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I digested the lesson with interest. I’d heard of Miriam’s stars before, but I’d never given them much thought. Now I felt excited to learn more about them. I raised my hand and asked, “Is this a source of energy we can pull from to combat the Waning?”
Professor Loren frowned. “I’m afraid not. These stars are not themselves energy sources. They’re tools to focus your power, much like a wand.”
She began walking around the room, passing out papers. I looked down at mine to see it was an essay rubric. “Each of you will be required to write an essay on your Cast star, detailing its history, and three spells you can cast using your star. Be sure to detail why the star is important in these spells, and how it can enhance the spellwork.”
She continued the lesson, teaching us how the stars appeared in the sky at different times of the year. I left class with my head buzzing. I wanted to use my star right away.
I waited until nightfall before gathering my things and pulling my coat on. Oliver meowed at my feet. He really wanted to come; he loved the outdoors.
“Where are you going?” Grant sat at his desk, tinkering with Talia’s music box. The whole thing was in pieces, though it was laid out neatly for Grant to examine it.
“I’m going to try portal casting under the stars,” I told him. “You should stay and work on fixing the music box.”
Grant ran his fingers through his hair, looking frustrated. “There’s not much more I can do at this point. I took it to Professor Warbright to see if he could help, and he said there were parts missing. They’re on backorder. I thought I could still get it working, but until those parts come, I can’t fix it.”
“You’re welcome to come along,” I offered. “Just… don’t laugh. I’m still learning.”
“I can’t make promises, but I’ll do my best,” he teased.
Grant and I snuck outside. Dusk had fallen, and the cold night air bit at my face. Oliver kept close to my side as we crossed the school grounds and entered the forest. We walked for a while, until we came to a clearing near the river. It was secluded here, but there was enough break in the trees to see the stars.
I gazed upward through the bare canopy. My eyes landed on the Big Dipper, and I followed the stars to locate Mortimer in the sky. “See that star right there?” I asked, pointing.
Grant nodded. “That bright one?”
“Yeah, that’s my Cast star,” I said. “We learned about it in Astrology. Did you know it was named after the first reaper?”
“I suppose that makes sense. He was one of Miriam’s kids, right?”
“Yes. I’m supposed to be able to use the star to focus my spellwork. If I can use it to open a portal to hell, we can send Professor Leto through it.”
“Sounds like fun!” Grant sat on a dry log, and Oliver began pacing along the log beside him. “Let’s see what you can do.”
I drew a deep breath and turned my gaze toward my Cast star. Several long minutes passed, and I didn’t feel any different. I dropped my shoulders and shook off the nerves. I had to ground myself in the moment.
I ran through five things I could see, four things I could feel, three things I could hear, two things I could smell, and one thing I could taste. When I finished the exercise, I turned back toward the star and focused. I felt a slight tugging at the center of my chest, like the star and I were connected.
“I’ve got it,” I told Grant. “I just have to take that focus and put it into the spell.”
I closed my eyes and pictured the cemetery across town, because it was secluded, yet familiar. I’d already astral traveled there once, so I figured I could portal there, too. I placed all my intention on the cemetery, feeling my magic well up inside of me as I pictured it clearly in my mind. I opened my eyes, but nothing had happened.
I tried again. And again.
I didn’t understand why I couldn’t do it. My powers felt strong. I wasn’t affected by the Waning, and I could feel my Cast star helping.
“What does your book say about casting portals?” Grant asked.
“It’s pretty straight-forward, but for some reason, I don’t understand it.” I conjured the book Professor Warren had given me, along with a small witch light, and started reading. “Portal magic is cast through the intent of uniquely gifted supernaturals. To cast a portal, one must simply visualize the place they want to go, and their intention will reshape reality.”
Grant pressed his lips together. “That seems too easy. You must be missing something.”
“I’ve read the book cover-to-cover,” I said. “This is how the fae do it. I should be able to do it, too.”
“You’re not a faerie. It’s gotta be different for you,” Grant encouraged. “You’ve created portals before. What did it feel like?”
“I didn’t really know what I was doing,” I admitted. “When I portaled away from my dad, I just wanted to disappear. I set an intention, and it just… manifested. Maybe it’s because I was desperate.”
Grant tilted his head. “I don’t know that desperation is the answer. If your magic is anything like the fae, they have to believe in their power to make it happen. You must’ve believed in your power to disappear from your dad. Tonight, you’re desperate to prove something to yourself, to make it work so we can banish Professor Leto. But the more desperate you are, the more you’re affirming that you don’t believe in yourself.”
