SORCERER (The Elemental Magic Series Book 1) (11 page)

"Really, show him your lip then." Christi told him, her hands were set on her hips as stared at him.

"Christi, go downstairs Alec and I need to talk. You're not supposed to be on the boys' floor anyway."

"Fine, I hope you talk some sense into him!" she said as she left.

"Alright Alec, if you don't want to report them I understand, your word against theirs, but I still need to know what happened in case it escalates." Peter told him with a fatherly pat on the shoulder. "You've got blood on your robe. You might want to change too."

Alec pulled his robe over his head hearing a gasp from Peter as he turned and saw where Peter was looking. His right side was starting to bruise where the one guy had punched him repeatedly and the bruises from last week weren't gone yet. Alec started to put on a clean robe when Peter stopped him and went to the steps.

"Christi?" He called.

"Yes?"

"Fourth floor workshop, back shelf, second from the top, bring me one of the vials there please!" He called down.

"Alright Peter!"

When Peter came back to his room he asked Alec to start on his story while he sat in his small clothes. He was halfway through the rough narrative when Christi came in with a gasp at the sight of his side, or he thought it was his side she was gaping at. It could have been him sitting there in nothing but a pair of undershorts.

Peter took the vial from her and shut the door in her face. He handed the vial to Alec telling him to put it on his ribs and the cut. Which he did, then put on a clean robe, while finishing his story.

"For some reason this doesn't sound like the first fight you've been in?" he asked.

"No, but...” Peter stopped him and stepped out to the hall.

Ducking back in he motioned Alec to follow him. "Let's see what else is hiding under your skin, I thought you were walking a bit tenderly."

Peter sent Alec up to the fourth floor as ten bells rang then joined him a short while later.

"Christi's going to get some supper to bring back to the tower while you tell the rest of your story. After we're finished getting you patched up, you might as well tell her too." Noticing the look on his face he continued. "She is going to find out anyway. They do that, a woman that is. It might as well come from you."

They entered a work room and Peter had him lay on a flat table. He picked up a flat green emerald and a piece of mirror. Closing his eyes he held the mirror reflection toward Alec and moved it slowly down his body.

Alec felt like someone was fanning him on a hot day.

"You've really been in a world of hurt recently haven't you son.”

He set the mirror down and held the emerald out. Heat slowly seeped into his body then left taking all his aches and pains with it.

"Are you asleep?" Peter asked.

"No, but that felt great."

Peter helped him up so they could head back down stairs.

Chapter 11

"Peter?" Alec asked to get his attention.

"Yes Alec."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Just did, but go ahead with another one," Peter smiled. 

"It's just, I was talking to Christi and there seems to be some set of rules I don't know."

Peter laughed, slapping his knees. "With women it's always like we don't have the same rules but I think you’re talking about the rules of them being nobles and such. There are actually a couple books that have been written on the subject. I saw you borrowed one from the library on the boys' floor. If you have questions I’ll do my best to answer them as I can, OK?"

"Thanks," Alec said.

Peter smiled "I think supper is here. Let’s go eat."

They went down to the parlor with Alec feeling better than he had in weeks. Christi had food spread out on a low table when they came down to the parlor. They each grabbed a plate full thanking her.

They made small talk till Christi told Peter what Alec had done earlier with Master Stolle. Peter laughed sending watered ale out his nose which, judging by the look on her face was not the reaction she’d been hoping for.

When everyone finished eating Peter told Alec to start his tale from start to finish. Alec told them the majority of what had happen to him starting with when he got the letter. He left little out with the gentle prodding from Peter when he could sense something was being left out that should be said.

When asked about his parents he told them what he had been told of their deaths and how his Aunt Karen had raised him and about getting any male advice from the ex-soldier Ralph. When he was done he felt almost empty or light, like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Alec, ever since you decided to come here it’s been one nightmare after another," Peter apologized.

"No, it hasn't. I found out I have magic, I kissed the prettiest girl at the farm, I got to spend two days alone with my best friend and a man who treated me like a son. Then I came here and met you who have been nothing but understanding and Christi who has shown me more in two days than I've seen in my whole life.

I'm not going to let some idiot push me around and tell me who I can be friends with," Alec replied with what he hoped was dignity.

"Good, cause you can't get rid of me that easy." Christi told him with a voice of finality.

"You’re a man of strong character, Alec. If you find yourself in need of advice my door is open." Peter said. "Now don't stay up late, tomorrow will be a full day. And you, Christi, will unlock your power if I'm any judge of things."

They did stay up for a bit talking about whom their other teachers were and such. Alec walked with Christi to her floor and bid her good night.

"Alec." She said getting him to turn around then reached up and kissed him, letting her lips linger against his till they both needed a breath.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?" He asked leaning back against the wall so he didn't fall down.

"Just, thanks. It's not always easy being considered a noble." Then she closed the door to her floor and was gone.

Alec went to his room once he was sure his legs would let him and lay down to sleep.

Waking the next morning Alec met Christi as she came out of the bathroom looking refreshed.

"Morning Alec."

"Morning," he replied, a blush coming to his face at the thought of the kiss they shared last night.

"We'll have to work on that." She said to him as he entered the bathroom with his new shaving kit.

He shaved carefully, so as not to cut himself, and stored his kit in his cubby. He then showered and dressed quickly.

"That looks better. You were looking a bit fuzzy." Christi told him with a full smile.

"Thanks, you ready to go to breakfast?"

