Chapter 110 Harder than I Thought
Gideon
I joined Seren, Duncan, Mom, and Cat at the breakfast table just in time to hear Seren share that they'd had another visit from the Goddess. The shock of that was almost enough to distract me from the fact that they'd marked each other, as well. Her mark covered her entire arm up to her neck, and his did the same. I saw that he'd been marked as royalty, and was quietly satisfied with that. I'd thought of Duncan as a brother for years now. Having him mated to my sister and confirmed by the Goddess as part of our family only made it a reality.
"What do you mean, you had another visit?" Mom asked.
"Last night, after we marked each other, the Goddess pulled us to her and gave us her blessing. But she also gave us some other things," Seren said, voice low as she looked around the dining hall. There weren't many people here this early, but after the past few incidents where it was clear certain individuals were listening when they shouldn't have been, I couldn't blame her for checking.
"Other things? Like what, exactly?" Aidan chimed in.
"Well…Kara can teleport now. And Conn has been given incredible strength, the kind that means he can leap over tall trees. Plus, she gave Duncan the power of precognition," Seren pointed to the new mark on Duncan's arm, showing an open third eye over two closed eyes. "She said that I'll have another power, but it will only manifest when I absolutely need it." She pointed to an empty space on her own arm.
I let out a low whistle. "That's a pretty serious boon. Did she say anything else?"
Duncan nodded. "Apparently, the vision I had right before we left Blood Moon was more important than I realized. I just have to figure out why. And she said to look to our elders when I figured it out." He shrugged. "Still not sure what she's talking about or how it'll help."
We were all quiet as we contemplated what that might mean. After a moment, I reached over and ruffled Seren's hair. "Teleporting, huh? That should be fun."
She smiled as she ducked away from my hand. I think she was finally getting used to friendly teasing and the occasional random touch—she wasn't flinching as much anymore. "We'll see. I haven't tried it yet."
"We can try it during training this afternoon, if you want."
"Sure. I'd like that."
"Speaking of which, son, we need to get moving if you're going to catch up to your sister. So eat quickly." Mom pointed at the food left on my plate. I shoveled it down, then stood with her.
"Lead the way."
We headed out to the training area, and once we settled in the center, Mom met my eyes. "I know you've grown up seeing your father and me wield elemental magic, but it's so much more than making a water spout for you to play in or an easy way to light the fireplace. Training to use magic is different from what you're used to," she warned.
"I know, Mom. I never thought it'd be easy."
"Good. Now, here's how we start."
She walked me through connecting with the element, reaching down and finding it, then willing it to do what I needed it to. After twenty minutes of silence, I let out a groan of frustration.
"I can't feel anything."
"You need to let go of your thoughts, son. Even I can see that you're not focusing properly. You need to truly listen to the world around you, connect yourself to its magic."
A deep breath steadied my frayed focus before I began again. The sounds of the clearing faded away—the chirp of birds, the low croak of frogs, the constant rustle of the pack moving through their routines—until only stillness remained. My awareness stretched outward, brushing against the air itself. A breeze skimmed across my skin, cool and alive, carrying the layered scents of earth, leaves, and distant water. Then something shifted.