The Queen's Lesson (2)

He gave the smallest tilt of his head, a sign to begin. Aurelia inhaled, tasting the electric tang of magic on her tongue. She could sense Draven's calm stare, cataloging every nuance of her posture, every subtle flicker of her mana. She told herself she didn't care, that she'd simply do what she always did—push through. Yet a flutter of excitement churned in her gut. She refused to analyze why.

She stepped forward, and the first barrier coalesced at once: a shimmering swirl of silvery aura that mirrored her own reflection back at her, distorting her fiery locks into an almost mocking swirl. She reached out with a basic spark of magic, intending to cut through it. Instead, the barrier flared, reflecting her burst like a perfect mirror. She jerked her hand back in surprise.

"Mirror Barrier," Draven said in a neutral tone. "You can't force your magic through brute strength. It'll come back at you."