Mage Journeyman: Ordained Magic: Book Two, page 3
So we weren’t going in there aggressively, I figured it should be pretty apparent, though with mind control it was hard to say. There didn’t need to be an active spell, it could be an immediate order to change their personality, to be his lovers and like it and support it. If necessary, a truth spell would reveal that information. The main point there was for us not to turn into a bunch of bullies, and to start punishing other mages because of complaints that may or may not be correct.
If he was guilty, I wouldn’t be merciful, the whole thing was disgusting, if true. Pathetic, evil, and both a physical and mental rape.
Brett knocked on the door, while Violet and I stood on either side of him and slightly behind. We were both ready to support him, should the mage try to run or attack without warning. We already had an elemental, his fire elemental supported by Violet and my air elementals, although it was formless and behind a conceal magic spell.
Andrew opened the door. He was lean of build, with brown hair and blue eyes. He had on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, and a few extra pounds, but he was far from unattractive. He also had a dark haired and gray eyed lush beauty hanging on his arm, I had no idea which one of the four it was, but she had an emptyheaded adoring expression on her face as she clung to him and barely noticed our existence. Unfortunately, that wasn’t proof, some women actually acted like that, at least at times. I also suspected it was Melinda, if he was guilty then he was no doubt the kind of man that wanted his new toy nearby at all times. Plus, she truly was stunning much like Violet had described, if not with details.
I slipped a truth spell onto her, casting it in conjunction with hidden magic, so he wouldn’t have a clue it had been done.
Andrew said, “Who are you?”
Brett said, “Brett Danvers with the mage society. This is Maya Castro and Violet Collins. Is Melinda in, we’re looking into a complaint by her mother.”
The dark-haired beauty blinked, then said, “I’m Melinda. My mother is being silly. I found my place in life, Andy said so.”
Andrew frowned at her for that last.
I asked her, “Did he tell you to be happy you were his?”
She shook her head, “No, he told me that I belonged to him, should please him, and I was thrilled and honored by all of his attentions which would never fail to make me horny and needy for his loving. He also told me I had to be his good girl and never leave.”
The blood drained from Andrew’s face, and he seemed frozen in indecision, while I reluctantly concluded castration would be cruel and unusual punishment, no matter how badly he deserved it. I also didn’t get the mentality or attraction he held for such a debasing and disgusting concept.
Brett said coldly, “Surrender and lower your protections, you’re under arrest. Resist, and I will hurt you.”
That snapped him out of it, and I felt him casting an elemental, which I blasted with a dispel. He turned to run, obviously not normally a violent man, just a pathetic excuse for one, as Brett had our combined elemental take him down while I used an air spell to snag Melinda and move her out of the way, then hit her with a protection spell for good measure.
At the same time I did that, Violet hit him hard with an earth spell. Between that, and the three times elemental his shields came down fast, and he obviously wasn’t good in a tense situation, because he didn’t manage to get off another spell.
Once his shields were down, I hit him with a sleep spell, and he immediately collapsed to the floor as the elemental backed off.
Violet took a confused and frightened Melinda by the hand, and said, “You will ignore all of his orders from this moment forward, and I order you to undo any changes he made to your mental landscape and personality.”
I doubted she’d ever be the same person she was before this, but that order would get her as close as possible to it.
I pulled out the pin that had the enchantment, and simply fed it magic with the intention of Andrew as the target of the spell. It worked, and once active it was set.
I dismissed my supporting elemental and cast the earth elemental, then had it insert the pin I’d made into his femur. His aura would keep the spell active, and if he ever got magic again it’d be too soon, but I knew we’d have to take it out once he’d served his sentence. Then I healed him, to fix all the damage it had caused going through his flesh and muscle.
I felt nauseated, and beyond disgusted, and my heart was breaking as Melinda totally melted down. Throwing up, sobbing, and clearly out of her mind with horrified revulsion at what she’d been forced to do. I really didn’t want to know the details of what Andrew had been forcing her to do, my imagination was bad enough.
It was also a wakeup call. We’d been coasting this last year to avoid over grasping ambition of our own as well as simply not wanting the responsibility of it. I’d done enough, or I thought I had. I’d been the example, taught likeminded mages and even shared a spell book with others that wouldn’t abuse it. And I’d saved the world despite myself, stopped a nuclear Armageddon. I was also significantly responsible for restoring order all around the world, because of those things if only by way of example and the spell book events.
But it hadn’t been enough, it’d only been a good start. Those other four hundred presumably abusive mages and perhaps even the ones that started with good intentions, needed rules and laws to live by to help keep them on the right path and not abuse their magic without consequence. We’d been too afraid to take the authority that was so clearly needed.
Perhaps if I’d relented sooner, realized sooner, then this never would’ve happened to Melinda or the other three. Maybe we’d have scared Andrew straight before he sunk to such despicable lows. I wasn’t at fault, that was solely on Andrew’s shoulders, but I could’ve prevented it if I hadn’t been so doggedly resistant to claiming any authority over the mages in San Antonio.
That wasn’t my ambition, but my ambition was to heal and protect, and successfully protecting meant that the mage society needed to take on authority, in order to do that past just healing and making the city a better place to live.
