SpellShocked (SpellShocked Saga: Book 1)

Chapter 11 - Eight Out Of Ten

It had been just over two months since I had begun my training, and the results had been mixed.

It had taken me another week or so of practise with the wand to produce a singular beam of light with it. And then another two weeks training to try and shrink the beam by reducing the amount of magic I was channelling, but finally I had managed to achieve some level of baseline channelling with a wand.

That's where things got a little more difficult.

I had ditched the wand about a month in, but I was finding it difficult to channel magic without it.

"You would be finding it even more difficult to channel magic normally if you hadn't already achieved it with the wand," Mr Beck had reassured me. I took his words with a pinch of salt because it felt like all I was able to do was produce a random assortment of sparks like I had before I stared using the wand.

I had gotten so frustrated with myself that I was secretly very happy when my parents announced we'd be going to the lake for a few weeks; I sorely needed two magic-free weeks to unwind and relax and so I was looking forward to the trip even more than I usually did.

"I was thinking we could arrange for you to visit campus for a day or two when you get back?" Mr Beck suggested at the end of the last lesson before our vacation.

"Yeah that would be good," I agreed, "Can I bring my parents and Zac?"

Mr Beck looked thoughtful, "You parents will be fine, but I'm not sure the Council would take too kindly to a human not directly related to you entering the school campus; it's supposed to remain a secret from the human world, so we can just let anyone in."

"Zac isn't just anyone!" I complained, "He's basically family!"

"I'm afraid the Council might not see it that way. But I'll definitely ask," he added when I frowned deeply at him.

'Who are this Council anyway?" I asked; I was starting to feel tired of being a puppet on string being pulled by invisible people.

"They Council is formed of twelve of the most powerful sorcerers in the world who all hold a Seat on the Council, as well as the most powerful sorcerer in the world at any given time taking the position of First Seat; currently the First Seat is Saul."

"That old bat?" Zac asked, rolling his eyes.

"Careful Zac," Mr Beck said, his voice holding a warning, "Saul is an extremely talented and respectable sorcerer. I won't hear a bad word said about him."

Zac, seeing that his snarky comment had annoyed Mr Beck, looked shocked and upset, "Sorry, I-I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's fine. Saul might act a little cold at times, but he really is a great man. He's just...been through a lot."

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"It's not my place to tell. It's Saul's personal life and I don't want to spread gossip about him."

"You're right...I'm sorry." I muttered.

A few seconds of awkward silence followed before Mr Beck spoke, "Anyway, the Council is like the governing board of sorcerers; they make the laws, they run Merlinian Prep with a Seat holder typically being the head of the school, and they command the Sentinels – our 'police' force – amongst other things. Basically, they're in charge."

"Why do they get to decide everything for us?"

"Because the rest of the sorcerers voted them into power."

"I didn't vote for them."

"You also couldn't vote for your President or government, but you've still obeyed the laws of the country up until now, right?"