“What do I want it to do?” she asked.

“You want the sand to lift up, creating a body-sized hollow. Let’s start with a small area,” he said. “Think of using your will to scoop up a shovelful of sand.”

Shyla considered. Using return wouldn’t work in this case. Fly? Up? “How do you target a certain size when there’s an entire desert full of sand?” At least a boot print had edges.

Jayden bent down and drew a circle in the sand with his finger. “Sorry, it’s been a while since I learned. This will help you visualize. Eventually, you won’t need it.”

Concentrating on the circle, Shyla imagined digging down about two centimeters.

Lift.

The circle heaved, but only a few grains flew into the air.

Adding more energy, she tried again.

Lift.

Same result.

“Did I say it was easy?” Jayden asked.

She huffed. “You make it look easy.”

“I’ve eighteen circuits of practice. My father kept a bucket full of sand next to my sleeping cushion just so I could practice every sun jump.”

Eighteen? That meant— “You started using magic when you were six circuits old?”

“Yes.”

“They tested you that young?” She couldn’t keep the horror from her voice. Chaining a young boy in complete darkness was beyond cruel.

“I wasn’t tested in the chamber. My father didn’t have the patience. Try to move the sand again, but this time put some energy into it.”

What did his father do to cause a young Jayden to be scared and desperate enough to invoke his magic? It had to be equally terrible. She channeled her outrage into the command.

Lift.

Sand exploded, shooting into the air before raining back down.

“Better. Do it again,” Jayden said.

She did it another thousand times. Okay, it was more like a hundred, but at least her control improved with each repetition. When Jayden was satisfied, he taught her how to keep the sand in the air. He demonstrated, lifting a section. The cloud hovered above the surface, remaining in place. “Your turn.”

Shyla needed another order. Stay? Hold? Focusing on her circle, she gathered her will.

Lift.

Before she could issue the second one, the grains fell. She glanced at Jayden, but he remained quiet. Obviously using two commands wasn’t going to work. She needed one to do both.

It took her longer to figure out a command than she’d like to admit. Once again, she aimed her will at the circle. She imagined the velbloud flocks.

Float.

The sand rose in the air and stayed.

“Not bad,” Jayden said. “Now put it back so it appears undisturbed.”

Visualizing the smooth rippled pattern of the surrounding sand, Shyla sent her magic to the cloud.

Settle.

The grains drifted to the surface and flowed, matching the pattern.

“Nice. Do it again.”