This was a problem Moira could solve. “We shouldn’t try. We’ll train those from this village first, with Nell’s help, and then once we’ve figured things out here, you can help me with our more far-flung witches.”
She could see Marcus fighting with himself. A solitary witch, he had never enjoyed the communal aspects of witchcraft, but no one was more aware of the dangers of power left untended. He finally nodded, just once. “It’s a good plan.”
“So who do we have from here, then?” Nell asked. “It was a bit crazy, so I’m not sure I caught all the results.”
Marcus started counting off on his fingers. “Young Kevin, and Elorie, of course. Aunt Moira, and then your Ginia and Aervyn. I think that’s all in the first group to train. Sophie and I can’t do the mental fireworks, but we can help teach spellcoding.”
Nell nodded. “As can Ginia and I.”
Witches to train. Moira could feel the gladness in her heart. “You and Sophie will be busy. We’ve other witchlings and other magics to train as well.”
Marcus grunted. “There are plenty of hands to help. Lauren with the mind-witch lessons, and Mike would be an excellent choice to teach Sean the finer points of his earth magics.”
“Aye. It would be good if the ground rumbled a little less around here.” Sean’s earth talents were not of the gentler sort that worked with plants and growing things, but rather the hard magics of rock and land.
Nell grinned. “Aervyn has some skill in that direction as well, but I’m not sure you want to put him and Sean in the same training group.”
Sometimes it was handy to be the wise elder witch. “It will be good for Mike to earn his breakfast. I’m sure he can handle two small boys.” And if not, she’d always had a soft spot for witchling mischief, particularly if she wasn’t in charge of cleanup afterward.
~ ~ ~
Elorie looked around at her fellow students and leaned toward Moira. “I feel a little old for this class, Gran.”
Moira chortled. “How do you think I feel, especially with sweet Ginia about to be our teacher?”
Lauren, Marcus, and Ginia had their heads together in one corner of the room; Kevin and Aervyn were tucked in another corner with a bowl of blueberries. Elorie felt a bit useless. Organizing training had been her job just a week ago.
Sophie sat quietly in the corner, reading one of Gran’s herbals. For some reason Elorie didn’t want to explore, her presence grated. “Why is Sophie here? I thought her Net power was only the spellcoding kind.”
“She’s never been a threat to who you are, granddaughter mine.” Gran’s eyes were quiet and sad. “Do you truly not know why she’s here?”
Elorie squirmed. She felt like she was ten years old again, caught napping in witch history class. And she was disappointing Gran—that much was obvious. She just wasn’t sure why.
Their three teachers turned around, interrupting her puzzlement. Marcus called the two boys over. “Lets see if we can figure out what to do with this Net power of yours, shall we?”
So like Uncle Marcus. No preliminaries, just straight to the point. Not that she really minded today. Everything in her yearned to finally do magic.
Lauren smiled, as if she had read Elorie’s thoughts. With her gizmo off, it was entirely possible. Nothing like four mind witches in the room to decimate your privacy.
Well, hopefully action would keep their brains focused on something other than her leaky thoughts. Elorie roused herself and caught Ginia’s eye. “Show me what you did yesterday, blending spells together. I want to try that.”
Moira spoke just as Ginia nodded yes. “Slow down, my sweet girls. We need a plan.” She held up a hand before the protests could begin. “I felt this Net power, and I’d like nothing better to play with it. But we must learn with caution.”
She paused and looked around the room with great seriousness. “We are the first, the pioneers. Magic can be dangerous, and we play with unknown magic here. Care and caution will keep us safe.”
Elorie had spoken variations of that last sentence a hundred times in her life. And now, with memories of the rush of power strong in her mind, she finally understood why very few witchlings ever paid attention.
Moira leaned over and spoke quietly. “I know it calls you, child, but you must learn control first.”