“Yeah, Mom told me to make sure I took care of them. Once we leave, they’ll calm down. They just miss Beaver, who’s off socializing.” Scout got up to help remove the ven from Viera before she stood up.

There weren’t many beings in the hallways this early in the morning, so Viera was shocked to discover the promenade filled with them. She stopped and took a second to let the sounds wash over her. The sight of so many different types of aliens of different sizes, colors, and types froze her in her tracks for a moment.

A scream cut through the sounds of the room. She knew the voice, she knew the scream, she knew the person. Tiffany is in trouble.

Heart pounding, hands trembling, mind focused on helping her former student, Viera ran. When she found the small girl, she squatted down, using Gandalf’s staff for balance, and put a hand on the young lady's shoulder. She followed Tiffany’s gaze up and saw a flock of phoenixes flying out of a tunnel leading from the roof. Their feathers were red and orange with highlights of yellow—they looked like flying fire.

Under Viera’s hand, her former student shook.

The last time Viera came to Torville Station Number Six, she didn’t notice there were hallways up above for the flying aliens, but as she watched the movement near the ceiling, she realized it made perfect sense.

“Tiffany, they’re phoenixes. You’re fine, sweetie.”

Tiffany breathed in shakily. “Ms. Kor, where did you come from?” With an effort, moving her face before her eyes, she stared at Viera. “I’m not scared, just startled. They looked like fireballs flying at me. But look at them, they’re mesmerizing.”

Gazing back up at the flying beauties, Viera watched as they perched on some of the areas built for them, socializing with a group of griffins and ven.

Shaking her head, Viera rubbed Tiffany’s back. “I ran up from the lift when I heard you yelp, dear. You were just focused on the phoenixes and didn’t see me approach.”

Huffing and puffing, Scout pounded up, his feet echoing on the floor. It occurred to Viera that it was odd she could hear his steps in the room that had been so loud moments before. Her body tense, Viera pushed up and gazed around her.

“Ms. Kor, that was amazing. I didn’t know you could teleport!” Scout’s voice reverberated through the now silent room.

His words hit her like a bucket of ice water. “What?” Turning again, she realized all the beings in the room were emanating shock and awe. Her hands trembled. “I … but I didn’t. I ran. I remember my feet hitting the floor, navigating around the others on my way over here.” Her heart pounded faster as she dropped her gaze to Scout. “You didn’t see me run?”

Scout’s face scrunched up. “You just disappeared, and then when I got here, you were here.” His brow furrowed more, and his head tilted. “With that walking stick. Did you have that before?”

Viera gaped at her hand. It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t had it before. For fuck’s sake, walking stick, why did you appear? Why do I need you? How did I get here so fast?

Her body began to feel numb as the questions whirled in her mind. Tiffany and her parents joined in the mass of alien eyes boring into her, demanding answers. The problem was, she didn’t have any answers to give.

Where is Betsy? I’d even take Flower Prancer at this point.

A commotion to her left had her whipping around. Pushing past a large dark orange qynad, the size of a moving-truck, and a fing, Balzeno stomped out into the open area towards Viera. When he got close, his beard stretched in what Viera assumed was a smile. “Youngling, what mischief are you causing so early in the morning?”

She sighed. “I have no idea. I heard a yelp and ran, but no one saw it. They say I just appeared. I don’t know what happened. I feel like I never know what’s happening.” She knew by the end she sounded pitiful.

The dwarf’s eyes narrowed. “You need more training.”

She grunted. “Training is all I do.”

He chuckled. “You’ve only been in this world a short time, young wizard. Don’t be hasty. Frustration in the path won’t make you learn faster, it will only make the journey less pleasurable.”

The advice, though different from how she would’ve worded it, felt like a lesson she could’ve given her students. “Thank you. You’re right. I need to spend more time practicing. I wish there was a book explaining all of the different nuances and how everything combines.”

He nodded. “There are some common threads, but the magic is yours and how you mix what’s yours is always going to be a bit different than the next wizard.”