I still wouldn’t give up a work life balance, but from that moment on, my doubts about our path disappeared. It truly needed to be done, was necessary, but I could depend on others for a lot of it. Keep my role and part of this law enforcement side small, but it would still be critical. I needed to be a leader, along with the others, but I taught, advised, and led the leaders.
At least, unofficially.
Brett sighed, “Vi, can you get the other three too.”
Violet nodded, and she took a sobbing Melinda’s hand before going deeper into the house, while Brett and I stood guard over the first mage ever made powerless with any level of permanence. He deserved it, and it was a good start.
Brett asked, “Truth spell?”
I nodded, “Yes. I figured it was the quickest way to get to the truth. I think a part of her wanted to tell, even if she was happy she was probably dying inside the whole time, her mind being so unnaturally twisted against its nature. We’ll do what we have to and make this happen. Things like this… well it’s nothing new I suppose. Just done with magic, instead of forced drug addiction, threats, and beatings.”
It took a long time to get ready to go the precinct. All of them broke down and were hysterical, and they had to clean up after throwing up. It wasn’t pretty. I left Andrew sleeping, mostly because I thought I’d do him harm if he dared to speak and said something stupid.
All four of them agreed to press charges. There was no doubt we’d get him for rape, unlawful imprisonment, and perhaps even kidnapping.
The police were surprised to see us to say the least, and perhaps a little wary at the idea of processing a mage when mages were supposed to be untouchable by policy. But after hearing the testimony of the four victims, that put some steel into their spine.
It was a hell of a start, but just a start, and despite my earlier reluctance before now I suddenly felt like we were late to the party.
But we’d get things under control, in time.
Chapter Three
The pool wasn’t the perfect temperature in May, but a quick heating glyph took care of it. The water was buoying after the day, though I’d admit to cheating a lot. No sore feet or sore back to overly deal with, since I used the healing spell often, which helped keep the pregnancy as problem free as possible.
Which is where Carlos found me.
“Hey, baby. You look so beautiful,” then he dove in and put his arms around me. I really didn’t see it, feeling like a beached whale a lot, but he wasn’t lying either. Love bias, was the only logical explanation in my mind.
“Welcome home, honey,” I managed, after he’d kissed me.
He asked, “Good day?”
“A lot to tell you. You wear your ring at work?” I asked, as I’d enchanted it using an earth spell with a ward, protection spell, and conceal magic, then fed the intents and magic to it.
With him at work, his enchantment was the last one I set that day. I’d already replaced the spells I’d been keeping up with for months with enchantments on the house, office, society land, and I’d added my parents’ and his parents’ houses to the list being watched for trouble. I’d give it a little more thought before I started adding even more for my elemental to keep up with and charge.
He said, “I have to remove it for some jobs, safety, but it’s in my pocket when I do and goes right back on.”
“That’s good enough. The spells I have protecting you are on it now, not directly on you as a spell, so it’s really important you never forget it or take it off save having it on you in your pocket. Especially now that I’m semi-out, I’m sure the government put it together by now, and I’m going to have some enemies soon.”
He tilted his head, “Enemies? Why, what happened today?”
I outlined it, what we were doing and why, why it was not only justified but needed.
He shook his head, “Stop feeling guilty, if it’s anyone’s fault for not taking authority it’s Brett’s.”
I giggled, “How do you figure?”
He shrugged, “You’re still too good for this world, a healer and teacher, someone who guides, with a desire to protect. To serve and protect in authority is his calling. I’m not blaming him either, not really, it was all that idiot’s fault. I’m just saying if anyone saw the need sooner it would’ve been him.”
“Too good to my husband?” I asked.
He grinned cheekily, “No doubt, why do you think I married you? You spoil me with sweet perfection, baby.”
I snorted at that exaggeration, and then blushed, “I’m the spoiled one. So, how was your day?”
He shrugged, “Nowhere near as exciting as yours. Lots of maintenance, very little problems or emergencies. So you figured out a whole new way to use magic?”
I blinked, “Yes.”
He snickered, “Don’t look so surprised, I pay attention,” he lifted his hand and spun his ring with his thumb to make the point, “But yeah, lose the guilt and just do your thing. Let Brett worry about his part, outside of keeping an eye on things I mean.”
“That’s the plan. I think I needed to see it for myself, what was needed, that’s why I got involved in it today. To settle some lingering doubts that I’d been clinging to. We have a dinner meeting here tomorrow night to assemble a rough draft of laws, hope you don’t mind. Pizza tonight?”
He smirked, “I think we can do better than that. How about Mia’s?”
Mia’s Tex-Mex, which did sound good. Dancing and drinking were out of course, but we still tried to go out at least once a week.
“That works. Who spoils who, honey?”
The guilt didn’t just magically go away, but the afternoon and night with my husband did put it in perspective. I couldn’t save the world or make it a nice place, trying to go down that road and establish that much control would turn me into a monster. I couldn’t even save everyone in San Antonio, but I did make things much better, and it’d shortly be at least a little safer from predatory mages.
