Read The Crystals of Tlalli: Awakened Affinities Page 22

studio in Jamara with Zos. When he came to pick her up he looked at Rica quizzically. She was dressed in her pajamas.

  “Well I guess we could work out with you dressed like that but I think you might be a little cold.” Zos looked her up and down.

  Rica stood there uncomprehending then flushed as she remembered her promise.

  “I completely forgot. I’m sorry. Just give me two minutes.” Rica turned to run up and change but Zos stopped her.

  “It’s ok. I’m a little tired anyway. If you don’t want to go it would be fine by me. I only came because I thought you might want to.”

  Zafira came to the front door and looked at Zos.

  “Well don’t just stand there. Come in.”

  “Well I would but someone is standing in my way.” Zos laughed. Rica flushed deep red and stepped out of the way.

  They spent the evening watching a show on their view screen; though they always corrected Rica when she called it a TV she would always think of it that way.

  The next day was the party. Rica didn’t know what to expect. All the Leanista and Forlanta cousins were coming, well all of them except Melnone who had told Chaura he was busy. The Forlanta’s were Chaura’s brother’s kids there were five of them Melnone, Nottia, and three younger brothers. The house had been made to look festive with streamers and balloons.

  The next day Chaura and Todd went into high gear getting everything ready for the party. They had hired a band and invited half the town. Magi Kohl was coming as well. Rica felt excited and nervous at the same time. The only people she knew who would be there were Zafira’s family and Magi Kohl from the school. Even if he was doubtful about her affinities, she was excited to see another human again.

  That evening when everyone started coming Rica relaxed. This was nice of the Leanista’s to do for a stranger. But then Rica was starting to feel like she belonged here. Like she was part of this family too. It was a comforting thought. Everyone was dressed beautifully. They guys were all wearing nice pants and variations of tunics, that were brightly colored. The women all tended to be wearing dresses. Rica’s was a black dress with an over dress that was iridescent.

  “Rica!” Zos yelled.

  Rica turned to look at him. He was dancing with Petcher and they motioned her over. Rica smiled and came over. Zos spun her around and into the arms of one of the cousins. He was about Rica’s age and sort of cute for a kitty guy. Rica giggled. Zos bent over and whispered.

  “He won’t leave us alone. Keep him busy.” Then he spun Petcher away and they danced near the open doors to the outside. Jim leaped up and landed on Zos’s shoulder then jumped spreading his paws out to each side to land on Rica’s head, grabbing her hair frantically. He scolded her and sat on her shoulder clinging to her hair.

  “Jim!”

  “Oh I heard about that rako of yours.” The cousin said. “I’m Morgan by the way.”

  “Pleased to meet you Morgan. Your Nottia’s brother right?” Rica smiled.

  “Yes, the nice one.” He laughed, “You want to get a drink of that punch?” He looked at her like he was sizing up prey. Rica blushed.

  “Sure.” He took her hand in his and led her out of the chaos of the living room and into the kitchen to get drinks for them both. The cousin, as she still thought of him was a lot of fun. The rest of the evening Rica forgot about all her troubles and had the most fun she had ever had in her life. The cousin loved to dance and showed her some steps to the popular dances. It wasn’t long before she was breathless and in need of more punch.

  Tod and Chaura were talking to a couple at the snack table. They were human! Not Magi Kohl and his wife but two different people. The sight stopped Rica where she stood reaching for a glass of punch. A tall slender man with brown hair and a slight dark haired woman in a rust-colored dress stood next to Tod. Chaura saw her and waved for Rica to come over. Rica wove her way through the dancers to them.

  “This is Magi Sorren Locke and his wife Aribeth. Sorren, Aribeth this is Rica.”

  “A pleasure to meet you Mr. Locke.”

  “Call me Sorren. I hear you are going to be taking classes at the Academy. We will see a lot of one an other there I think.” His face was boyish; his eyes had a spark of something in them. Mischief? Rica liked him instantly.

  “I hope so. Though I don’t know whom Magi Kohl got to teach me. He didn’t sound too hopeful he would find anyone. But I hope to see you there.”

  Magi Locke was looking intently at Rica’s necklace of crystals. “Oh I think we will be seeing each other quit a bit. That is a beautiful necklace you have on. Where did you get it?”

