<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span style="font-size: 15px">Sebastian zoned out staring at their linked hands for a brief moment. He wished he were hearing Ayaan say something so sweet without Lydia around, directed at him. But in this context, it just made his gut roil uncomfortably. He thought for a moment he might actually be sick, but it had been many years since that happened and this wouldn't be what broke that streak. <br/>
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Sebastian was broken from his bitter train of thought when the ground trembled slightly beneath him. He glanced around him to see small clumps of dirt and rock floating a few feet off the ground, drifting about his head. Nothing any more impressive than what Lydia had done earlier. He glanced back over at her and arched an eyebrow. She was frowning in concentration, frustration pinching the corners of her mouth, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. <br/>
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"You must force the magic to bend to your will. If the rope imagery is not working, picture something more relatable to you," Sebastian suggested. He waited a moment and noticed a few tiny, purple flowers blooming around her feet. That was mildly better, but still within the realm of the basics. "That's good," he encouraged anyway. Lydia seemed to be the type to throw a fit if she felt she wasn't doing as well as she wanted to be. <br/>
<br/>
They practiced for hours, even though Sebastian tried to make her take a break several times. He didn't particularly care about her, but he knew Accendos could get drained quickly, especially when their master was learning a new ability. It was hard for the masters to notice sometimes, as they felt they had almost boundless energy. This energy had to come from somewhere, however, and that was their Accendo. But the Accendo did not actually have unlimited energy. If you worked too hard with your Accendo around, it was not uncommon for them to pass out or fall ill from overworking. <br/>
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"Lady Lydia, I really think this is enough for the day. You don't want to make yourself too exhausted for tomorrow's training," he warned, casting a nervous glance at Ayaan. </span></span>