eye. "What I'm getting at, is as you pull in more magic, you'll continue to get these sick spells until your body becomes used to it. But even without reaching the full limit of your well, you've already far exceeded how much energy I can draw in all at once."
I arched an eyebrow. "I can suck in more magic than you?"
"It's difficult to quantify the depth of a well. I can only sense its depth, like dropping a stone down a shaft and listening for it to hit bottom."
"So how long is my shaft?"
Elyssa gave me an amused grin.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," I told her.
Meghan cleared her throat. "Perhaps I should skip to the point. From what I can sense of your current ability, your well is at least three times larger than the most powerful Arcanes I have ever treated."
Shock at the revelation drew both eyebrows up my forehead. Pleasure at hearing my own potential curled my lips into a smile. "So, I'm a badass?"
"Justin, the only person I've treated who has that much ability is in the room with Felicia."
I looked around. "Who, Adam?"
Meghan groaned. "No, I'm talking about Nightliss."
I was on my feet before I knew what was happening. "Huh? I have as much power as Nightliss? But that's impossible. She's a freaking angel!"
"Nightliss still has far more power than you, but that's only because you haven't yet found the depth of your ability." She motioned for me to sit down. "What I'm about to tell you next may come as even more of a shock."
I dropped onto the couch, hands in my lap. If I'd had a seatbelt, I would have put it on. "Oh, god," I said. "What is it?"
She looked from me to Elyssa, and chewed on her lip, as though trying to figure out how to say something. Finally, she said, "I'm almost ninety-nine percent positive your mother is not an Arcane."
I laughed. "Of course she is. She freed me from Conroy's spell, and poofed herself out of there."
"Yes, and there's a very good reason why she could do such things. Your mother is like Daelissa and Nightliss. She's an angel."
Chapter 42
I reeled back like she'd just hit me. "Impossible. That would mean the Conroys are angels too. It would mean me and Ivy are—" I couldn't finish the statement.
"You're both part spawn, part angel," Elyssa said, wonder in her voice.
Meghan nodded. "It's impossible to measure the division of your magical heritage, Justin, but considering how developed your spawn side is, and how powerful your magical side is, you've inherited a great deal from both sides of the family. Ivy is obviously extremely powerful considering her age and the ability needed to pull off the spell. Adam measured the shockwave from the anti-vampire spell and told me it went out in about a one-mile radius. If she'd performed it above ground, it's possible it would have extended much farther."
"But if the Conroys are angels, why do they need Daelissa?" I said. "It doesn't make sense."
Meghan stood, tucking her wand into a pouch. "There's a lot that still doesn't make sense. But all the evidence points toward my hypothesis. It's more vital than ever Shelton and Bella train you. Drawing in that much energy without the training to properly focus it is dangerous."
"How could it be dangerous?"
"You know the fireball you shot off while Maximus's prisoner?"
I shrugged. "Yeah."
"Imagine if you'd used enough power to engulf the place in fire, or detonated it like a bomb. You don't know your own potential or the danger you pose to yourself and others, Justin. I suggest you get it under control." She picked up her mug. Took a sip and grimaced. Took out her wand and stirred the liquid until steam rose from it. "You know, the spell I just used to heat up my tea takes a very precise amount of control and power. Otherwise my tea would evaporate, or the ceramic mug might explode in my face, cutting it to shreds. Or—"
I held up a hand. "Fine, fine, I get it. I'll train." I sighed. "Just what I wanted to do with my free time."
She smiled. "I thought you might see it that way." Her eyes locked onto something behind me, and a genuine smile of happiness split her lips.
I turned and saw Nightliss and Adam walking down the stairs. Adam guided a pale and tired looking woman down the stairs. Felicia. She saw me and smiled, tears sparkling in her eyes.