Hopeless Magic Read Free Page A

me, won’t you Eden?” Lilly whispered nervously. Her soft voice trembled and I noticed her hands were clenched together so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
    “Of course I will,” I tried to sound reassuring, without actually knowing if I could keep my promise.
    To be honest I was almost as nervous as she was.
    The little I had heard about the initiation into the Resistance did not sound easy. Avalon explained some things to Lilly once we returned from Romania. She had a thousand questions, and although he said he couldn’t go into too much detail, he did say it was an extremely painful process. He related something about adding to the magic in your body, changing it somehow, and then branding it in a way to bond the initiate specifically with the rest of the Resistance.

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    I inhaled a big breath to focus my nerves. The rest of the Resistance sat together in anxious clumps. The frenzied energy circling the barn tonight testified they were obviously excited that another Immortal would be joining their ranks.
    I glanced at the rescued team members sitting off by themselves in a quiet corner of the metal barn.
    They maintained their slouched postures and hanging heads. Most of the gathered Immortals had paid their respects, including Lilly, who I was realizing, shared a common thread after living in captivity with them for over two months.
    Lilly stared at them as well. Oscar Rodriguez glanced at her with a half smile on his face. It wasn’t much, but it was the most of an expression I had seen from any of them. He gestured at her with his hand to join them, but she hesitated, uncertainty flashing across her face.
    “Are you, um, are you going to give them their magic back?” Lilly asked in a shaky voice. I couldn’t tell if she was nervous to ask the 27/711
    question or if she was still nervous from her im-pending induction.
    “What do you mean?” I asked mortified. “I didn’t realize that was an option!” I continued to shriek dramatically. I had been told that I drained them of their magic, but I hadn’t been told I could give it back. Does that mean that I’ve been holding on to stolen magic this whole time? Or using it? I shuddered at the thought of using someone else’s magic; it seemed like a gross invasion of privacy.
    “Eden, what is the problem?” Amory joined our circle of two, concern marking his expression. He laid one hand strongly on my shoulder, in a gesture that had become familiar to me whenever Amory wanted me to calm down.
    “Amory is it possible for me to give those boys their magic back? Have I been holding on to it this entire time?” I demanded, crossing my arms stubbornly.
    “Well, yes you have,” Amory laughed genially. I scowled at him, frustrated. I didn't necessarily blame him, but I always felt one step behind.

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    More than one step. I never knew what was going on. I had never, not once, regretted my human up-bringing, but this was seriously getting out of control.
    “Then how do I give it back?” I didn’t lose my frustrated tone.
    “Eden, if that is what you would like to do, then, of course, you can give them their magic back,” Amory replied soothingly.
    “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I whined. “I feel awful for holding on to something that’s not mine for so long. Look at them. They look miserable.”
    “Not miserable,” Amory continued softly. “Tired, exhausted, like they’ve just been through hell, but not miserable. They asked me not to make a big deal about it. I think they hoped you would give it back to them, but they can’t force you.
    You alone have to make the choice.” Something about the last thing Amory said struck a chord, and I realized he was not only referring to the rescued team’s magic.

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    “Of course I want to. It’s not mine. I shouldn’t have taken it in the first place,” I hung my head, ashamed. I wished I knew what I was doing more than just some of the time.
    “Alright, Eden, do you