Hunter

Chapter 40

        When they entered my office, Sophie and Arthur let out a cry of surprise.

"But what on earth happened in here?!" Arthur asked. "It's always so impeccable!"

To tell the truth, my office did look like a battlefield freshly deserted by soldiers. Opened books, upside down were scattered on the floor amongst potion ingredients and all sorts of utensils.

"What's that burn?" Sophie was pointing at the corner of a little table, which, had indeed blackened.

"A potion exploded."

"What? Wait! Did you train to magic all night long?"

"Magic? Dad, you know magic?"

"That is not the question for the time being."

I lifted some papers on my desk and fumbled through them, looking for three sheets in particular.

"What on earth are you looking for?"

Arthur seemed to think his old father had gone crazy. To be fair, the way I was looking around the room could give this impression. Finally what I was looking for appeared to me.

"Ah, here they are!" I exclaimed.

I crossed the room, passing between Sophie and Arthur, and I lifted an old  grimoire and pulled three sheets of paper from under it, all of them marked with complicated circles ornated with different patterns I had copied the previous night. I put the two first papers in Sophie and Arthur's hands.

"Are these protection circles?" Sophie asked.

"Correct."

"Do they work?"

"That's the whole problem, I have no idea."

Arthur turned the sheet in all directions, while Sophie studied the drawing on hers. I would have prefered to test them during the night, but I did not have had time to.

"What's their capacity?" Sophie asked.

"They're supposed to turn the spell back against the person who cast it."

"How can we know if they work?" Arthur asked.

"That's rather simple." I answered.

I asked them to follow me outside the house. I wanted to avoid one of us to fly into a wall or injured themselves into the furniture.

Outisde, the weather was still fresh although it was almost eleven. I stopped several feet from the house and Sophie and Arthur went to stand in front of me. We were about twelve feet apart.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

"We are!" They answered at the same time.

I nodded and prepared to cast the spell.

"Fortitùdinem!"

I felt energy leave my palms. Neither Arthur nor Sophie moved, the circle was working! Yes, it worked perfectly, so perfectly I got thrown backwards and fell three feet farther.

"Dad!"

"Gustave! Are you okay?"

They rushed to my side.

"I'm okay."

"That's great! The circles are working!"

"Oui! Finally some good news!"

I felt like some weight was lifted off my chest. Even if I was not as powerful as this mage, I would at least be able to distract him the necessary time for Arthur to run away. I did not care about what could happen to me as long as he was safe and sound.

"However" Sophie said suddenly. "saying the spell aloud gives the wizard time to counter your attack, you know..."

"Oui, I'm aware. But I can't help it. Only real magicians and wizards can cast spells with their minds. Even if I'm able to learn the method, it would take to much time to make it work..."

Warlocks had magic included in them so it was easier for them to use it with their minds only, or even just their hands: some of them did not even need to think of the spells, they worked on their own. It was possible, but very difficult, for  humans to succeed in casting a spell only with their mind, besides, the practice was very tiring.

"Very well." I said. "We need to formulate a plan."

"You're right!"

We went back inside, and, for what was left of the morning and a part of the afternoon, we had thought to a possible plan, taking all possible unfoldings into account... Yet, when Sophie went back to Gaspard's house, nothing solid had been put together.