The words settled in her. “So, I need to practice.”

“Yes.” His low-pitched voice echoed through the room. As they spoke, the others went back to what they’d been doing, as if realizing there really was nothing to see.

“But there seems to be so much to learn. Every few days there’s something new.”

He reached out and rubbed her arm. “And that’s the best part. The adventure of something new around every turn. It will take time to figure it all out and even longer to master any of it. But the path should be fun.”

She smiled, remembering all the times she’d mocked books and movies where the people who had to do magic homework whined, and she rolled her eyes. She’d been jealous. Now here she was, in the same situation. “Thank you, Balzeno.”

She meant it. He’d given her a clarity she’d been missing since all of this began.

Shifting his gaze, he let his eyes travel up and down Gandalf’s walking stick. “Well, hello old friend.” He traced his finger down the side. “This silly piece of wood will help you, if you keep it with you. It’s a fine piece of magic, for something created by an Earthling.” The last was said with a heavy amount of derision. “The more you keep it around you, the stronger your bond will be. It’s why you found your speed so early in your magic.”

“My … speed?”

“Yes, youngling. You don’t think you actually teleported, do you? With a proficiency in time, an unusual skill, you have a huge array of possibilities. Add in there a bit of the energy proficiency, and you get speed. From what I’ve learned from some of the other Elders, when the krottel opened up your magic, they pushed their sensing ability into you, which is why it’s so wild. Naturally having time and energy is so incredibly rare, dear, that I’m looking forward to seeing the trouble you’ll get into.”

A sense of dread hit her. “Trouble?”

“Oh, yes. A new wizard who’s already an Elder? You’re going to keep me young.” With a wink and a nod, he moved away.

Chapter 13 - Time To Get Back To Work

Viera

Viera sat at the table with Scout, Tiffany, and Tiffany’s parents. She finally had a mug of coffee, and hugged it to herself, trying to recover from the shock of the last few minutes. She needed to write down all the skills she’d picked up and set up her own training schedule. She’d been practicing with Betsy and Flower Prancer, but she was a big girl, not a kid in school. When she dug deep within herself, she realized that this was not only something she needed to master; it was something she wanted to do.

“But I’m scared.” Tiffany’s voice was low.

Shaking herself from her ruminations, Viera turned to the kids. Scout’s head tilted. “Why are you scared?”

Tiffany’s mom tutted. “If Tiffany doesn’t want to go, then don’t try to force her. Let my daughter make her own decisions. You aren’t her boss or a tour guide.”

Every time Viera was around these two, she had to work at not rolling her eyes or snapping at them. Despite having lived on Earth for years, they didn’t seem to know how to interact with other beings. She took a slow, steadying breath. “He’s not trying to force Tiffany to do anything she doesn’t want to do, he just wanted to learn what made her say ‘no.’” A quick glance at the kids showed they were both relaxed. “On the ride here they were both excited to watch Horax train.”

Tiffany’s dad’s face hardened. “You mean on one of those days you kept our daughter away from us?”

Betsy walked up to the table, grabbing a chair from a nearby table and adding it to theirs. “I don’t know that keeping a kid in a single room is fair, but,” she put her hands up as she sat, “I know that Tiffany’s upbringing isn’t my concern. That said, where she goes and what she does is also not up to Viera. She and Scout played games and learned Galactic Standard; something Tiffany needs to learn. I don't know exactly what you’re angry about.”

Though Betsy sounded cordial, there was steel behind her words that Viera could feel. Apparently, she, too, was tired of Tiffany’s parents' antics.

“Don’t judge us, wizard.”

Betsy gazed blankly at them for a moment, then turned to Viera. “I hear you made a splash this morning, friend.”

Viera sighed, taking a sip of her coffee. “I’m going to finish my breakfast then go practice.”

Scout groaned. “Not you, too! Who’s going to watch Horax with me?”

Betsy reached across the table and patted his hands. “I’ll head down to the training fields with you. It’s been awhile, and I hear Horax is doing great this year.”