"I've never met anyone who taught themselves magic," you say. "How did you do it?"
"I found a pattern book in a public library," Taylor says. "The patterns responded to me—or I responded to the patterns, more like."
"And then you learned magic?" you ask, curiosity getting the better of you.
"Then I nearly killed myself. I had no idea what I was doing. Did you know that you can forget to breathe if you experience enough backlash?"
You shudder. You know intellectually that working with patterns can be deadly, but you put it out of your mind most of the time. The risk is necessary to be a cutting-edge practitioner. Then someone like Taylor reminds you of the danger.
Next
"Think of how many other would-be practitioners hurt themselves when they find pattern books," Taylor continues. "Or of our friends and colleagues who push themselves too hard. Or don't take proper safety precautions, because they would slow progress." He says "progress" like a curse.
"So we hunt down and remove rogue pattern books," Darcy says. "When it comes to real practitioners, though—"
"Don't." Taylor says. "Don't tell me how practitioners need freedom. Don't tell me that practitioners are adults and know the risk they're running. Especially not when careless pattern use can hurt those around us."
Taylor's words speed up as he talks. "I'm not interested in locking up knowledge. We spend so much time and effort hoarding our discoveries, afraid that our fellow practitioners will steal them. We ignore people who show an aptitude for magic if they don't share our background. Since we made it through the system of universities and fellowships, we assume that anyone who can't failed because they weren't good enough."
He points at you. "Did you know that women couldn't be members of the Practicum forty years ago? And don't get me started on the lack of BIPOC members.
"We need to work together. Find safer ways of channeling magic. Teach those with ability regardless of background and privilege. Share and collaborate. Make safer spaces, in every sense. Throw open the doors, not bar them."
Taylor breaks off, fingers twisting one corner of his yellow scarf. After a moment, he says, "We should work on the symposium."
Darcy's trying to hide how much she disagrees with Taylor.