Axel Light Trilogy: Wands and Shield

Chapter 04

'Are you sure you want to leave him alone when he reads the letter, Commissioner Linden?' asked Ian Stanley edgily.

'He deserves some privacy,' said Linden shortly.

'Shouldn't MaxPol know what is the full content of his letter? What if he destroyed it before we get to know what is inside? Or if he hides anything from us?' said Emma Johnson urgently.

Linden looked at Johnson and Stanley before he replied, 'You should have known Axel quite well by now. You see him every day, more than I do. However angry or sad or fierce he might be, his heart is pure. He will not lie or hide anything from us.'

'I am more worried that he cannot handle his emotions, whatever he is going to see in the letter,' said Stanley nervously, 'He is still very weak...'

'I know,' sighed Linden, 'I am worried too. But if we hold the letter for too long and it is not opened before the spell wear off, the letter may be destroyed before he could even read it. And he will never open the letter in front of me or any of us. I do hope that the letter will give him some peace.'

Johnson and Stanley nodded at Linden agreeably. They both knew that it would be crucial for Axel to be at peace and calm. He should choose a wand as soon as he could, but he could not, because his emotions fluctuated erratically.

'I wonder what kind of person Axel was, before all these happened to him,' said Stanley speaking his mind out loud, genuinely curious.

'Imagine your life turned upside down without any warning and the life that you had all these while was a fake. Anyone could break, Stanley, physically and mentally,' said Linden thoughtfully, 'If you are told that you are a Non-Magical just like that with no explanation, how will you react?'

Stanley stared at the mark on his palm and unconsciously reached for his wand which he had pocketed in his cloak.

'I can't imagine,' muttered Stanley shaking his head, 'I can't.'

'I think I might go crazy,' said Johnson.

Linden and Stanley turned to stare at her. Linden patted her shoulder understandably.

'Me too, Johnson,' sighed Linden, 'me too.'

*

When Linden went back to the room, Axel was unconscious with the letter gripped in his hands. They were some manic panic but once the Healer came, Axel woke up and had asked for some water. They had been wary of his weak lungs and unstable emotions and the letter seemed to have aggravated them.

But the letter had done some good. Since then, Axel became less angry and sad. He would chat with Elliot more and ate whatever Jane would bring to him. He would listen to Robert too, about the medicine he needed to take and exercises that he needed to regain his health. He would be less snappish at Linden too and looked at Linden when talking to him.

'When can I get a wand?' asked Axel, looking intently at Linden's face.

Linden looked at Axel like he usually would and studied his face. Axel did not look away.

'I see that your mood has improved,' said Linden, nodding agreeably, 'Stanley told me that you had been taking walks in the garden which is good for you. But I think the wand can wait. You should focus on getting well and soon, you will need to adjust to living with the Greens.'

'Soon?' Axel's eyes widened.

Linden smiled and nodded, 'Yes, you can be discharged soon and rest at home. Robert can do checks on you at home. Jane was a nurse, she will be able to take good care of you. You can go back to school too if you want to, but we will need to make some security arrangements.'