Page 80 of Of Shadows and Blood

The firm postures in front of me stay still, a few wiggle but pay no mind to me. Yully smiles and waves me over.

I shake my head no.

He nods yes.

Sighing, I tread over to him, keeping my limbs tucked in so as to not disturb someone.

“Liv, what a sight to see you. I wondered when you would make your way here.”

“What is this?”

“Our practice? Or the place?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Both, I guess.”

Yully motions for me to follow him. I did not notice at first, but Grenn is on the other side of the courtyard talking to the group.

“Inhale deeply to fuel the calm of your magic. Let your lungs rise like the tide of an ocean, hold – and slowly release,” Grenn instructs.

Yully takes me across to a bench in the corner behind the crowd as Grenn demonstrates slow movements of the neck, his instruction drawing forth an electric energy of magic between the healers.

“Grenn and I hail from the Silent Kingdom. I was trained formally here but spent my childhood on an island off the coast from there. Movement, in its most basic form, is the key to longevity, to happiness, to health. This used to be the training yard before it was moved outside. We use it exclusively for our practice now.”

Listening, I imagine the Silent Kingdom, remembering the book I used to read in my dream state. From the story, it is a diverse climate with clear waters and rich culture.

“Do all cess do this?”

A few of the younger members fall out of a standing pose, chuckling to themselves before refocusing.

“No, it’s not compulsory. We may be one of the few sects who all find value in it. Our bodies and our minds are more connected than we believe; trauma, grief, pain, loss, it all can be worked out more holistically if we can forge a strong connection between the two.”

“The body remembers,” I murmur, thinking of my own malady.

Yully nods, motioning to the crowd. “I wonder… I wonder if you would find more release out here than in formal sessions. We could try something more invasive.”

“Oh, I’m not in the right physicality for that.” I point at a man doing slow, controlled push-ups in the corner. “And no, no magic please.”

“Of course. Any body is an able body.” The beat of the music fills the space and I watch intently, observing the different poses and movements across the yard.

“Tomorrow morning. You will practice with us.” Yully nods as if convincing himself this is a good idea. “It will be good for you. Tomorrow.” The cess stands and brushes his hands on his robes.

“What about our lesson today?” I ask as he walks away, hands clasped behind his back.

“We’ve just finished. I will see you at sunrise.”

Chapter 20

Is channelling magical gifts any different than channelling emotion? Many scholars have agreed the two are both parallel and perpendicular to one another.

Awake before the sun, I’m left without clothing options that make sense once again.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter as I sift through the clothing options in my room. Sunrise starts shortly and I am left with lace and more lace and surprise, more lace.

Jett knocks before entering, holding a candle in the dark. “My lady, why are you up at this hour?” She walks in and lights a few more candles. I blew out the remaining cess lights last night and usually Avonde or Serene visit to relight them since my magic is out.

“I’m supposed to join the cess this morning for their practice,” I say.

“Oh yes, their practice.” She pads over and looks at the assortment, placing her hands on her hips. “You do have some training clothing elsewhere. Let me think.”