and turn my attention to Xalin. But I don't stop the water. Its constant expenditure is necessary to hone this. Not only am I constantly outputting for Conduit Expansion, but using Recovery Acclimation, I'm also funneling power back into myself in a rotation.

"We'll have a task soon," I said.

"Aarron received an odd missive from Sevrin that I have an idea was written in code."

"You memorized it, right?" Xan flashes me one of those knowing looks.

"Of course I did." I stand up and fish one of the pages off my bed, handing it to them. All the while, never letting the water stop. Perpetual Motion. Training my mind. This magic is turning into just another reflex. It makes me want to test it in action. Xalin reads over the page.

"This is exactly what he sent?" A frown tugs at their lips, and there's a furrow to their brow.

"That's precisely every word." I cock my head to the side, not having expected Xalin's response.

"What is it then?"

"Are you sure you applied the correct code?" they ask quietly.

"It's the only code that made it not sound like gibberish. So yes, unless they've got a new one we haven't been told." I arch the water higher, twist it, making it dive back into the cup in the form of a dolphin.

"This isn't right. I don't think Sevrin was thinking clearly when he sent this. I mean the words are right, but the order feels off. Whatever code he attempted, I don't think he sent the message he intended."

"What makes you think that?" Xan shrugs but then clears their throat.

"Warning us without specifics is a lot sloppier than Sevrin's usual work." There's a moment when I could have asked Xan how they know things like that, but it passes when Deshan enters Aarron's quarters and the rock around them sends out a pulse. I slot the question to the back of my mind and focus my attention through that connection. All the while keeping the water flowing, now around the interior of my room. Must keep challenging myself. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road.

If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Aarron greets the Adept and then the connection is gone. Severed. Proof that Aarron has some means of keeping magic out when he wants to. Now I just have to find out what.

"I've got a feeling we'll be sent out with Deshan. Perhaps a couple of others," I comment, feeling like I'm not quite in my own head. Sometimes I've noticed this distance when I try to eavesdrop. My frustrations peak for a moment, and I realize that my water stream falters. Mood affects control too. Another thing to keep in mind. I turn back to Xalin, who is still perusing the information I handed over.

"What did you mean by 'it's not right?'" Xan shrugs, and for a moment I think they're uncomfortable. But then they speak just like their usual self.

"Look at this: Assistance requested by the Prefect of Sorrishen. Division of Nightshade order has disrupted business operations. Urgent attention required. First up. Does that sound like Sevrin?" Xan raises an eyebrow and waits for me to answer. I can see they have a point. While we're not friends with Sevrin, we've seen him around enough and know enough of him that this does sound stilted.

"It could just be the method of communication." Xan shakes their head.

"Could be. But Sevrin is simply not this dry. I'm not even sure he sent it." I flip that over in my mind, looking at it from every angle. My water wheel traverses the room smoothly.

"Say that I agree, what does it mean?" I really want to know what Xan is thinking and how far and with how many variations they've looked ahead. Xan shrugs, and I feel a breeze of disappointment.

"I'm not sure. But if we're being sent there, we need to figure out exactly what we're walking into. Because I don't think it's what we're expecting." They end up being more cautious than I expected. In our line of work, that keeps you alive.

"Then let's just make sure we walk in with our eyes and senses wide open." Xan nudges my arm.

"Good thing you have that ability then, right?" Not even jostling my arm makes my water arch budge. I feel marginally smug about that fact.

"We've got to use everything we have in our arsenal." For a few moments Xan just watches me work. I adjust the stream of water, thickening it, extracting all the air bubbles and making sure the water is as dense as possible. Being water, there's only so much I can do. In the meantime I push out my awareness, trying to sense disturbances on the edges of our Enclave's territory. Considering the extent of that, I haven't yet been able to do this consistently without exhausting myself.

There's a fine line between utilizing my ability in my mostly immediate vicinity, which helps me replenish my own energies—and extending my awareness to an almost guard perimeter type extent. Pushing myself is the only way to get stronger. Words in the book come back to me, not to mention Minx's vessel persona. The Blood Sect is everywhere, in all of the Orders, affecting some even at Prefect level. What's to say we don't have one or more of them in our very midst. The thought is sobering.

"Ria?" Xan's leaning against my bed, hands draped over their knees, just watching the water and me.

