SOLVED. Fantasy, YA. 2 boys are friends, one wants to do magic but cant bc its a rare natural ability, his friend has ability though, magic involves small spellbook (?) but they go travelling on an adventure. Read around late 2000s/early 2010s. [s]

[Michael]

When i was younger i remember this fantasy book which had a kind of medievil setting about two kids who traveled together on an adventure, there was magic involved but my memory is pretty vague, i remember it started with the two of them in their hometown, and the backstory for one of them is that he wants to be some kind of wizard, but its a really rare gift to be able to become one, i think he wants to be one though because in his past a wizard healed him or maybe his mother im not sure, i remember the natural magic ability involving some kind of small book that they got that told them how to use their gift, anyway the kid who wants magic doesnt get it and his friend does, for some reason they both end up travelling with a wagon and a horse (not 100% about the wagon and horse). I also remember at some point theres a desert and the guy who didnt get magic speaks to some mysterious desert guy in an oasis with water and its like a palace type thing, and the mysterious guy maybe used magic to get the water in the desert im not sure, but the mysterious guy revealse that the kid who wanted to do magic but couldnt actually can, but he has to learn it instead of being naturally gifted because he has his own special gift, i remember the book having weird names for like the two kinds of magic, the one that you can do with a gift you are born with, and the one you have to learn or something. There might have been a tertiary character introduced along the way i dont remember, i also dont remember what the goal or climax of the story was. The only other thing i can vaguely remember is some kind of bit where they come to a tavern or smallk town but its deserted and they look around and the food on the tables is congealed and thats where i learned the word congealed, i think.

[Sue]

This may be the "Enduring Flame" trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. The learned magic is Wild Magic, the innate one is High Magic. (I think I've got that the right way round) The series is a sequel to the "Obsidian" trilogy, which is set 1000 years before.
The books have demons, elves and dragons. https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/me... In the Obsidian trilogy, High magic is prevalent, and Wild magic is forbidden, and almost unknown. By the time of the Enduring Flame, it's the other way round.

[Michael]

Sue wrote: "This may be the "Enduring Flame" trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. The learned magic is Wild Magic, the innate one is High Magic. (I think I've got that the right way round) The series ..."

The phoenix unchained, thats the book i remember you're right, thank you so much this has been bugging me for weeks you're the best.

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Michael. Goodreads link for The Phoenix Unchained (book 1) of the Enduring Flame series by Mercedes Lackey - Sue's find.