Chapter 27

After Alex left the room, Vale said, “I would like to see how much power you have, if you do not mind.”

“What do you need me to do?” Steve asked.

“Open your shirt so I can lay my hand over your heart.”

Steve unbuttoned his shirt and held it open for him.

Vale placed his palm directly over Steve’s heart and closed his eyes. After a half a minute he said, “Thank you, you can button up again.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened, it is one way to check a wizard’s power levels.”

“How?” Steve placed his own palm over his heart.

“Close your eyes and reach out with your senses. You should be able to feel something other than the beating of your heart.”

Steve did as recommended, concentrated, then started to nod.

“Do you feel an energy pulsing?”

Steve nodded.

“That’s your magic coursing through your body. A powerful wizard has a strong flow where a weak or injured wizard has only a faint trace.”

“Do you mind if I try this on you?”

“Be my guest.” Vale unbuttoned his shirt and held it open.

Steve reached in and barely touched Vale’s chest when he could feel it. The strong pounding was as clear as day. He pulled his hand away. “Thanks, I wanted to understand it better.”

“Shall we have a seat?” Vale nodded toward the table as he buttoned his shirt. Steve and Vale took a seat at the table facing each other. Steve brushed his hand across a sheet of paper that had all his questions.

“May I?” Vale asked and held a hand out for the piece of paper, while he pulled his glasses out and put them on.

Steve handed it to him and waited while he read.

Vale handed the sheet back to Steve and removed his glasses. “Most of your questions will be answered by attending school, especially those on how the magic works. Most of our first-year adult students know nothing about magic until they receive their invitation to attend Aspen Glen.”

“Am I some type of…warlock or something?”

“We prefer to use the term wizard. Witch and warlock remind everyone of the witch trials, so everyone is only a wizard.”

“What if I don’t want to come?”

“I cannot stress enough how important it is that you come.” Vale put his glasses back in his front suit coat pocket.

“Why?” Steve asked. “I’ve gone this long without knowing anything about all this.”

“Yes, but do you want to continue living the way you have. Alone. Always afraid you might accidentally hurt someone. Never allowing a woman to get close for fear of harming her. By attending Aspen Glen, you will learn how to control your shifting.”

“Do you think it’s possible I might be able to not shift?”

“I believe so. But I have to let you know that I have not encountered your type of shifting before so there are no guarantees.” He held up a hand to stop Steve from asking a question. “It is not that black and white; there are many possible variations. You may be able to not change, only change during a full moon, always change, or some combination. At the very least you will be able to sleep through the night instead of prowling around. Were-animals have to change at the full moon. Most shape-shifters only change for the three peak days to absorb power from the moon’s influence or when they want to for other reasons.”

“I could sleep through the night and be awake during the day?”

Vale nodded.

He had never been able to dream of such a possibility. Ever since puberty he spent his nights wandering. Only during winter did he get a break, when his bear hibernated.

Vale broke into his thoughts. “You have a destiny if you want it. Learn magic and find out what your possibilities are. A whole world awaits. Just take a chance.”

“I don’t know,” Steve answered, but concentrated on inspecting his fingers.

“Come for one summer and then you can decide if you want to continue.”

“I could quit?” Steve looked up.

“Yes, but you will still need to abide by our magical laws. If you do not finish, then security will have to explain our rules.”

“Alex mentioned security might come.” Steve jumped up from the chair and started to pace.

“We have our own security and medical. You will have to follow the rules so you might as well enjoy the benefits.” Vale watched Steve pace.

“What if I want to forget all this happened?”

“You can’t. Once a wizard has been identified, they are part of our world.” Vale paused. “Would you really want to have all of your memories about Alex erased? They have to remove everything so nothing will resurface.”

“What about Peter and the other valley’s residents? They’ve met her; they’ve even helped her get a new job.” Steve clutched the back of the chair.

“Security would erase all of their memories too, and Alex would have to find work somewhere else. Would you really want that?”

“No.” Steve sighed and sat back down. “So I have to come.”

“I would highly recommend that it is in your best interest to come. You are not the only person to debate about coming to school or not. Think about what is available to you in our world. I cannot imagine that you would want anything else. With the training, you could even marry.”

“She would be safe?” If only it was possible. He enjoyed seeing her every day and touching her. She filled his life with a joy he’d never known before. He wanted her to be a part of his life.

“It would be better if she was also a wizard.”

Steve smiled.

Vale looked straight into Steve’s eyes. “Maybe even a wizard like Ms. Klein.”

“How’d you know?”

“I do have some skills.” Vale smiled. “But it was not necessary to use anything. I have seen enough women in love to recognize the signs. I can tell by the way she talks about you.”

