Monday morning meant an introduction to a new spell. At least it would be new to me.

Telvis was discussing a spell Mom had never brought up. However I knew a little bit about after seeing Fethris cast it and from Angelina's excited ramblings before class.

"While over the centuries since it was first discovered no one has quite found a way to explain why the Summon spell doesn't let you choose the shape of the creature you summon. There's been theories for what the forms could mean, but to this day they remain simply theories. Who can share a few?"

Angelina raised her hand along with a few spots of yellow and blue.

"Miss Farsee."

"The most popular one is that it's connected to your soul just like the color of your magic."

I had heard talk about what the color of one's magic meant. Like it was a mirror reflecting one's true self. Mom hadn't really talked about it and everything I knew came from all the reading about magic I had been doing. I couldn't recall Mom ever talking about souls. Not in a serious manner anyway.

I thought back to the Magic Manifestation Exercise. If I wasn't cursed, would I know the shape of my summon already? Was that the form I was stuck with for the rest of my life? Some starved monster with claws and a temper?

I scratched at the curse absentmindedly.

It was fine. Or…it would be fine. I would be fine. If my summon looked a little strange then so be it. That seemed to be the normal for Dragons anyway. Being a little strange. I wondered if that's how it chose.

Perhaps when I can hear it without a terrible headache I would ask the Tower what exactly it was thinking when it picked me.

(*********)

I was glaring into my teacup later that evening when I heard voices from nearby.

I was really getting too desensitized to Dragon Tower.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Don't look at me like that. It was right here. I swear to the gods."

"Hearth."

"Must you say it like that?"

"I don't see a door, therefore you must be playing a trick."

"So little trust towards your Towermate. Maybe it's the Tower playing a trick on both of us. He's being rather silent right now, definite cause for suspicion."

"Nice try Hearth."

I didn't bother looking up. I didn't recognize either voice, so I couldn't be sure which of my ancestors it was. I waited for a few more moments to be sure the Echo was done.

"Were you playing a prank on them? I wouldn't put it past you."

The wall on the far side of the room shook.

I think I offended it. But it's not like it hadn't earned that at least a little.

"But since you brought up the subject of hidden rooms, do you know anything about this 'Echo Chamber' that Red mentioned?" I was a little embarrassed that I hadn't asked it before. But then again if it had wanted to show us, it would have. Right?

The wall shook again.

"You can't talk to me so let's do it this way; one shake for yes, two for no."

The wall shook once.

"Okay. That's what I figured. Will you show it to me?"

Two shakes.

"So you're not going to show me. Do you pick the Echoes deliberately?"

Another single shake.

I had to think about that for a moment. "You've…been trying to show me something, haven't you? You want us to find it too."

Another shake. Larger this time.

"You want to, but won't. Is it because you can't?"

The shake of the wall seemed to fill the room with a strange energy. Like a wave of excitement.

"But you're the Tower. If it's not up to you…is someone else interfering?"

Nothing.

"Do you not know or are you tired of my questions?"

The floor rumbled and something about it felt like a shrug to me.

"Wonderful. That's not worrying at all. Do you know who Red is?"

The whole room shook.

"I'll take that as a yes. Too bad I can't hear you talk right now. I'd love to hear your thoughts about those conversations I've had."

And of course the other thing about Red that's been bothering me.

"Would you let a student die like that? You've made it clear you can lock doors if you want to. Seems like it would come in handy to keep a wraith from murdering someone."

I swirled the cup in my hands again. There was a creak that almost sounded like a sad sigh. The remnants of leaves in my mug were in a pattern that looked like the symbol for infinity. I wondered if that meant anything.

Then the wall across from me was knocked on by an invisible hand. That same pattern again.

"That knocking pattern keeps popping up," I commented. "Is it some kind of code or message?"

Dragon Tower stopped responding. Ah well. To be fair it was the least interesting part of all these mysteries. Clearly it meant something. And Of course Dragon Tower wasn't one to give up secrets easily.

But that was fine. Unlike Red I had plenty of time to discover them all.

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