"What?" I turn my head more to make eye contact, hoping he can't read my thoughts in my expression. Right now all I have is extrapolation and nothing solid.

"Where did you get that book?" I almost drop my water wheel as I realize I didn't pack it away. For a short while I'd forgotten that Xan didn't see me get this book despite it being wedged between two of the books they pulled down in the library.

"You pulled it down with the other two." I gesture over to where the thicker pair of books sits on my desk. I've given up hiding my tomes and journals. Even though opening a hiding place in the wall is a good practice for my skill levels. I'm using them and cross referencing too much to keep putting them away. Besides, Aarron already knows.

"The other night when we went to the library?" Xan looks confused.

"Yep." I don't elaborate. I'll let them try to figure it out. Telling someone that a book magically appeared when neither of us noticed how it got there in the first place—unnecessary until I know the how. He pauses.

"I don't remember pulling that one down." I sigh, giving in.

"It was wedged in between two books."

"Doesn't look like a library book." He says examining the spine.

"Don't think it is." I shrug my shoudlers into a roll. They're stiff today. After a few moments silence, Xan changes the subject.

"Do you want to go out and practice some more?" I mull that over.

"That's a great idea, but you're busy, aren't you? I have a class in two hours too. Really…" I look down at the empty cups I've been using, still maintaining the water snake in the air.

"I should be using bowls for this. More volume, more control."

"Why don't you just take a bath?" Xan asks nonchalantly as they study their nails. Bathtub. That's about as large a vessel of water as I'm going to get here in the Enclave. The waterfall is a bit too powerful for me yet, but I could definitely practice with a bathtub. I've been practicing slightly in the shower. Helping the water massage those muscles that are particularly sore. In this line of work staying nimble is paramount to a longer life.

"I'll do that tonight. We may have leeway as to how we spend our off time, but it's difficult to explain why I'm taking baths in the middle of the day," I say, my tone coming out dry and slightly amused. Xan shrugs.

"Sure. If that's what you want then. If we're not doing that. What am I doing here?"

"You're the one who came into my room. I thought you had a purpose."

"I wanted to check on you and see if you need help." They glance down at the missive I jotted down again.

"To be honest, why is he sending us on this?" I shake my head.

"Your guess is as good as mine, and it's probably all got to do with my skills that he thinks we don't know he knows about." I scrunch my face up as I say that.

"Did that make any sense?" I ask.

"Clear as mud." Xan laughs.

"I don't get why he's sending us."

"Lots of reasons. He'll probably use Adept track as an excuse."

"But that's just you," Xan says.

"For now anyway." I shrug.

"You've been impressive lately yourself." I flash them a wink. Xan chuckles and changes the subject.

"Seriously though. It's fine. Have you spoken to Minx today?"

"Not really since the other night. Saw her in the scrying lab though. Farin was looking for her." I groan at the memory and realize it's the one thing I haven't mentioned to them yet.

"Speaking of which—keep an eye out for Farin. She's Aarron's niece and apparently doing some spying."

"Niece… wait, on us?" Xan shakes their head like they're trying to keep up.

"When did you find that out?"

"Just before the Town Hall fiasco."

"Why on us?" I raise an eyebrow and wait.

"Oh, because he thinks we don't know what we know?"

"Probably." I say, " Anyway, I've been accepted as a friend of Farin's now. Since Minx is apparently a great judge of character. Or something like that."

"Is that a good thing?" Xan leans forward, peering up at the water as it circles overhead.

"I'm unsure." Impulse strikes me and I grin before suddenly commanding the full amount of water into a sphere, leveraging it over Xan's head, and letting it drop. It splashes onto their head, saturating their hair and washing a lot of it right in the way of their eyes. I laugh. I'm not sure why I did that, but there was something telling me I needed to. Xan splutters, barking out a laugh of surprise.

"What the hell?" I laugh, and I can feel some of the stress I've been carrying unfurl. With classes, manning the scrying chambers, and being placed on the Adept track—I already had a lot on my plate. Now I'm a mage, magician, elemental manipulator—whatever you want to call it. If I don't let myself laugh about the absurdity of some things, I'm going to burn myself out.

"It's good to see you laugh. Sometimes, you worry me." Xan's voice is quiet, like they're not sure they should be speaking those words.

"Always fun to laugh at your expense." I wink at them. But the thoughts running through my head aren't as complimentary as my response. Because truth be told, lately, I've been worrying about me too.