"Just waiting on you," she said.

They both got their food and sat at a table with Alec watching for feet that would suddenly shoot out in his path as they passed Travis and his group. They shot daggers at him when they saw how close Christi was sitting to him.

While they ate Alec told her about how it felt to merge with his power. When they were done they hurried back to the tower and met Peter and another man in the fifth floor workroom. Peter introduced him as the Dean of Students Master James Farsear, who would be assisting them today. Peter took Christi off to one side of the room as Master Farsear indicated for Alec to sit.

"Just call me James when we're working closely like this, Alec."

Alec nodded.

"Peter told me you managed to unlock your power yesterday. You'll practice sensing you’re power while I try to distract you till you can do it without any interruption." He handed Alec a small round piece of glass that started to glow softly when Alec found his power.

"Ready?" He asked.

Alec nodded yes opening his eyes. The glass continued to glow. James threw a small pebble at him and the light went out of the glass. The pebble bounced harmlessly off his shoulder and a laugh sounded from across the room where Peter and Christi were apparently finishing as Peter handed her another gem. When they came over to join Alec, he noted a vibrancy in Christi's eyes. He gave her a smile as he found his power again.

"Good job!" He told her the light still glowing in his hands, a fact noticed by James and Peter.

"Yes, well done," James said as he threw another pebble at Alec getting his attention. The light flickered but stayed lit as Peter and Christi sat with them and started the same exercise. Christi giggled drawing his attention as a larger pebble was banked off the top of his head.  The light never left his hand.

Peter called it quits for Christi before she completely exhausted herself.

"Good you can help me. He's being stubborn, Peter," James said. "Sorry about that last one, it wasn't supposed to hit you in the head Alec." He apologized.

They spent the next five minutes throwing pebbles at him while having him talk with Christi. He kept a portion of his awareness at the back of his mind on his power well.

"He's doing good Peter," James told Peter with a knowing look that told him what they both knew. He shouldn't have this level of control yet, maybe in a couple months but not now.

Peter threw pebbles at his back and James from the side switching occasionally. Peter threw one from the front that went down the top of his robe and Alec stood to let it drop out the bottom getting a good laugh from Christi and Alec joined her.

A loud smack sounded as James walloped Alec's rear with a particularly large book. The light flickered several times but Alec had gotten used to separating his awareness. The light stayed on. It was so easy now he barely needed to think about it and Peter suggested Alec and Christi go outside telling them they'd be down in a minute. Alec and his small glowing glass ball followed Christi down the steps.

"I can't believe he hit you with a book!" Christi exclaimed when they got to the parlor.

"He wasn't being mean, just trying to break my concentration."

"You must be concentrating pretty hard." She said.

"No actually it's real hard the more you concentrate. You have to just keep it at the back of your mind where your power is. Kind of like a nagging worry that you've forgotten something, you’re thinking about it but not fully."

"Oh, I see, you just kind of forget about it but let it sit there." She said closing her eyes trying to do it.

"You ready?” Peter asked coming down the steps followed by James.

"What are you doing?" James asked Christi.

"Alec explained how he has kept his focus without actually concentrating." She told him.

They went out and circled the tower to a nice long courtyard as Christi explained to James what Alec had told her. They sat on a bench as Alec was led to a spot several meters away.

"Rest assured I'm not going to hurt you, OK Alec. Trust me?" Peter asked.

"OK, I believe you." Alec said hesitantly.

"I'm going to try to break your concentration." Peter said stepping back several meters.

"Watch this, the old goat's going to get the surprise if Alec is doing what I think he is." James told Christi in a whisper.

She watched Alec's face as he blanched and hit the ground flat. The light never went out of his hand as a fire ball roared over his head. Her mouth gaped open.

"It wasn't a real fireball!" Peter called to him as he walked over and helped him to his feet.

Alec’s eyes were still huge as he stared at Peter.

“I think that's about it for today. That's some real good work Alec. See how long you can maintain your concentration and let me know tomorrow," he said helping Alec dust himself off.

Alec and Christi headed to lunch while Peter and James talked and walked toward one of the other towers. When they were out of sight Christi turned to Alec.

"I bet I can make you lose your focus."

With a mischievous look in her eyes and looking at the glass ball he still had in his hand, she stood up on her toes and kissed him soundly. The light went out in his hand. She giggled pointing at it while Alec tried not to fall over with the smell of her perfume still filling his nose and a light cherry taste on his lips.

He pushed a small part of his awareness back to his power as she led him to the hall for lunch.

They ate quickly and parted ways for the rest of their classes. Alec ran back to the tower grabbed his small box that held his quills, ink and paper making it to Mr. Callen's class with time to spare. He chose the same seat he'd used yesterday at the front of the room, no one said a word to him. Mr. Callen went over what he would teach in his class then assigned an hour of reading after telling them of the numerous small libraries the school had in various towers.

Chapter 12

Alec hurried back to his room and changed in to the sturdier clothes. It felt good to wear pants again. These robes were drafty, he thought, I don't know how women could stand wearing dresses and such. Their legs must get cold in the winter.

Grabbing his knife out of his trunk, he threaded it on to the belt on his way to Master Stolle's lessons. He didn’t want to mess up any good will the man felt toward him. He got there at the same time as two of his classmates from Mr. Callen's class and they joined the three guys already there. Master Stolle stepped out of the low building and told them to line up. Only Alec and one other had a weapon and were asked to hand them over for inspection.