Ren brought breakfast out to them a few minutes later. On the plates, arranged in a beautiful fashion, was a poached egg, toast, and fruit. She laid the meal out in front of them, gave a polite bow to Akihato, and then departed. A couple of moments later, she returned with fresh-squeezed juice she placed on the table along with a pair of glasses.

Once the gwazemi was gone, Akihato leaned forward and began to eat. He was mindful to keep his gaze off Hanamei, studying her without staring. The story she’d told made him feel a great deal of sympathy for her, but there was more she’d kept to herself and that had caught his attention.

She had not come right out and admitted she was the daughter of the chieftain, but he’d deduced as much. This made everything else he’d learned especially curious. There were tests he needed to run, things he needed to be sure of before he proceeded. Perhaps he had been too hasty in telling her she could be a Zosara. The look on her face, however, the fear she had of her own power, had urged him to give her some measure of peace. She was not a monster or a witch; she was something far greater.

“Are you enjoying the meal?” he inquired, finally shifting his blue eyes to look at her again.

Hanamei nodded, raising a hand to swipe a trickle of fruit juice from the corner of her mouth. “Thank you. You are a generous host, my Lord.”

“And you are a gracious guest.” He winked, pleased when she offered him a soft smile in return.

They went back to the meal, exchanging few words until well after the food was gone and the pitcher of juice had been nearly drained. Finally, Akihato, whose curiosity was nagging more incessantly at him, pushed his chair back and rose.

“Are you interested in learning more about sorcery?” he asked, holding out his hand to her.

She eyed it warily. “I’m not sure... The last time I accepted your hand, you enchanted me to sleep...” There was a hint of seriousness to what she said but a faint, teasing twinkle in her gaze.

The latter brought a boyish grin to his face. “I am sorry about that, but I could sense you were about to be overwhelmed. It was more expedient, as well as easier on you, to simply have you rest. I hope you understand my intent?”

Hanamei didn’t respond immediately. She weighed his words for an uncomfortably long minute before coming to a decision. Finally, she laid her hand in his.

He grinned again, helping her to stand up before guiding her to the door. On the way, he explained, “I will begin with the basics. There are five primary sources of magical energy: metal, fire, wood, water, and air. A person is always attuned to one of the five elements, and within those schools of magic is capable of unique, additional feats. Such as portals, scrying, even minor time manipulation. Are you following so far?”

The young woman nodded, so he continued. “There are many ways to determine an individual’s magical aptitude. Most are unreliable, archaic methods long since abandoned, while others are far too invasive or even painful. The easiest, most reliable method is called stone testing.”

While he had been speaking, Akihato led her through the tower once again. From the main living quarters, which he honestly never used except rarely to eat or sleep, up a level to where his workshop was located. The whole third floor was dedicated to his extensive library and rare artifact collection, the latter of which he kept under a very tight lock and key.

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His workshop was every bit as cluttered as the library. Books and manuscripts were strewn about as well, along with all sorts of instruments and vials. There was even a large pot in the back for use with some of the more ancient and outdated spells. He rarely had a need for such antiquated methods, but he’d been taught to always be prepared.

“Stone testing,” he went on, pointing her to the only chair in the entire room, “is incredibly simplistic. Though I won’t lie and say it’s wholly without discomfort.” He rummaged through one of the cupboards, hunting for a small coin pouch. “Ah-ha!” he exclaimed when he found it, snatching the navy blue pouch out from under a pile of dusty scrolls. “Here we are...”

Akihato turned back to Hanamei, a satisfied smile quirking his thin lips. “These are elementally infused stones. A rather basic and ordinary thing, truth be told. Novice Zosara train with them, but after a point, they’re little better than common trinkets.”

“Then why do you keep them?” Hanamei inquired timidly, almost as though she were afraid interrupting might earn his wrath.

The thought caused a momentary frown to crease his brow, but he swiftly hid it away. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him or of speaking up. It was something she would have to overcome if she were to learn about magic.

“Sentiment,” he answered, letting a smile return. “These were a gift from one of my masters.”

Collecting a wooden bowl, Akihato emptied the contents of the pouch into it with a clunk. He held the bowl out so she could see inside of it. The five stones were rather plain, each one more or less a dull shade of color: yellow, red, brown, blue, and green. They were every bit as unimpressive as he had described, at least while they were sitting idle in the bowl. He knew from experience in the hands of a Zosara, these stones would change radically, and that was why they were useful for screening would-be casters.

“Allow me to demonstrate what we’re looking for...” He reached into the bowl and carefully withdrew the blue stone. The second the stone was no longer touching the bowl, but held only in Akihato’s fingers, it began to glow. The color of the surface changed as though a light were shining brightly from within. A watery palette swirled inside of it, and there was a significant source of cold radiating outward.

Hanamei stared in wonder, her eyes wide beneath her dark, delicate lashes. “It’s beautiful!” she gasped, the awe in her voice bringing a grin to Akihato’s face.

He discarded the stone back into the bowl. “Indeed it is. As you might have guessed, my attunement is to water. Which means,” he braced himself and withdrew another stone, this time the red one, “fire is my opposing element.”

The stone did not change this time, but the fingers touching it began to smoke as the extreme heat smoldered furiously against his unprotected skin. The discomfort was mild as the power within the stone was not significant, but there was still a level of displeasure and a subtle feeling of revulsion that only grew in intensity the longer he held the smooth rock. When he was certain Hanamei understood the visual lesson, he dropped the stone back into the bowl.

He was surprised when Hanamei reached for his hand. Her touch was gentle as she inspected his thumb and index finger more closely. The full effect of the stone’s negative energy was more obvious now as small blisters marred his skin. Whatever she was thinking, she kept it hidden behind an impassive mask, but when she glanced up at his face, he saw a trace of uncertainty.

“Is this the discomfort you spoke of?”

“Yes.” He knew better than to lie; there was nothing to be gained by hiding the truth. “It’s mild, I assure you. You’ll know an element is opposed to you almost immediately, and as such, any damage will be minimal.” He hesitated before adding, “Should you have a severe reaction, I will be here to help you. There is certainly a reason to fear, but much more is to be gained by discovering the source of your power. Trust me?” It was a stretch to think she could since they had barely met, but she’d followed him this far; perhaps she would be willing to follow him a little further...