  “I got it when I found out my affinities.” Rica touched the necklace and could feel the answering warmth of power. Rica was glad she had worn the large corsage of flowers over her bracelet. She still couldn’t get it off. Pretty as it was, she was unsure why her father had given it to her. Until she could find out she didn’t want to draw any more attention to it then necessary.

  The party wound down and people started to leave. Rica could hardly keep her eyes open. The cousin had left about an hour ago and Jim had passed out on the table in the kitchen behind a large bowl that had held snacks. He was hugging a piece of red fruit and his little paws twitched as he dreamed. No one moved him. Rica felt herself being pulled toward the stairs and didn’t fight it. Zafira shoved her gently toward the bed in her room and the last thing Rica remembered was Zafira pulling her shoes off and covering her with a blanket.

  13 - Growing Pains

  The weather inside the academy walls was always spring bordering on summer. Rica had asked Zafira about it the first week of classes. The cold fall morning they had hurried to the academy and had found the doors walled in with fog. Cold on one side and warmer on the other the two weathers collided at the huge doors. Zafira hadn’t known why it was that way just that it had always been that way. It was frustrating to Rica. But to Zafira and the other people of this world it was commonplace. They didn’t question why it was; they just accepted it as the way it had always been.

  The weather mystery was only one thing that made the Academy of the Arts like a dream you could touch to Rica. The crystal towers and the Magi who taught in them were fantasy come to life, until she actually had to go to the classrooms and try to understand concepts that were alien to her. Without the translation Rune the lessons were frustrations piled on top of struggle. She could only understand part of the words so the translation Rune had to be worn. The headaches she endured were the worst pain she had ever felt. When Magi Locke saw her white faced grimace one afternoon he asked her about it. She showed him the Rune. He took it and tried it around her wrist. The pain instantly faded. Was that all she had had to do? Rica felt relieved and more than a little stupid. When she looked at the words in one of her books she discovered she could read them! Maybe the Rune had to be farther away for the writing? Rica didn’t know. She was just glad she could now read her lessons. Why hadn’t Zafira or Chaura told her about this? Was it possible they didn’t know either?

  Sitting on the grass by the pond near the blue tower Rica contemplated her now hectic life. She was working here and there in the shops where needed and helping at the house with Zafira; she had martial arts lessons once a week. She was too busy to miss home anymore. Two weeks ago Rica had started classes at the Academy of the Arts. It was challenging in that Rica had no point of reference in her former life to prepare her for the classes. She had no experience with magic except for what little she had seen on this world. A sorrowful musical note played and hung in the air like a substantial thing. Rica hurried to her feet and ran to the Red tower. Today she was in the Red crystal classroom with Magi Sorren Locke.

  “Rica you can do this. Focus on willing a flame into your hands.”

  “I am. It’s not working. I don’t know how to do this.” Rica threw her hands in the air and looked at the Magi, “Your instructions are so vague, can’t you tell me how to do it?” She pleaded.

&nbs
p; “Your will directs the magic. You have to focus your will.”

  “My will? Well that explains it. If I knew how to do that, I would be doing it!” She muttered quietly so Magi Locke wouldn’t hear her. Rica realized she sounded like a petulant brat at this point and didn’t care. This magic thing was hard, and vague, and not at all something she was familiar with.

  Magi Locke took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He closed his eyes and held out his arms and hands palms up.” Look at my aura. I know you can do that. Watch when I summon a flame. Watch as the aura changes.”

  He became still and calm. His aura stilled as well, its frantic swirl of frustrated color calmed and became white. A flame of pure white light appeared and hovered above his outstretched palms. A shiver ran down Rica’s spine at his display of ultimate control. Ok that was cool!

  “Now I want you to try it Rica. Calm your self and breath slowly, visualize what you want to manifest in your mind until you can smell the flame, feel its energy.”

  Rica thought of flame and what it looked like and how it was hot and smoked sometimes but she couldn’t imagine exactly how it looked. She thought of a fireplace and logs burning in it. Nothing happened.

  “It didn’t work.” Rica’s voice was plaintive.

  Magi Locke sighed. He stood with his arms crossed and a contemplative look on his