“She talks about me?”

Vale nodded.

“If I attend this school, she’d be safe?” He moved forward in the chair, perching on the edge.

“Probably.” Principal Vale pulled out an envelope and tapped it against his hand. “Inside is a list of supplies you will need. Ms. Klein can take you to the mall to get everything.”

“I want to know more about wands, if you don’t mind.”

“No two wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, crows, phoenixes, or even bears are quite the same. Even wands with unicorn hairs are different because each unicorn and each wood imparts different properties to the wand. There are limitless possibilities, but one unique combination will be the best fit. This wand will perform better for the wizard than any other.” Vale pulled out his wand and handed it to Steve.

When Steve held it, only a couple of stars managed to squeeze out. “Why do I get a lot more with Alex’s wand?”

“The bear hair in her wand responds to the bear in you. It might even be that the hair in her wand came from you or your mother.”

“Could that even be possible?”

“Maybe.” Vale nodded toward the wand. “Concentrate and reach out. What do you feel when you touch the wand?”

Steve closed his eyes and ran his left hand fingers over the surface. “I can feel a warmth to the wood…and it tingles.”

“That is because you are a wizard. If you were normal you would only feel the wood.”

“So how do I find the wand that best suits me?” Steve handed the wand back.

“There is an excellent wand shop in Denver. It is on the list that you will need to get before coming.” Vale slipped his wand back in his coat’s wand pocket.

“How am I going to afford all of this?”

“If you let us take responsibility for the dragon eggs, all your costs will be covered.”

“Why?”

“They are on your property. We cannot remove them unless you give us permission. They are priceless to us. The least we can do is cover your costs of becoming a full wizard.”

“Are you sure?”

Vale nodded. “Let the shops know who you are and I will see to it that your expenses are covered.”

“What if I have any questions?” he asked, reaching out to take the envelope.

“Ms. Klein can probably answer them, but my phone number is on the letter if you have more questions.”

“I’ve already started shifting. I will be all summer. Will that be a problem?”

“No. I have talked to Nurse Apple. She knows about your condition and believes she has the perfect potion to keep you asleep at night. But she wants you to come a week early so she can get the potion customized to your needs. She wants to keep you in the infirmary until she knows that she has it perfected. Then she will teach you how to brew it yourself so you can keep taking it once you leave school after the summer.”

“That’ll be a welcome relief.” Steve ripped the envelope open and pulled the sheets of parchment out.

“Any other questions for now?”

Steve shook his head as he continued to scan the list. He stopped Vale. “I don’t have a computer or cell phone. Will that be a problem?”

“No, we have phones, and several computers at the school that you can use to do your homework on. The librarian can show you how to use them, or maybe Ms. Klein can stop by and teach you?”

Steve shook his head. “I can’t let her be around. Not with my bear awake. You won’t tell her, will you? You see…her presence stirs him up. I’ve already accidentally shifted when she was only several feet away. I’ll get one of the neighbors to teach me.”

“Think of me as you would your doctor; what you say to me stays with only me.”

“I’ve never seen a doctor except to get my childhood shots.”

“You have never been sick?”

“Never. My mother never got sick either. It must be related to our shifting.”

“I look forward to learning more about your talent.” Vale stood up. “I will see you in a few months. Good luck,” he said shaking Steve’s hand.

Vale went out to the porch. He looked at the sun dipping behind the mountains. “We should leave,” he said to Alex.

“I’ll say goodbye then.” Alex stood up from her chair and started to enter the cabin. Vale grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“No. We need to leave right now.”

Alex looked at the door. “It’ll only take a moment.”

“We don’t have a moment left.” Vale continued to firmly hold her upper arm and escorted her to the car. The moment she got in, he closed the door and rushed around to the get in the passenger side. “Let’s go.”

Alex started the car and pulled out onto the road. She’d never heard him use a contraction before; he always took his time when he spoke. It had to be important or he wouldn’t have rushed her. Did he have another appointment, and was he running late? She had to concentrate on the twisting road as darkness fell.

She finally broke the silence when she got on the highway. “Why did we have to leave so fast?”

“He would shift into his bear in minutes. I could feel the energy coming from him, and he needed to lock the cabin up. Have you noticed the gouges in the front door?”

Alex nodded.

“He did that.”

“How do you know he did that and not another bear?”

“He looked at them when we went inside. He made them. Can you imagine what he would do if you were around. Even if you were behind the barred door, he would probably claw through the wood when his bear wanted to mate with you.”

“His bear would want to mate with me? I’m not a bear.”

“Neither is he entirely. I can assume that you have been intimate, since you both love each other.”

Alex nodded and kept looking out the windshield.

