Page 41 of Tino

“It was my own decision, and I’m glad I was the one doing it. Kicking that dummy was the only purpose so my actions were focused on that, and not hitting my target without hurting myself.”

“Is that why your shin is aching?” Niam asked, looking down Nujik’s right leg. “And bleeding from the looks of it!”

Nujik winced at Niam’s tone, then shot him a pained smile. “Had it been someone else it might’ve been broken now. My height came to good use today.”

“Let me help,” Tair said, kneeling at his leg. He pushed the darkening pant leg up, showing off just how badly he’d hurt himself. “How did you even run back to us?” Tair asked incredulously.

“The pain didn’t truly register until I was next to you, when I finally got control back, I forgot to feel the pain,” he explained, a frown marring his features. “I didn’t feel anything to be honest.”

“That was because I took care of it,” Niam said. “I could feel your pain but didn’t dare use my powers on you before I knew you were done being coerced. I had to let go of it when you reached us to figure out how hurt you were.”

“Thank you.”

Tair was focusing on the bleeding wound. From where I was standing, it looked as if the skin had ripped because of friction from the pants meeting the dummy. Light filled the air around Tair’s palm as he guided his magic to heal the skin.

“There,” Tair said, sounding satisfied as he stood.

Nujik sighed in relief. “Much better. Thank you both. And amazing use of your powers, all three of you.”

We continued training with our familiars again after that. Julie had been asked to join the other mages after lunch, so we likely wouldn’t see her until just before bed.

“Again,” Nujik encouraged us, and so we continued raining down hell on the dummies.

Chapter 27

Altair

We’d been back in the Realm of Mages for two weeks now, and even though I felt like we would never be fully ready, I also knew we had to act soon.

A mage we hadn’t been introduced to before had come by just after breakfast and told us we were needed at the meeting place; another location where we could all gather for meetings. It seemed our time for training and having fun was over.

“Stop worrying,” Tino said from behind me. I had just finished getting dressed for the day, figuring it would be best not showing upin my pajamas for the meeting. It could be important and I wanted to seem like the leader they needed and wanted, not this scared young man I truly was.

“I can’t seem to stop,” I admitted, not wanting to hide my true feelings from my best friend.

He sighed. “Me neither. This just feels…final, you know?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, swallowing my unease as I got my arms into my sweater. It had gotten colder these last few days, making the leaves cover the ground around the compound in different brown, yellow, and red colors. It was my favorite time of year, but I found myself unable to truly appreciate the smell and look they offered.

“Come,” he said, taking my hand in his and pulling me behind him. We met up with the others in the living room. They looked just as wary as we felt, and since Xari could feel emotions, it had to be way worse for him.

“You all ready?” Xari asked, frowning as he trailed his gaze over each of us, then quickly hid his expression behind a forced smile. “We can do it, right? I mean, we’ve trained for this. We were born for this.”

Damn, if Xari, the oldest one of us, was this nervous. It really showed just how young we all were, and we had the future of the Realm of Mages to think of. It was all on our shoulders.

“Maybe this is just a random meeting,” Silver suggested hopefully.

“Or maybe, we’re heading to war,” Niam said, his tone serious as he walked towards our front door, not waiting for us to follow him before walking through.Shit, if Niam was this certain, then it couldn’t be good.

“Mom? Mother?!” Xari exclaimed, his surprise stalling our movements as we approached the meeting ground. Following his gaze, I found council leader Leah and her wife Nikki. This truly couldn’t be good. But damn it was hard being mad seeing them when Xari was so obviously pleased at finally seeing his mothers after all these years apart.

“Our big boy!” Nikki squealed before engulfing him in a tight hug. She let go only to grab his arms and look him over. “You've gotten so handsome!”

“I happen to agree,” Niam said, looking just as teary eyed as Xari and his mothers.

While Leah grabbed Xari for a hug next, Nikki watched Niam with wide eyes. “You’re his soulmatch.”

“I am,” Niam replied, and then Xari pulled him closer to where he and Leah were still hugging.