“I can’t give you too many details because as I said, this is an active investigation. We are trying to track down the people behind the men that took you. The men we took out were only a small part of a larger criminal group.”
“So you can’t do anything for me?”
“I’m sorry —”
“No don’t even say you’re sorry. To you this is a job. But it’s my life, my everything,” she said before darting off.
“That went well. We need to be off,” said Miles. “No need in wasting the day when you could be training.”
I left the house with Miles and Muffin trailing behind us.
Miles suddenly stopped. “Just a minute,” he said. He grabbed my arm and threw down a charm.
We transported to a large stone courtyard ringed by ancient-looking stone buildings. Towering walls and guard towers surrounded the entire academy.
Muffin didn’t make the transport, which was probably a calculated move on Miles’ part. Not that I blamed him. I wouldn’t want a devil dog brought along either. A small part of me felt weird leaving Muffin behind. I hope he’d behave, so Lochlan wouldn’t get rid of him.
“Nice warning.”
“You don’t have to like things. I don’t particularly care to spend more time with you then I have to, but here we both are. Behave and we can get this over sooner than later,” he said.
What a jerk. Although, he was right, I needed control over my magic. The sooner training wrapped up, the sooner I’d be able to visit Emma Lynn’s last known whereabouts. The case still left me feeling uncertain. It was the first time, I’d debated over whether keeping the case and not turning it over to the enforcers was the right decision.
There were only a few people in the courtyard, but they mostly ignored us. From the courtyard, we went into a large open area. I felt the tingling of the wards as we entered it. I paid careful attention to how we got here, so I could make it out if I needed to.
“Are we battling gladiators? This place sure gives off the whole ‘fight to the death’ vibe.”
And, the thought excited me. It had been a long time since I’d fought worthy opponents and not needed to temper my attacks.
“How have you survived this long with your mouth?” he asked.
“Most find it charming. Does that mean no gladiators?”
“Charming is never a word I’d associate with you. Enough with the gladiators. Although, you certainly are a blood-thirsty thing.”
“Are you done? No, don’t bother answering. How much training do you have?”
I needed to choose my words carefully because I couldn’t give him any indication of my true lineage. If he knew who my father was, he would kill me on the spot despite the Guild Master’s directive.
“I was trained for the majority of my childhood.”
“But, not after you came of age?”
I think he muttered “Why me?” under his breath.
“We both know the training before you come of age is typically only foundational training,” he added.
Normally, he would be correct. The timeframe for a mage’s “coming of age” varied, but it typically occurred at the end of puberty. What he didn’t know and something I never planned to tell him was how thorough my father’s training methods were.
Dear Daddy pushed things beyond what any mage would ethically do to train a child. He forced my coming of age prematurely through black magic. Because of that and his brutal training methods, I doubt any child grew up learning magic the way I did.
“If you haven’t been training and practicing your magic, then we need to start at the basics. You’ll be trained like any basic enforcer recruit.”
“I’m not one of your recruits.”
“You’re right. You’re nowhere near their level and skill. Quite frankly, a recruit’s skill level is probably more advanced that what you should start at.”
“Jerk.”
“There’s no way we can get you trained without taking years. It’s an impossible task.”
“Sounds like you aren’t a good enough trainer to me.”
“Think what you like, but I was chosen for a reason.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t answer to you. Follow my direction, train hard and learn quickly.”
“I don’t need you to baby me.”
“We’ll try it your way. Let’s see what you can do.”
“You can’t handle it.”
“There hasn’t been magic that this place couldn’t contain.”
“If you’re sure?”
He really didn’t know what he was asking for. I’d enjoy seeing his smug grin disappear.
“Just do it already. I don’t have all day.”
I’m going to enjoy knocking him down a peg or two. I fought off the urge to do a happy dance since I’d already agitated him enough.
I walked to the middle of the area, kicking up the powdery dirt in my wake. I concentrated on only pulling out a little of my magic, but it poured out of me instead. It was hungry and I struggled to force it to come out in a trickle.
Sweat beaded up on my forehead. As my magic hit the ground, it blackened every part it made contact with. More magic oozed out of me into a pool of destruction. Even holding back the magic, it was still leaking and wouldn’t stop.
Miles’ mouth fell open. This is satisfying. He truly didn’t know what I was capable of. That would teach him to underestimated me.
The ground shook and groaned under me and the darkness kept spreading. Cracks were now gouged into the earth and spreading out in a destructive web.
My body shook from the force of my magic rushing through me.
“That’s enough for now,” said Miles.
Some part of me reveled in the feel of my magic. Just a little more. He may be my trainer, but that was all he was to me. He wasn’t my boss or master.
“Marty, turn it off,” said Miles with a gruffness to his voice and he started stepping back.
What is wrong with me? Since when did I feel the need to crush someone to teach them a lesson.
