The Magi Lunations: Maebry's Vision

Sixteen

McKinley stormed down the stone walkway with an athlete's speed. He rubbed his hands through his hair over and over again. He crossed through the courtyard, and I heard a guitar strumming. Biltmore sat on the fountain, and for the first time since I arrived at Hildegard, he took one look at who I was with, and walked the other direction.

McKinley kept stomping through the courtyard until we were going through the gift shop to the parking lot. A sleek black sedan and driver were waiting on him. The engine started as soon as they saw him.

He whirled on me, but he still seemed too flustered for words.

"I'm sorry."

He looked at me as if I were deranged. "You have nothing to apologize for. That – that – " he waved at the Assembly. "I don't know what that was, but it's not okay."

"But I'm a Mystic. I'm trying to learn how to control it so it doesn't hurt me."

"That dragon lady is pushing you too hard. Brother Anthony is the only Mystic I've ever met at Yohana's court, and he's like 8,000,000 years old. You have time. You don't need to be pushing yourself into visions. Our gifts are just that, gifts. And if the effing Quartet wants to bless you with a vision, then you'll have it."

"But what I see can help people."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Who? Who will it help?"

"The Magi...find the objects they seek."

He rolled his eyes. "The Magi have more crap than anyone on earth. They do not need one more powerful thing badly enough for you to be in pain. Did it feel that way when you were with your conduit?"

I flushed with embarrassment.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "You have got to be kidding me. Is that what this is about? You're fucking your conduit?"

I shook my head violently, "No. No. No. No. Absolutely not. I'm a - ," I kept shaking my head. "No."

He rubbed both hands over his face now.

I whispered, "Please don't tell Yohana."

"I should've known. Ugh," he looked up at the clear summer sky. "I should've known it was just the same as Jonathans. It just means the Balthasars have already decreed on high that you have to marry someone else."

"No, it's different. Conduits both increase in power...And I don't have to marry Yohana. I want to."

"As long as you can bring your conduit side piece to court."

"No," I glared. "No, that is...No. I'm not even speaking to my conduit right now, which means I'm basically powerless at this point."

"You want my advice, one red blooded American to another?"

I nodded.

"Lay low. Pretend you can't see anything. Then, once you and Yohana get married, you can work on building your powers from the safety of our court, where you don't have to worry about anyone using you like some kind of exorcism-inducing metal detector."

"I can't lie – "

He held up a hand.

"And you can do whatever the hell you want with your conduit, but please know that if you," he sucked in his bottom lip and, I swear, tears glassed over his eyes. He cleared his throat, "If you hurt Yohana after everything he's been through," He swallowed and pointed his finger in my face, "you will destroy him and then possibly his entire realm."