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way. If I got through this part, accepting my inner witch, maybe the past would just settle along with it. “Okay, I can do this. I am strong. I beat Lazarus. I have the ability,” I told myself sternly.
     
    “That’s it! Feel your magic! This isn’t something that comes and goes. It is always there—always with you. It connects you to all that is around you. The trees. The wind. The water that lies in the creek. These are all the things that give beauty to what we are. They give us our powers, allow us to use them, and gift us with their strength.”
     
    “Right, it loves me. I love it. I can do this. It’s within me. Always. Forever.”
     
    “Yes. Do you feel it growing? Feel the magic filling you?”
     
    I closed my eyes and with it came the tingling sensation that was becoming more familiar with my powers. “I do. It feels warm, comforting and happy.” I gave in further, centered myself around this wonderful feeling. In response, it grew deeper as warmth spread around me. “It’s growing.”
     
    “Of course it is because you are accepting it. Allowing it to come forth and be a part of who you are.”
     
    I snapped my eyes open. “So, what you’re telling me is that my problem all along has been because I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t want to be a witch?”
     
    “Not exactly. It’s your human instincts hindering you. All of this…” She waved her hand out. “All this magic, everything that the Otherworld is about, humans would never accept it. Their minds couldn’t hold such truth, and you have even seen within yourself—seen how much things shock you.”
     
    “I think saying I was shocked might be an understatement.” More like completely out of my mind and searching out straightjackets.
     
    “I suppose I am saying it lightly, this is true. It’s just I want you to see that there is no trick here. There is nothing to be trained. When we ask you to control your magic, your skill is outstanding. You just need to find a way to keep yourself open to it so you can keep control of it.”
     
    I glanced at Willow. She’d sprawled out on the grass and into a deep sleep. Lazy butt .
     
    Zia’s voice drew me back. “Let’s try something.” She nodded toward a birch tree. “Burn that one.”
     
    I closed my eyes and focused on the tree. With my magic already connected within me, time was saved here. I imagined the flames erupting around the tree as it lit up in a blaze of fire. When I heard the crackling of flames, I snapped, “That seems to be getting easier,” I said to Zia.
     
    “It does,” Zia replied. “Now close your eyes again. What do you need to visualize to extinguish the flames? What will allow you to withdraw the magic?”
     
    I closed my eyes as she asked and concentrated for a moment, imagined the air was sucked out of the flames—seemed like the easiest way to put out a fire without water of course. I dug down deep and focused on my breath pulling the air out.
     
    Moments later, Zia said, “Well done.” My eyes fluttered open to the poor sad smoldering birch tree. “Gosh, can you go and heal it?” I asked Zia. My favorite thing in the world was a willow tree, killing them to educate myself just felt entirely wrong.
     
    Zia got a gleam in her eye that said she was up to something. “Why don’t you have a go of it?”
     
    “You want me to heal it?” I asked hesitantly.
     
    She answered with a firm nod.
     
    The feeling that this wasn’t going to be easy gripped me in abundance. When I had healed Kyden a month earlier, it was due to my strong emotions for him. Doing this without that motivation was going to be hard—plain and simple.
     
    “The same principle works here. Just visualize what I want, and bingo bango, right?” I said.
     
    “Whatever works for you, sweetie.” Zia smiled.
     
    I jumped to my feet and approached the tree with the same hesitation in my steps as heard in my tone. As I drew closer, it was barely standing—all black