Free The Hidden Paths to Power by D.A. Smith Page B

only wand, you will ever need.”
    I smiled as I showed her the watches then we went down to the basement.
    Doriane opened an empty cupboard and had me put the maple wood inside, until we were ready to make my wand, then started pulling out what she needed to make the protections for my loved ones.
    I was a part of these spells. She was using her power to make them but they would be tied to me, so I’d feel it, if the warnings were triggered.
    This time as we sat, we had the symbol for air directly between us.
    Doriane put two sticks of incense in the holes and they started burning then made the room go dark. I asked her once about the candles, when I was helping her replace them one day and clean up the wax. They were always lit when we came in. The power of the casting room, senses the presence of a guardian, and lights them when we’re about halfway down the stairs. They go out when we go up.
    Doriane spoke in the language of air and the symbol lit up then started with the boxes.
    These would only have one type of spell, so she quickly put each one on the air symbol, and spoke the words that placed the warning spell on the box. She did this four times for each, so the boxes could warn of multiple attempts.
    The amulets were next. This time she put the warnings and a little spell that would make a dark user sick, if they were within fifty feet of the amulet.
    She finished up with the watches.
    As she was doing all this, I felt my power tapped a little, as she tied the warnings to me. She was covered in sweat when she was done.
    I asked, “Does it do you any harm to use your power to cast so many spells at once?”
    “It just makes me tired. I’m used to it though. There was one time, when I was confronting a powerful dark user, and had to cast fifty spells at one sitting. I slept good that night but I could handle it. The longer you work with magic, the more spells you can cast in a single sitting, before you must rest. The individual spells that cost more energy to cast, like awakening the power in another, take more of a toll. I wouldn’t want to try awakening the power, in more than one person, without a good week between each casting.”
    “When and how do you gauge someone’s suitability to be a guardian?”
    “You can’t do it very often. The spirits actually determine if you can be one. It’s based on, how many are active, and whether you have the right personality traits, to be a guardian. You were an average human that witnessed real magic, so I had a duty to test you. It was the spirits who determined if you passed that test or not.”
    “What would have happened if I didn’t pass?”
    “The spirits would’ve taken your memory of the events, when Tom was killed, put you to sleep and you would’ve woken in my guestroom with no memory of the doll or the casting room. I would’ve invented a plausible story, about why you were hiding from Ryan at my house, then the responsibility for Ryan Gilpatrick would become mine and the other guardians. You are not solely responsible for containing him. All of us, who have been gifted with the title, are duty bound to keep an eye on him, and make sure he doesn’t spin out of control. There aren’t many of us but it is a team effort. We’re spread out like we are because we each have to watch different regions, to be ready to respond, if we feel the balance tilting too much.”
    “I’m certainly happy the spirits accepted me. I’d still be running and hiding in fear rather than feeling prepared to fight him. I’m also very happy to have you in my life and be a part of your life.”
    I was graced with a smile that made me passionate as she responded, “I’m extremely happy you’re here as well. Let’s go up and have some fun until we sleep. You can start delivering your gifts to your friends tomorrow. Just be careful, if you spend time talking to them. Those closest to you, are more likely to notice your changes, so you’ll need to be creative. The