I glanced down at the luminescent tendrils of blue light threading between our fingertips. A small taste of healing light entered my body, mending my cut lip.
Niko withdrew his hand. “If you had any superficial wounds, then that would be enough to heal them. It is preferable to draw healing light from the sun because it’s not addictive the way Mage light is. But you should never pull sunlight.” Niko worried his bottom lip, his eyes searching. “It’s already touching your fingertips, crawling against your skin, wanting inside. You have control when the exchange begins, but you need to filter it, creating a channel so narrow that only the smallest drop can get in. Have you ever put a strong magnet against a refrigerator?”
“Yes.”
“It snaps right to it. That’s what happens when you let the light in. It’s quick, powerful, and unstoppable. But you can slow down magnets if you know what’s coming—brace yourself, tense your muscles, concentrate, and draw back when you feel the connection happening.”
It was beginning to make sense. “So what you’re saying is to pretend like sunshine is water in a faucet and the handle is out of control—something I have to fight against to make sure only a drop gets out.”
“You got it. You’ll know the moment the channel is open; it’ll rush through you like nothing you’ve felt before. Too much will knock you out for days. Many young Learners fear the sun after their first failed attempt. Those who do it improperly can actually kill themselves.”
I put on my science hat. “But the sun is everywhere. Even when it’s hidden behind a cloud, light is all around us. Why do we have to wait for a sunny day?”
“Because it’s indirect, filtered light. It is true the energy is still there, but it’s not what a Mage requires. I can only explain what I know. We have no windows in here, so you’ll have to tell me if there’s a day of sunshine for us to practice with.”
“I don’t think I can even remember what the sun looks like.” I sighed glumly. “The rain and fog are suffocating.”
He rose to his feet. “Stand up.”
When I did, I balled my hands into fists. Niko was the kind of guy who liked the element of surprise—that much I’d learned about him.
His expression relaxed. “If you thought I was going to attack, you should have struck me first instead of bracing for the attack. I’m going to show you how a Mage fights, and then we’ll test what you’re capable of doing with your energy. You said you can’t flash, so perhaps no one has ever shown you how. It’s possible that your gifts are limited because you’re mixed, but that’s what we’ll focus on today.”
“I want to train with you for as long as possible.”
“And Christian?”
I snorted. “All I can say is it’s a good thing I never joined Keystone and had to partner up with him. Christian is a male slut.”
Niko lowered his head to shield his amusement. “Christian seeks comfort in the external.”
“You should have seen where he was seeking it last night. He doesn’t seem to have standards. Are women nothing more to him than a wall socket to stick his plug in? I’m not exactly sitting around waiting for Prince Charming, but you should at least have feelings for someone you share your bed with.”
Niko paced around me. “Perhaps some men lower the bar because they’re afraid to jump. I’m not to discuss personal matters about the team with you, so let’s rumble.”
Eight hours with Niko taught me two things, and one of them was that I had as much strength in my arms as Olive Oyl. He suggested that I climb escape ladders without using my legs to build up strength or find a free gym in the area and work out on their equipment. I was relying too much on cornering people in tight spaces so that I could either drain their energy or their blood.
The second thing I learned was that I could flash like a real Mage.
Sort of.
He demonstrated how to channel energy and use it in a burst of motion, moving from one place to the next with impossible speed. The first time it happened, I fell to my knees and shrieked with excitement, elated that I was capable of escaping and maneuvering like any other Mage.
Flashing used up energy, like draining a battery, and maybe I had a weaker battery than others. But it was still exhilarating to know that I had unfound talents. He also reminded me that sometimes it took years for hidden gifts to surface.
When he left to shower, I guzzled down two bottles of water and rested on a thin mat, staring at one of the light fixtures on the ceiling. I couldn’t imagine a favor more valuable than this except money, and money doesn’t last as long as knowledge.
The door opened, and I listened to the sound of footsteps approaching. I turned my head and stared at Christian’s black boots.
“I followed the smell of pungent sweat and the trail led me to you.”
I dragged my gaze up to his. “I’m not sure I need you anymore.”
His brows arched. “Is that so? Because there’s something I’ve been vexed about.”