Chapter 11

Stumbling up the stairs to the college exhausted but happy, I can’t help but smile as I wave goodbye to Lynn. She turns off to her quarters, and I head to mine.

Ernand is waiting at my door holding a bottle of wine. He says, “I know you’re tired, but I had to find out how it went.

Opening my door, I look at him and say, “Don’t think we are taking things any farther tonight, but please come in. I’d love to talk.” Nodding he follows me in. I close the door and he pulls me into his warm embrace.

After several minutes I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and pull back. Walking to my desk I sit down and collect my thoughts as he pours us both a glass of wine.

“I don’t even know where to begin. Lynn is everything you said and more. Her raw mana is lower than average, but everything else about her...”

“The first morning she designed a new healing spell while lying on the ground, so sore from her first day of riding that she couldn’t even stand up. It’s more efficient that anything I’ve ever created, an elegant blend of power and control that flows so naturally and smoothly that I nearly cried watching her cast it the first time.”

“Then, after a long day riding we arrive, eat lunch, and she spends several hours healing people in need. Then we went to the house of a sick old man. He is nearly dead from a nasty infection when we arrive. I expected that she would learn a lesson in limits, and that I would do the actual healing.”

Taking a drink from my glass I shake my head. “She surprised me again. Exhausted and practically out of mana she figured out a solution to the problem. I was there, and I can’t tell you how to duplicate what she did. I can only tell you the results.”

“She cast a weak healing spell with a flaw in it. The spell was far too small to help the old man. I thought she had made a mistake, but she continued to cast, small flawed healing spells one after the other. When the second one hit the first one they somehow snapped together, but it’s not until the third one hits I see what’s happening.”

“You know how casting a spell binds your mana into it?” he nods, and I continue “The flaws somehow allowed her mana to leave the spell. Channeling from one into another. Each cast added another small burst of mana that flowed through all her previous spells. Each spell triggered again.”

“She tried to show me how, but I just can’t duplicate it.”

“She is already the greatest mage of her generation, and within a year I expect her to be the most powerful living mage.”

“That brings me to the most important thing of all. Her heart. Her shy little smile still pulls at my heartstrings every time. She knows how intelligent she is, and her confidence should make her infuriatingly arrogant, and frustrating to deal with. She manages to avoid the arrogance. She still listens and patiently explains her thoughts.”

“She is kind, friendly, generous, and shows great compassion. I feel honored to have met her, and I can’t wait to see what she grows into.”

Ernand looks at me and says, “You sound like a proud parent”

I reply, “No, that’s not it. I feel like a child meeting their hero for the first time. You know me and know the old cynic I am at heart. I’ve met supposed heroes before and been disappointed. I think she is different. She will shake the world and it will never be the same again.”

As I drink the last of the wine I turn to him and say “It’s good to see you again. I’m sorry I can’t give us the time we need right now.” he smiles and says “I agree with the choices you are making. This isn’t forever. There will be time for us later.”

“You look exhausted, I’ll let myself out and you go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”