“The bear in him will want to propagate. Nature drives animals to want to multiply. He is no different. Even as a man, I am sure he wants children or he would have completely isolated himself from others. He would not have created his own little community.”

Alex thought for a minute. “If we had children, would they be shape-shifters?” Her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“Probably. He has a lot of magic in him. I would expect his children will also be strong wizards.” Vale turned in his seat to face her.

“Even with me not having much?”

“Even then, but you have more magic in you than you ever gave yourself credit for.”

“I do? Then why didn’t I do better at school?” She quickly glanced over.

“Your powers had not fully developed. It would have been better if you had waited to come when you were an adult.”

“Then why didn’t I?”

“Your parents did not want you to be left out. They wanted you to attend Aspen Glen like your siblings.”

Alex stayed silent for a few minutes. “They were right. I would have resented it if they hadn’t let me come as a kid.”

“Most children from wizarding families feel that way, so we take them unless they show no abilities or very little. In these cases, it would be harder on them than not going.”

“I can see that.” She stayed quiet for another minute and loosened her grip. “So, if I went back over the class material, I’d do better?”

“Yes.”

“Then maybe I should also come to school this summer and relearn everything?”

“No, you only need to practice. And can you imagine how hard it would be for Mr. Davis and the other students if you were there. Especially since you already know how to do most of the spells.”

“I guess.” She stayed silent another minute. “You’re losing your touch. I’ve never known you to take so long to convince someone to do something.”

“Usually a student is thrilled to find out that magic is real.”

“True. Steve hasn’t been thrilled.”

“At least he knows why he can turn now, thanks to you.”

“Do you think he’ll continue past the first year?” She glanced over again.

“I hope so.”

“He said he hates school.”

“Aspen Glen is different.”

Alex smiled when she remembered how she’d enjoyed being there. It was only when she went to college that she felt out of place. Why would she ever want to not use magic? Obviously, she wasn’t thinking clearly.

“I would hate to lose someone like Mr. Davis. He has a unique talent.” Vale shifted back and watched the mountains pass by.

“How?”

“I have never heard of anyone shifting without using a spell or wand—to be a natural. A bear is an unusual shape to take. Most wizards become cats or dogs.”

“Could the dragon eggs be the reason he picked this valley to live in?”

“I believe so. I think they have an influence on him. After all, he spends time in that cave when he is a bear.” Vale pointed to the next exit. “Why not stop and get a quick bite to eat. I never get fast food at the school. Do not get me wrong, the food there is excellent. I just miss sinking my teeth into a juicy burger.”

Alex tapped her fingers on the steering wheel while she exited the highway. Steve would have turned into his bear by now. The moment she turned the car off she grabbed Vale’s arm. “The unicorn. Will he be safe in the cave if Steve is a bear?”

He looked at her. “Unicorns have a magic all their own. He will be safe. He probably has a calming effect on all animals, not just people.”

As they ate their greasy burgers and fries, Alex looked at a photo on the wall of a bear standing on a rock, looking out over an open meadow. She quickly whispered, “I’m the reason Steve started turning early. Aren’t I?”

Vale dipped some fries in his pile of ketchup and inspected them without ever looking at her. He stuffed the fries into his mouth. “These are great, aren’t they?”

Another contraction. Vale was letting her know without saying a word. She thought back to her conversations over the last few weeks. Steve had been distancing himself because his bear was awake. He didn’t want to endanger her. And she was the reason why. She looked at Vale. He was watching her every expression. Her face probably said everything she was thinking and sometimes she swore he could read her mind.

“You know, it never fails to astound me what happens when two people fall in love. They change in oh so many ways,” he said.

It was amazing how he could tell you something without ever telling you—a gift all its own. She whispered, “I caused him to change that one day, and I was standing right there. He could have hurt me without meaning to, and I didn’t have my wand with me to protect me. It’s no wonder he’s been avoiding me.”

“He shifted last year and the year before. He will keep shifting until he can manage to control it. That is the nature of a shifter.” He reached out and patted her hand. “Have faith that everything will work out.” He picked up his burger and took a big bite.

The rest of the way back to Denver, they kept the conversation on other things. When she pulled up to The Dirty Dog, he said, “It has been an honor, Ms. Klein. I will stay in touch so we can figure out when it is the best time to move the eggs to Aspen Glen. I do not know of another location that is as well guarded. Until then…” He waved and entered the building.

As she drove the rest of the way home, the day’s events kept running through her mind. At least Steve was willing to try school. She’d have to keep positive that the magic would enable him to not shift. Otherwise, he’d refuse to keep seeing her. He’d do anything within his power to keep her out of danger. She’d have to convince him that this was the right path or else lose him.