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A rush of magic, but not the same rush from the night I’d pinned Briggs to the wall. This wasn’t a fearful response, a knee-jerk reaction to a situation in which I felt threatened. This sort of magic felt hopeful and easy, a natural sort of vibration that radiated through me and brought energy to my spirit instead of draining it.
I blinked and studied Belinda. “You really are psychic. I can see it on you. That violet hue. I’m not just saying it this time, I can feel your psychic heritage.”
“Go on,” Belinda encouraged. “What else do you see? I’m a complicated woman.”
“Well, there’s obviously pixie and elf and a bit of witch in your past, along with a dusting of fairy. Not to mention that little sprinkle of something that looks like human? Don’t worry, that secret is safe with me.”
Belinda blinked those long eyelashes at me. “Damn, girl.”
“What?” I said uneasily. “Did I do it right?”
“You figured out my great-great-grandma had an affair with a human, and that aura still sticks with me. Never could get rid of the mortal stink. Nobody’s ever noticed before you, either.”
“It’s not, like, a talent or anything,” I hedged. “It’s just natural.”
“I don’t think you understand the word talent.” Belinda studied me. “That’s practically the definition of talent. Something that comes innately to you. Something you’re good at. You can hone talents, improve upon them, refine them. It doesn’t change the fact that you’ve been born with a heap of it.”
“I’m aware,” I grumbled. “It hasn’t served me well.”
“No. Your magic has served you just fine. It’s the people in your life that have let you down.”
It wasn’t the first time someone had told me something to that effect. It wasn’t even the first time I’d thought it. I knew that magic wasn’t inherently good or evil, but really letting that sink in had been more difficult than I’d been willing to admit.
If I admitted to myself that magic wasn’t the problem, then I really, truly, had to face the reality that my mother had been the problem. All these years later, and it was still hard for me to put her in that box. She didn’t fit in a box—she was complicated. She wasn’t all bad, nor was she all good. And somehow, I still loved her through everything.
“Just think of all the good you could do in this world with your magic,” Belinda continued. “It’s not too late to let it back into your life. Reading auras doesn’t mean you have to use that information to hurt others. There are healers who specifically ease pain and suffering by working with people on their auras.”
“I always thought that practice was a load of crap.”
“Most of them are,” Belinda agreed. “However, the really good ones aren’t. You don’t hear about those folks because they’re rare.”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s just one example. Look at the gardeners here at Le Jardín. They use their magic to keep ancient plants alive that have great impacts across the world. They’re used in potions to heal people, for example. You could have a part in that. Literally saving lives.”
“I concede your point.”
“I understand your magic is a pain point right now. So let it come slowly. Let it happen naturally, and you’re less likely to get spooked.” Belinda frowned. “I can see the scars on you from a large magical release a few weeks ago.”
“I didn’t try to use magic. It just happened.”
“It was your body’s way of responding to what it perceived was a deadly threat. That’s not magic. It’s fear.”
“How do I start slowly, then?”
“Observe.” Belinda gestured to the garden. “You have a knack for seeing auras. Absorb them, watch people. Don’t do anything. Even the act of tapping into auras and studying magic will trigger your powers to start flowing again. Over time, it will become second nature again.”
“After that?”
“When you’re comfortable, you may try some of these.” Belinda snapped her fingers and a book appeared in midair, hovering before me. “It’s Le Jardín’s magic book for beginner gardeners.”
I reached for the book, MAGICAL GARDENS, and tucked it under my arm.
“There are little spells in it to help perk up droopy plants, infuse fertilizers into soil, prevent aphids from setting up shop, things like that. If you feel inclined, you can start tapping into your magic with these spells in a more deliberate way. All these spells are built to be harmless if gone wrong, so there’s no pressure.”
“Then what?”
Belinda winked. “I suspect you’ll figure that out on your own, but if not, that’s when I pop back between my Egypt excavation and my Timbuktu pilgrimage to give you a second lesson in spells.”
