Mechanic

– Come in, – a man’s confident voice sounded from the study as if this door didn’t exist at all. To our surprise, the door opened itself.

The study smelled of tobacco and mint. It was a nice combination, at least I liked it. There was an antique furniture, apparently, very expensive. One wardrobe to our right, with intricate carvings of ebony was something! And it was filled with ordinary books. I swear some of them were more than one hundred years old. And what about the carpet! I read that these are made by the masters of the world Vitem, where the magic of healers comes from. This is a masterpiece of hand-made creativity! The table, of course, is massive, made of the same ebony as the rest of the furniture, but it is ordinary, rectangular, only the legs are made in the form of the paws of a feline mirses. These animals can be found in the northern forests of the Pyramid. Oh, and they are very dangerous beasts. If you meet one, it won’t leave you alive.

There was also a pair of armchairs with emerald velour upholstery and curtains on the window of the same color. Several vases with fresh flowers. Lilies. Mom loves them very much. And the portrait of the dean with the king over the fireplace. The fire was kindled only in the cold season, judging by the empty hearth. While Dinah and I were looking around, open-mouthed, Peter stepped onto the carpet.

– Greetings, Christian. At the behest of the ruler Pontiar, I brought new magidemists. Let me introduce them. These are Dinara Lezy and Nicolas Lodesco.

The dean was studying something in the yellowed manuscripts, so we couldn’t see his face.

– Yes, yes. Phirin’s son, – he raised his head. – You may not have a magical gift, but the mental energy in you is very powerful.

The man looked a little older than my father. Wide cheekbones, high forehead. Penetrating eyes, meticulously studying me, a long, slightly curved nose, like a kite, and the ears are enormously huge!

– Hey-hey, young man. Please, don’t comment my ears! – the dean grinned and folded his hands behind his back.

«It seemed I didn’t say it out loud. How did he…?» – I felt uncomfortable and ashamed.

– Your mental protection is weak. But, don’t worry. I will teach you to put up a mental shield. And you will stop thinking out loud as a bonus. Yeah, extremely wide mental field, extremely… – the dean grunted, thinking.

The clothes emphasized his status. Black shirt, burgundy vest with drawings of the sun about seven colored rays. Probably, it is a coat of arms of the academy.

– What kind of bird is on your shoulder? – the dean asked thoughtfully, bowing his head.

I shivered; I didn’t want the dean to read my thoughts. Inis, who all this time had been sitting quieter than a mouse, stirred and pinched my ear.

– Hum. Young man, you are a quick learner. Great shield! Not every magician magister the mental barrier so quickly, much less an ordinary person. I’m delighted, – the man praised.

Strange, but I didn’t do anything. Probably, Inis did. I looked at the phoenix, he tilted his head to one side. No? Does it mean no? But how then? Okay. We will figure it out.

– This is a phoenix, sir… – I decided to answer his question.

– You can call me Christian, young man. Phoenix? But this is a fabulous bird, they do not exist anymore, just like…

– Dragons? – I suggested.

– Well, I’m not sure about the fire-breathing. But the phoenixes… Where did you get this miraculous bird with multi-colored eyes?

He’ even noticed! I set my bag with tool.

– I had made him out of metal, stones and feathers, and Dinah revived him. But something went wrong, and he completely revived. He transformed into a real bird.

– Very interesting. Have you tried to repeat it?

– Yes, – I sighed. – In the palace of king Pontiar. But in vain. The pigeon remained mechanical.

– So, you, Dinara, are a young magician of fire? Little demon – the dean smiled.

Dinah grimaced, but she didn’t correct it. Peter said that within the walls of the academy this nickname was inoffensive. She apparently believed him.

– Yes. I was a housemaid at the Lodesco’s house and studied on my own from the books in their library. Nicholas crafted the necessary mechanisms, and I brought them to life. Now I have come to your academy and I can study and become a war magician. I’ll try very hard, Mr. Christian, – Dinah blurted out.

– I believe you! Peter, send Dinara to the curator of Firemen. – Rita Lumiere. Let her allocate the girl. Preferably with someone of her age. And Lodesco… to which faculty did the king recommend him?

– Mentalistics. He wants Nicholas to become a diplomat at his Majesty’s court in the future.

– Ah. Yes, of course. Perfect! So, we will do that. Show Nicholas to curator Dominic Karre. I think he will give us something good. He’s talented. And the magic gift… – the dean waved his hand, – the world does not revolve around it. Am I right, boy?

I nodded in confusion.

– You will reach your full potential! I feel it! You are very… how to say? – Ah, ambitious and you will achieve a lot! See you in class! – the dean said goodbye and sat down on a high chair, burying himself in the tablets.

The door shut behind us.

– See you in class? – I asked Peter.

– Yes. The dean is a professor, he teaches subjects of astral movement and mental protection. He is one of the most powerful mentalist-magicians. But the king doesn’t resort to his help too often.

– Why? – I showed interest. And Dinah was listening very attentively.

– In one of the battles, enemies with equally strong abilities damaged his defense. He even lost his memory. The healers managed to recover almost everything. But they’ve warned: if another hack occurs, Christian’s memory will not return. That’s all.

– I see! Can I ask you one more question?

– Yes, ask.

We followed Peter over the hallway. Turning to the right and left, not remembering the way. We will have time for it.

– Since he is such a powerful mentalist-magician, he must have joked about my shield?

– Christian jokes about a lot of things, but hardly about that. I am not friends with the mentalists, I have other spheres of magic. However, I’ll be honest with you. It’s impossible to get his praise. And I don’t think that he was joking.

– But, Peter, I’m not a magician. I don’t know what I have done and how. I’ve just thought: «I don’t want him to read my thoughts». And that’s all. Really. Maybe he has praised me because of my father?

Peter stopped with a serious look

– He doesn’t care who your father is, even though is Pontiar himself. He respects the personality, not the title of the parents. If he has said that you will achieve a lot, don’t doubt that! You will achieve! – the magician slapped me good-naturedly on the shoulder.

– I have no doubts! Niko, you are more talented than any magician at this academy, – Dinah glanced quickly at Peter. – I’m sorry, no offense. Nicholas has more than just golden hands; he can fix anything.

– Well, not everything, you’re exaggerating, Dinah! – I interrupted in embarrassment.

– Everything! You are also very smart, – Dinah continued to praise me in front of Peter. – He knows the languages of the seven worlds and he is well versed in history! – she finished admiringly.

– Really? – Peter didn’t hide his surprise.

– I just have a good memory.

– I would like to have a part of your memory – chuckled Peter. – Will you share?