Chapter 18

“Come on, you had to know we were on good terms?”

“Actually, from the way that you acted, one would have thought that you hated your father, plus you had a great disdain for authority,” I told him.

“You have to understand about my family, my father you do know quite well from what I’ve seen. Then there is my mother, I am sure that father has warned you about her?” I nodded slowly as I looked up at him. “Yeah I thought so, so he didn’t.”

“He told me she still has influence on a lot of the old Mages and that he’d never won a fight with her. So I assumed that she is quite formidable.” I replied.

“Not sure about that power, but she has connections that not many have, though I am sure she would only be a nuisance in your case.” Here he chuckled, “I’d love to be a fly on the wall if she ever met up with you and pissed you off.”

I had to smile, so it appeared that the pup had a sense of humor and god it was so much like mine had been at that age! He turned to go then turned back, “Oh you might want to do another scan of all of us someone is hiding a secret that I was unsure of ‘til I heard her talking to another female mage.”

I was shocked a moment someone was hiding something from me. In plain sight?! I was pissed for a moment, though, not sure because the pup had discovered it first or I had just missed it. I set up as my students began to appear one by one. I carefully and unobtrusively began to scan each of them as they entered. Finally, twenty minutes later, I found two that were more hidden from me than the rest. The first one, a young male student, had a simple charm that was hiding the fact that his family was well known. Other than that, there was nothing else. Then there was the second one, who just so happened to be the same young woman I’d overheard the other day. The strange thing was that the more I tried to see, the more everything remained hidden, I thought, but the power that was blocking me was very familiar. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have all that much time to find out what, but we were days behind, and I didn’t want to delay any longer. Looking over the student roster, I saw that her name was Gena Vishnew, so why did that name ring a bell?

Starting out the day, I had to work them extra hard and long. We had two days to make up for, and I wanted them to be almost mage strength at the end of the second week. Still, her name bugged me the whole day, and for some reason, I couldn’t get it out of my head. During a break, I went into the office and looked over her file. Hmmm, it appeared she was from Europe, from an old family, though, which had been left blank. It appeared that she had been recommended by someone on the last council before they stepped down, and it had been left. I decided I’d talk to her tomorrow. First, I sent a note home with her requesting to talk to her parents, and this hiding wasn’t allowed, so I’d get to the bottom of it. Done for the day, I stopped her as she was leaving. I handed her the note and asked her to give it to her parents. With a smile, she nodded and then vanished. I didn’t really expect an answer from her parents for a few days when there was a knock at my office door.

I opened the door and received the biggest shock in over 200 years standing there in front of me was none other than Evelyn Timmings! I must of looked like another kind of idiot as she smiled that huge friendly smile of hers and came in.

“Hello, Tyrome. It’s been a long time, no see,” she started.

For a moment, I was unable to speak, and when I finally found my voice, she was smiling larger.

“Hello again, Mrs. Timmings,” I started.

“Please, not so formal, Evelyn, please!” she told me.

“Yes, ma’am,” I answered, “How can I be of service to you? Is Johnathon ok? Does he need help again?”

“No, unfortunately, this isn’t a social call.” Pulling out the paper I had sent home with Gena, she handed it to me. “I have come about this; you see, Gena is my granddaughter.”

Again, I must have looked foolish as she was staring at me oddly, “Your granddaughter?! Her last name is Vish ... Ah!” I snapped my fingers, “Lana’s family name. I thought it sounded familiar. Wait! Then the reason I can’t scan her is the living tree talisman?” Evelyn only nodded. Sighing now, I had an extremely difficult decision. “Under the rules established by the council, I am supposed to expel her, though the reason is about the only one I’d except for hiding one’s self.”

Evelyn’s eyes opened wide as she focused on me, “You know you can’t do that, Tyrome.”

“Yeah I know it but I may have to, besides I think it would be safer in the keep than here.” I told her.

“Safer whatever in the world are you talking about?” so I started in on the tale of the banishment of Cedric when she’d met me over 200 years ago. All the way to today, “you mean to tell me you are ten levels higher now?” she asked.

“Yes I have been trying to get high enough to be able to defeat him this time; I don’t have much time as the barrier is extremely weak. I’m sure all of you will be safe enough with Johnathon and your husband’s power, though as for her I will do my best.” I told her.

“You and Johnathon are so much alike. I have never seen as pig-headed, stubborn people as I have you two, well maybe with the exception of Tom and Ben,” she said. I had to smile; I was well aware of how stubborn Ben was. “I’d rather you didn’t tell Gena, you know, though I am afraid her empathic power is growing.”