Chapter 4

Test lesson

Talia's POV

We went to the gym and Dante and his team were waiting. Zhalia asked. "So, we're doing this?"

"3 out of 4." Puck told her.

"What changed your mind?" She asked.

"Alex." He answered.

"The baby?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah. We're gonna see how this goes and maybe he can learn." I said.

"Then let's get started." Dante smiled and tossed me something.

I caught it and then I saw the Titan inside. A Freelancer. I summoned him. "Give me something else." I leaned against my Titan.

"Don't get cocky." Puck warned.

"You thought I would burn in unholy agony if I tried to bond with the amulets." I told him.

They looked at Puck.

"She's a delicate baby." Puck said. "And don't you fucking start. You're still on thin ice from running away."

"Maybe I'll fina-" I snarked before he tugged my ear. "Owie! Let go!"

"You're gonna behave or else!" He growled.

"Yes, Daddy." I rubbed my ear.

"You ran away?" Lok asked.

"Yeah." I said.

Zhalia glared at him and his next question died.

"Let's try Boltflare." Dante ignored everything that just happened.

"Is that fire?" I asked.

"Yes, it's fire." He said.

Dante showed me the spell and I copied him. His lips twisted in thought and he showed me another power. And another. Zhalia hummed, "You're much more powerful than us. Why do you even need this?"

"Iron. It's our weakness. If the kiddos learn human magic, then they can use that against it." Puck told her.

"Let me try something." Zhalia said.

"Ok." I said.

"Thoughtspectre!" Zhalia disappeared.

I sensed her footfalls and turned the floor to slime where she was going to step. She made an audible squish and turned visible.

"Nice work, kiddo. Now, turn the floor back. Xanatos hated that time Alex turned his room into a sand pit." Puck told me.

"How was I supposed to know he was going to do that?" I asked.

"He's a baby and kinetic sand is squishy! Of course he wanted to play with it!" He said.

"Wait, turn something else to slime." Sophie said.

"What did I just say?!" Puck frowned.

"Sophie wants to show her something." Dante told him.

I turned something else to slime and showed Sophie were it was.

"Breakspell!" Sophie casted and hit the spot. It sorta worked.

"Breakspell!" I hit both spots and fixed them fully.

"You're using your powers to boost it." Puck said.

"It still works." I said.

"That's my smart girl." He smiled.

"Let's try something a little more complicated." Zhalia said.

I looked at her. She showed me Thoughtspectre and I copied her. "That took me hours to learn."

"It may be because of her training. She learned illusions fairly early on." Puck's eyes were ice blue.

I frowned. He blinked and they turned mischievous again. We spent the next few hours doing more spells and sparring since Dante only brought low level Titans. I could have bonded with them all, but I didn't wanna. I liked Springer. He was fluffy. Then Alex wanted to play with me and Puck let me go with him.

Talia's POV End

Owen's POV

Puck reverted back.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Vale." I said.

"I don't like that." Lok said.

"Don't be rude, Lok." Sophie jabbed him.

"The contrast, Mr. Lambert, is supposed to be jarring. Puck thought it would be funny." I explained.

"I don't like it." He repeated.

"Why you serving Xanatos? Like why do you do want to be here forever?" Den asked.

Puck's urge to punch the child in the face was very strong, but I resisted. "I don't want to be here forever. It's my punishment for disobeying Oberon."

"Punishment? What for?" He asked.

"For not going back home when I was supposed to." For wanting to be with my daughter until she died.

"He's worse than Zhalia." He said and he got smacked upside the head. Puck was pleased.

"Do you think before you speak? That's a powerful Fae and you just run your mouth." She frowned at him.

"Ah, Dante, you're still here. Good. I was hoping to discuss payment with you." Mister Xanatos walked in.

"No, it-" He politely refused.

"You're teaching Talia. Come to my office." He smiled.

He looked at Zhalia then the children. "You guys wanna go back to my apartment?"

"It won't take long. You're welcome to look around while I talk to Dante." Mister Xanatos said.

"Alright." Zhalia said.

The children followed their mentor (and Mister Xanatos) out like ducklings. Zhalia, having no reason to stay, was close behind.

"Miss Moon?" I asked.

She stopped and looked at me.

"May I ask something of you?" I said.

"Thoughtspectre, right?" She asked.

I blinked. "Yes."

"Dante figured that you might've been cursed to one form at a time, being a changeling and all. So, we're gonna start off small and work our way up." She told me.

I smiled. "If we could keep this a secret…"

"To surprise 'em." She guessed.

I took off my jacket. "Something like that."

"Let's get started." She said.

Owen's POV End