The next morning felt very long to Tayo. Every lesson, every meal, every quiet moment felt like waiting. All he wanted was to go back to the garden grove, the place where he felt the real energy and met the girl who saw it too. As soon as his last tutor left in the late afternoon, Tayo quickly made his way to the gardens. He walked fast, almost running, past the bright, neat flower beds and the straight, clean paths that his family loved. He didn't stop until he reached the older, wilder part of the garden, hidden behind tall trees.
He found the small grove again, the place with the quiet fountain and the slightly messy energy. He looked around, his eyes searching among the green leaves and old stones. Lyra was not there. A small wave of disappointment went through him, but he didn't give up. He sat down by the fountain, in the exact spot where he had shown her his strange power.
He decided to try again. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, like Lyra had seemed to do. He reached out with his mind, trying to feel the Prime Energy around him. It felt the same as before, not smooth like water, but like tiny stones bouncing around quickly. It was chaotic, but it felt strong and alive. Tayo started to pull the energy closer. He didn't use the slow, careful methods his tutors taught. He just felt the energy and asked it to come to him, like calling a wild bird.
As he pulled, the air around him began to change. It grew warmer, and the light seemed to bend a little. A soft sound, like a deep hum, started in the air. The wild energy gathered around Tay Tayo's hands, not in a neat ball, but in a swirling, changing cloud of light and colour. He wasn't trying to make shapes this time. He was just letting the energy be, and letting it feel him. He felt a deep connection, like the energy was a part of the earth, and he was a part of the energy.
He was so lost in this feeling that he didn't hear light footsteps on the grass. He didn't see the shadows shift near the trees. He didn't know anyone was watching him until he felt a presence, like someone standing close by. He opened his eyes, and there she was. Lyra stood a few steps away, her face calm, watching the swirling energy around him. She had a small smile, the same bright, knowing smile from before. Seeing her made the wild energy around Tayo burn a little brighter. He was so happy she had come.