Chapter 45

“Have you girls read about the Gold Wizard on Utopia?” Zeke asked.

Paula nodded, and Jada asked, “What about him?”

“He is my older half-brother. He has two wives and a husband. Even Queen Lee has one of each. Wizards often end up in group marriages or relationships.”

Paula put her hands to her mouth. The odd sound she made was as if she was stiflingly a shocked or nervous laugh.

Zeke flicked his eyebrows at her and continued, “Yes, I am no different in that regard, except I don’t plan to marry anyone for a very long time. If I father a child by accident, I’ll take responsibility, but I will not be forced into a committed relationship.”

The girls could see that he was firm in his resolve.

“Damn you!” Jada responded angrily. “So, what do you expect from me? Do you think I’ll just hang around and take what I’m given when you bother to think about me?”

Zeke held out his hands, palms up on the table. “Nothing.”

“Look, as it is, if we meet up and I have no other plans or commitments, I’ll go out with you. If you wish to share it, I’ll not kick you out of my bed. If you wish to return to a platonic relationship, then that is what you will get.”

“So, it’s your way or the space highway?” Jada replied indignantly.

Zeke considered her reaction. He knew he wasn’t being nice, but he refused to commit to someone he had spent one night with. He had enjoyed her, it was true, but it wasn’t enough for the long term.

Lee had said he would know whether the person he was interested in was someone he could love or not.

“Wizards fall hard and fast, Zeke,” Lee had told him.

Zeke shrugged, “I’m sorry, but I’m not able to offer more of me on a personal level. I have too many things going on right now. However, I can offer you this...”

Zeke had his satchel appear. He removed a cream-coloured, folded-over satchel from it and handed it to Jada. He then retrieved a second and gave it to Paula.

“Just remember, if you do accept, you can’t change your mind later. This is a life-changing decision and a commitment for the rest of your life. Being accepted by magical items is a privilege, not a right, and you must strive to use your magic for good, not evil.”

The twins looked at each other, and Zeke realised they were communicating. He wasn’t surprised that they nodded in agreement.

He said, “You need to say the promise.”

They recited it after he said the words without further encouragement.

He watched them as they checked out the contents, retrieved the magical items, and donned them. Paula had Energy and Lore. Jada had received Physics and Lore.

Zeke was a little surprised neither had received Psychic, since they believed their father had it. Perhaps it was their third skill. One day, he may be able to upgrade them.

Just for amusement, he said, “Lee told me that there is a spell you can use to make the satchel look like a regular handbag.”

The twins looked at him with scepticism. Jada replied, “Nah, that takes all the fun out of shopping. Plus, I like the idea of my personal stuff being hidden so it can’t be stolen.”

Paula chuckled as she stood to play with the larger wand. “Now this I like. Can you get it to act like a zapper if you hit someone with the end?”

Zeke looked at her in surprise. “To be honest, I’ve never even thought about it.”

She sniffed, “Being a guy, I bet you haven’t had to think about it.”

Zeke frowned and remembered what Rod had told him. “Paula, just because I’m male doesn’t mean my virtue is safe from other males or even females. There are a few drugs around, like Diddle and Napper, that both sexes can use to force someone else to have sex without their consent.”

“People who have been raped like that, find it just as hideous, if not more so, as someone being held down. Men get raped in both fashions, just like women. Even more so than in the past. Men are also more likely to commit suicide than women.”

Paula looked at Zeke with concern, “Has that happened to you?”

Zeke replied, “The first was tried when I was seventeen, but I’ve been wearing both my items since I was fourteen. A couple tried to drug and rape me. However, my magic forced me to vomit before things got too far. The idiots didn’t realise that all they had to do was ask. I was pretty rampant and open to just about anything back then.”

He grinned, “Puberty was the pits.”

“As to the other method, I realised the intent of the three men trying to get me drunk and was able to get away before they caught me. Their plan was to rape, rob, and kill me.”

“While I had learnt how to transport myself by then, it was still scary trying to evade them, so I could find somewhere I could hide and then disappear. I decided to learn some self-defence moves after that encounter.”

“I didn’t have magic to help me, just my sister,” Paula replied.

“Did you get raped, or did she save you?”

Paula looked at the concerned Jada, “She saved me.”

“Love beats magic every time,” Zeke informed her.

“Well, now that you’re magicked up, let’s get some work done,” Zeke told the twins.

As he headed towards their ship with them following, he said, “I made some modifications to your ship last night. I’m surprised you didn’t notice them, Paula.”