Chapter 13

I rolled as the entire class fired at me; I saw them all smiling. They all loved this. “Alright, as you can see, sometimes the best thing to do is not be there.” I started to pair the students up with comparable power-level partners. Shit! There was no one to pair the elder’s son with but me, and I knew if I didn’t pull my punches, I’d fry his ass for sure. As I walked to him, I saw that he was thinking along the same lines. “I know, but remember, I have had a lot of time to practice pulling my punches, so ask your old man sometimes,” I said as the memory made me smile. The rest I’d had last night had sufficiently healed the beginning of the tear in my power, but I knew not to push too hard. I also knew that the elder’s son could tell my power was higher.

We started blasting away at each other, damn the pup had been doing his exercises, and he’d raised his levels a few. Also, good, I wasn’t AS worried about killing him, but I still could if I wasn’t careful. I’d taken my mind off the exercise at hand and let loose a fully charged blast, and realizing my mistake, I wrapped the boy and yanked him out of the way as the blast took out the entire back wall. ‘Ah crap,’ I thought, ‘this wasn’t going to sit well with the owner and the boss.’ Shaking my head, I realized that it hadn’t come from me.

Looking around, I asked, “Alright, who is the empathic? I heard that; I usually don’t, but this time I did.” I was still searching when I heard it again, this time it was more female sounding, [I hope he doesn’t find me, I’d be so embarrassed, plus he’s so handsome!] Smirking, I looked over the class then I noticed a young teen girl in the back 18 by the look of her, but I knew she was at least a hundred.

“Alright, I know who it is. I’ll see that student after class today,” Looking in her general direction, I nodded, damn! She really was embarrassed what a shade of pink she turned! I ordered the class to repair the wall, and I wanted to see if their animating skills had improved yet. As I watched, they actually got over half the wall up before they all gave out, except for the elder’s son. However, I could also see that he was fading fast. The one thing none of them realized was that this one exercise had increased their power by almost a whole level. It was shocking that they had all grown at least ten levels. Laughing, I remember the old standard of power levels. Let’s see. As I recall, there were 40 levels of sub-mages, then there were 20 levels of mages, then there were the old clan leaders (not many of those now), there were five levels of those, then the council.

Laughing, he remembered the case of the Timmins clan, the untamed wild magic, crap now that was power. Thinking a moment, damn, I wish I could get Johnathon to help, but he was more or less retired now, working on that third child with Lana. Sighing, too bad I never got into vampires, Tyrome thought; there were actually some good-looking women among what was left of the clans. He’d estimate that when they started, almost all of his students were level 38 or 39 sub-mage. He’d have to say that all had increased to 28 or 29 sub-mage levels. In another two weeks, they should move into the mage levels. Then, at least, they’d have a chance. All that is, except for the elder’s son, who’d started at 29 and had progressed almost to sub-mage 2. Yeah, he was going to have power; I just had to make sure he used it right. Finally, all of them were sweating, so I called a halt to the class for the day.

“You’ve done well so far. This is the end of the first week. Tomorrow, we start on increasing your knowledge in everything,” hearing them groan, I continued on, “I know, I know, but believe me, I also thought it was a waste of time, but remember the creeping arbor spell I used earlier this week. Had you known the counter, you could have performed it and been out of it a lot sooner, don’t all of you agree?” I watched them all nod vigorously, especially the blond elder’s son. God, I was glad he was on board now, I hadn’t thought that the same tactics I used on the street would work with them. I guess it just went to show that everyone has a dealing point. Well, almost everyone is thinking of my ex and Cloe. I still hadn’t figured out yet why she was so dead set against saying the safe phrase. I would, though I wasn’t about to release her ‘til I did and find out why she loved to torture men so much, especially me. Looking at the young woman from before, I concentrated, [I know you can hear me. Your empathic power isn’t that strong yet. You need to keep it inside more, and though I enjoyed the compliments, I am way too old for you.] I saw her turn another shade of pink, nod, and then leave with the class.

I headed home and was maybe a block from there when another of the low lives of the underworld again tried to put a pinch on me. I felt him long before I reached where he was actually hiding, and reaching out, I grabbed the snitch from his hiding place.