Wizards

CHAPTER 21: Blood Magic

Rei couldn't remember how many times she tapped the table while she waits for the dean to arrive. She was summoned early on Saturday as soon as Dean Reyes arrive at the Nesting Peak. Rei remembered; she wasn't done writing her essay in Potions that was due on Monday.

     Rei sighed and started phasing back and forth in the office, hearing only her shoes tapping on the wooden floor. She slowly changed her course, walking in circles around the dean's desk. Slowly, her feet brought her to the dean's library. It was twice as big as the office with bookshelves as high as fifty feet, more or less.

     Rei couldn't count how many books were there — it was too many to count with too many varieties; smalls ones, big ones, leather-coated, paperbacks, hardbacks, ruined — some even looked as though it came from underground. Rei checked the books; she walked by them one by one, tapping each and every one of them.

     Mastery of Spells by: Rian Catapult.

     How To Escape Your Enemies . . . Even The Law by: Vika Gene.

     Dangerous Creatures: How to Love Them? by: Fernan Melendez.

     Bloody blood magic —

     "Fancy yourself a read?" a voice spoke.

     Rei almost jumped out of her skin. She immediately let go of the book she was holding and turned around. It was Dean Reyes.

     "I was just admiring your library, sir. . . ."

     "It is quite big," the dean stepped closer to the books, touched one of them, "I haven't even read half of it. Enchanted library . . . keeps on changing the books every month."

     Delfin gestured his hands to the doorway out of the library and into his office.

     "I was informed by Professor Wareen of some incident in Charms. You used blood magic?"

     "I swear, sir, I have no idea I was using it. I don't even know how to use it."

     "I believe you. However, I need you to understand that the use of this magic is forbidden."

     "I don't know how to control it."

     "Use your head," said the dean calmly. "There is a reason why we read a lot. . . . To sharpen our mind, to control it, so we can control what we think and imagine. When you control what you think, you control your emotions and that kind of magic relies on how you feel and what you imagine."

     "What if I can't?"

     "Then we have to expect the worst."

     Expect the worst. . . . Was it the leak? Was it the explosion? Death. . .?

     "Rei," said Delfin. "No one else can help you except yourself. You control your magic, it shouldn't control you. Do you understand?"

     Rei nodded. She was dismissed, but she has to ask. . . .

     "Sir, what happened to Brooke? Where is she? Why isn't she here?"

     "I'm afraid I cannot give you any information. It was her father's wishes, I'm sorry. Why do you ask? Did you hear anything from her?"

     ". . . No."

     Rei hesitated . . . but asked anyway. "Sir?" one finger up, "Last one — why did you order Professor Reeve to bring me food in my room and keep me there most of the time?"