Chapter 23

The next morning I awoke on the floor where Cloe normally slept, when the hell had I gotten on the floor? Then the memories of yesterday start to intrude on my mind, ah yes! I had been tired after everything that had happened yesterday. Getting up I made my way slowly to the kitchen, where Cloe had left me some breakfast. Looking around I saw that she’d obviously been called away to a council meeting; well it was her main job after all.

Finally finished, I saw that the golden hue of light in the sky meant the sun was coming up. Dressed in a flash, I flexed my magic because seventeen levels higher was really nothing to sneeze at, plus I was betting that Cedric was counting on me increasing. Something was tickling the back of my mind, and I knew that he was up to something. I had a feeling what it was, but I just couldn’t seem to put my finger on it. Well, I thought, I might as well get to class; if I did survive, they would still need the training in order to make it in both worlds.

Arriving, I saw that the office was open. A smile lit up my face, and good girl Celina was back! Walking in, she was there waiting for me, with a huge smile on her face. “Morning, Mr. Greenstick! I have been practicing the exercises that I saw you teaching the students the last few days I was off. I am proud to tell you that I have grown seven and a half levels, and I plan to use them tonight! I promise Mr. Greenstick that I won’t be as easy to step on next time!”

I smiled hugely; her power had been closing in on the top level of mages when I knew her 175 years ago. Damn, I thought I hoped that this wasn’t a trend because if it got too far out of hand, the council would step in. I really didn’t want to go against the entire council, but with my levels now, I could easily kill half of them. Now that I thought of it, the way Cloe was going, she was up there a fair piece herself.

“I am glad that you have increased, and in the coming days, I feel that it will serve us both very well,” I told her as she started to beam at my praise of her. “Mr. Greenstick,” she started somewhat shyer all of a sudden, “I remember a lot of things now. I wanted to apologize to you for hurting you in the past. I was very sick in my mind, and I realized that you loved me greatly. May I make a confession to you?”

I was a little hesitant but slowly nodded, as I still loved this woman more than I had any other, and she was, after all, the first real love that I had been completely serious about. “I guess,” I answered, still unsure whether I shouldn’t call the doctor or not.

“I...” her face was suddenly red as she was blushing! Holy shit, she was embarrassed. “I am somewhat different than I was before. I am not the same as I was; I am now this Celina and will always be.” Turning away, she started to walk to the door. Almost in a whisper, I heard her say, “I know, as I said, I hurt you as I did myself, but I still love you, Tyrome.” With that, she walked out the door, leaving me stunned as hell! What in the hell was going on? I hadn’t had a serious relationship in over 100 years (since my now ex-wife tried to knife me in the back quite literally). I couldn’t get laid if I was the last male on a planet of all horny women. Suddenly, I have two women that I have known for a long time wanting me. For a moment, I thought that I ought to recall the doctor and bust him in the face just for the hell of it.

I really didn’t have time to go after her as the first of the class started to arrive. For the rest of the day, I went through the motions and tried to teach the class, but I kept hearing what both Cloe and Celina had told me. Christ, this was all I needed. I was already screwed enough being as far behind Cedric as I was, but now this! Halfway through the class, I heard a soft giggling and knew that my sister was finally awake.

[Brother, who is Celina?] She asked, startling me out of my stupor.

[A female mage I was very deeply in love with and ... HEY! I said to stay out of there!] I shouted at her in my mind.

Defiant to a Tee, she retorted, [I wasn’t in there! You are so depressed that they are just bleeding out. OH! Brother! Do you really look at her that way? Shame!]

Concentrating, I clamped down on my mind, bringing a groan from her. [Look, I am sorry, but those are very private. She almost killed me. It wasn’t that long after I lost you, Father, and Tan. She made me feel alive for the first time, and then she tried to kill me.]

I heard Eluria gasp, and then she apologized, [I am so sorry, brother, you have had so much hardship since the family was lost. Had I gotten to Cloe’s as I had planned, I wouldn’t have been there either. I got delayed and heard shouting when I came into the common room. Cedric had killed Tan and was killing his father. I screamed at him, but it only made him mad. Then, the next thing I knew, I was above my body, watching it fade to dust. Then Cedric was laughing as I was sucked into his body. Not long after that, he started to torture us. He called you a coward for not being there, and then you fought him and almost killed him, but you were so weakened that I saw that you couldn’t finish.]