Abaddon's Gift

Chapter Fourteen

Day two, Graydon looked forward to it about as much as he had looked forward to patrolling the Deadlands. He saw Naena at breakfast, and she was a sight to see. Someone had delivered a dress to her, which she wore. The dress was a modification of the robes the boys wore. Their robes sat over their clothing to protect them from various mishaps which could happen in the classroom.

Naena's was a dress.

Someone would have to speak to someone else about how a woman could wear a robe over that dress.

After breakfast, Graydon returned to his dorm and selected his books for the day, then headed in for the first class. Basic Care, which he loathed because it was all information he knew before he was allowed in the field. Basic Care was also the class he would most likely be tried on by his father.

It was the founding class of a mage's life in health and wealth. There was a reason why students took Basic care throughout their enrollment in Amos, no matter how long they attended.

Thus, Graydon arrived early and began setting up his desk. He was determined to use the skills he had honed over years hunting mages to judge the class, to determine if Draedon Opiel still performed his duties to all mages.

Draedon would teach Naena and her class throughout their first four years. Basic Care was the first class of every mage's schedule, though in subsequent years their class schedule was extended from eight in the morning to six in the morning. Allowing for time for proper care while not sacrificing class time.

Having set up his desk, Graydon left, headed for the bathroom to relieve himself before class, but also to allow the students to write a spell into his papers. He did that on purpose. As an outed member of the Seven Families, he expected the mages to push back. They would test the boundaries in university rather than later on in life.

And he wanted to make certain they knew there were no lines they could cross. Nothing they could do to him to put him down.

He took his time in the bathroom.

When he returned to the classroom, he entered a room filled with chaos.

As he stepped in, Naena stood with fists clenched at her sides, bits and pieces of desks flying around her as her face went red. A student was laughing at her, Graydon was unfamiliar with the boy's features, which meant he must have been from a lesser family.

Trying to prove he wasn't the bottom of the class by picking on the woman.

Graydon had just enough time to wonder.

Why isn't anyone concerned about the flying debris?

Before the bits dropped to the ground. The room went still.

And in the vacuum created by the sudden drop of magic, Graydon's feet were locked in place instead of moving as they should have been.

The next second, Naena was on the student, beating him with fist and foot, all but tackling the young man to the floor as he cried out, not expecting a physical assault. Naena was bashing the student's head into the floor with one hand as she cocked back the other to punch him again before Graydon managed to move forward.

He strolled casually, allowing Naena to get in a few good shots.

The other students got out of his way quick enough. He felt no resistance until he wrapped an arm around Naena's midsection and lifted her. She seemed heavier than she should have been, magic lacing her system, trying to keep her—

Graydon grunted and dropped her.

Naena had latched onto the student and dragged him up with her. That had been the sudden weight. When he dropped her, she released the student, readying to hit again, so he grabbed her and pulled her off the student as she growled like an animal, hands and fingers reaching as she tried to get at her target once more.