Which had to be, would be, enough. Lead by example with authority and my actions, set expectations and rules for our society, what else could I and the others in the Mage Society do? Magic was here to stay, and although it’d be no comfort to those four women from earlier, it was already better than it used to be. Magic had saved more lives than it had taken the last year, and most of humanity was far healthier.
To be fair to me and Brett, we’d all been waiting for the government to adjust and start courting and hiring mages. They could’ve handled it, and ultimately it was their responsibility, not ours. But it was taking too long, probably wouldn’t happen, so we’d been forced to step up and take it on. Power left unexercised left a vacuum, and we were the ones that would pick it up.
The next evening, I cooked tamales with refried beans and rice. I also put together a guacamole cucumber salad. Rosa came early to help me with it, and Carlos was out on a guy’s night. He’d have been welcome of course but it was a good opportunity to keep in touch with his friends.
Rosa sighed, “This is better than mom’s,” as she chowed down a tamale.
I grinned mischievously.
Rosa rolled her eyes, “Don’t you dare tell her I said that.”
I laughed, “I won’t. Thanks for your help, and for the compliment. How’re things?”
Rosa hedged, “Good. I mean I’m thinking of coming out to my friends.”
I gave her a guilty look, “You mean before someone publishes the fact your mother and sister are mages?”
Rosa blushed, “Yes. I don’t blame you, most of the mages in the society have stopped using illusion spells the last few months. I even have a few I can talk with besides you about magic comfortably enough, but most in the society are far older than me so it’s a little hard to relate or develop a close friendship. I’m sure there’s more mages my age in the city, no doubt they’re part of the four hundred that are hiding, and not because they’re abusive with magic. So I was also thinking if they saw me do it they might come out too, or maybe even just drop in on me without coming out in the big picture.”
Right, complicated, “Your friends at school?”
Rosa shrugged, “Fun to hang out with, but also hard to relate to now, and it feels like there’s a wall there. Like I’ve moved on. I feel like two people some days. I mean, most people my age aren’t forming governments, feeding the homeless, and creating enough wealth to handle four years of college and then some at seventeen. The focus and discipline required for magic doesn’t just end there, you know? I see the world differently than they do. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing I think, but it also isolates me.”
“Anything I can do?”
Rosa shook her head, “And I wouldn’t change anything even if I could. I like being a mage, and I like having my future mapped out, it’s just not without its challenges. I also think I’m almost ready to join the third class.”
“That’s great. Being able to cast two spells simultaneously opens up a lot of potential. Still mining?”
Rosa said, “Silver mostly, some platinum, precious gems, mostly rubies and sapphires. I’ve been staying away from gold and diamonds, I’m fairly sure those are going to crash soon. I’ve also been looking into space. I mean, do you have any idea how much companies like SpaceX charge? A Falcon heavy launch costs ninety-seven million. Almost a hundred million, just to put something in orbit.
“I bet they’d happily pay me ten million to lift a satellite with magic, or to send a cargo container full of supplies to the space station. But I need to wait on that until I’m eighteen, can legally sign contracts, and until I’ve consulted a lawyer knowledgeable on it.”
I laughed, “That’s creative. It’s taken me a year to earn that much, and you’ll do it in a couple of hours.”
She grinned, “No stealing my idea.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
We got the table set up for five a few minutes before they were due. I found it curious that Brett and Violet showed up at the exact same time and were standing rather close together, but I wasn’t a relationship meddler so just wished them luck in my head. Jessica showed up a few minutes later, and we all sat around the table to eat.
Rosa said, “I don’t think it’s enough. The threat of jail and official laws. Or at least, there’s more we can do to lessen the criminal element in the population by another percentage or two.”
Brett raised an eyebrow, “Do tell?” and started to set up his laptop to take notes.
Rosa replied, “Civilization is more than just law and order. It’s culture, tradition, religion, and community. A stick is needed to keep a population civilized, but so is a carrot to bring them together. Most mages won’t feel inhibited by magicless culture, they’ll see themselves above such constraints.
“So, I think we also need our own culture and traditions, ones that speak to community, standards of morality and principle. But maybe another day, I don’t mean to derail the point of the meeting tonight, just giving you all something to think about and let your subconscious work on it. In a way we already have one, in the San Antonio Mage Society, but that’s only four percent of the mage population. The rest of the mages are set adrift without positive support.”
I was more impressed by my sister every day, I truly couldn’t be prouder, and now that she’d said that it was obvious.
“I’ll give it some thought,” I promised.
Brett nodded slowly, “We all will, I should’ve thought of that myself. Cop mentality, while you seem to be developing into a natural leader that sees the big picture, like your sister.”
Rosa blushed at being compared to me, which I totally took as a compliment.
Jessica said, “I’ve been thinking too, and I think mind related spells are the only ones we really have to address. I mean, a fireball could just be classed as assault with a deadly weapon. A lot of spells could be interpreted by the current human laws and punished via those guidelines, the only difference is we’re now stepping up to enforce them. It’s the spells that can’t fall under any of the current laws that we should focus on, is my point. Even things like riding an elemental’s senses, could be punished under current privacy laws if a mage was using it to be a peeping Tom.
