Chapter Seventeen
Victor steps out of the shower and puts on shorts and a T-shirt. When he walks into the living room, several people are sitting around: Leo, Karl, Akisha, Madame Jeanette, Eddie, Superior Jackie, and an older gentleman he hasn’t met before.
The gentleman has a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard and thick gray and black hair.
He is wearing a gray and silver suit with a Western look.
Instead of a standard tie, he wears a bolo tie with a deep blue sodalite stone with white markings.
His boots are shiny black and gray, made out of stingray skin.
Leo approaches Victor, places a hand between his shoulders, and introduces him to the new guest. “Victor, I believe you already met Eduardo Leon, and this is Superior Charles Parker. Eddie is a Chancellor in my coven. Superior Charles is my Superior, and he is also-”
“An Empath,” Victor interrupts softly.
Superior Charles remains seated, studying Victor for a few moments. Victor can feel the superior’s eyes burrowing deep into him. He has always had a sense of someone watching him, but this is different. Victor can actually feel Superior Charles, even though they are ten feet away.
“Why are you scared, young empath?” Superior Charles finally asks.
Victor looks around nervously. “I’m not scared, Superior.”
“Young man, you know you cannot lie to an empath,” Superior Charles says in a husky Southern drawl. “After I heard about what happened, I felt it was necessary to meet you myself.” He looks around the room, “Everyone but Superior Jackie may leave us.”
With that, everyone makes their way into Leo’s room. Leo makes eye contact with Victor and pats his shoulder.
“May Leo stay, Superior?” Victor asks. After a moment of silence, Superior Charles gestures to Leo to exit.
Leo gives Victor a subtle nod.
As he closes the door behind him, Leo looks at Victor and mouths, “Everything will be okay.” He winks at Victor before shutting the door.
Superior Jackie sits on the couch and pats the seat beside her. “Please, have a seat, my young empath.” Victor looks between the two superiors and then takes a seat. As soon as he sits down, Superior Jackie hands Victor a glass of water.
“Thank you, Superior Jackie,” Victor says as he takes the glass. Victor feels like he’s 10 years old and in trouble with his parents.
“Victor Russo, correct?” Superior Charles asks. “The grandson of the late Empath Marie Russo.”
Victor nods, “That’s correct. My grandmother’s name was Marie Russo. Did you know her?”
Superior Charles snaps his fingers to create a small flame to light a cigar. He takes a few puffs as he slides the ashtray on the table closer to him. “She was an incredible witch. It was such a tragedy when I heard she left us. It’s a shame you never got a chance to learn from her or your mother.”
“Thank you, I think,” Victor says sheepishly as he drinks water.
“Tell me,” Superior Charles continues as he puffs his cigar, “what happened back at the warehouse?”
Victor looks down at his water glass, trying to recollect what happened. He takes a deep and nervous breath as he tries to answer the question. “I . . . I don’t remember much.”
“It’s okay, young empath. Tell me what you remember,” Superior Charles says while exhaling a puff from his cigar.
Victor looks at his glass a little longer before he looks up at Superior Charles. “The day was long. Karl and I were practicing several air spells. I was picking things up quickly. He decided to teach me some air-pushing skills. As I went through the motions, I started to get better and stronger.”
Victor’s gaze shifts away from Superior Charles as he continues. “I could feel the air around me. The air started to feel solid, making it easier for me to push around. Then, things got fuzzy. All of a sudden, I was floating in the air. After that, I don’t know what else happened.”
“You don’t remember the fight?” Superior Charles inquires.
Victor pinches his eyebrows together, giving both superiors a look of confusion. “There was a fight? Between whom?”
Superior Jackie places a gentle hand on Victor’s leg. “You attacked Leo and Karl, my dear.”
Victor is shocked by the news. “What? Did I hurt them?”
Superior Jackie pats Victor’s leg. “No, you didn’t hurt them. However, Leo needed a new jacket. Akisha and I were able to stop you before things got worse.”
Victor opens his mouth a little as he starts to remember more. He licks his lips, “I . . . I . . . “
“Yes?” Superior Charles responds.
“I remember cold metal wrapping around me. It was tight around my arms and legs. Then it felt like I could hardly breathe because something cold started wrapping around my chest and neck. There was flashing, like a strobe light. It was directly in my eyes. Then, I woke up in my bed.”
Superior Jackie sits back in her seat. “Akisha and I had to use our Metal Magic to bind you. You were starting to lose control. Akisha used some Light Magic to knock you out. After that, you were on a 24-hour watch until you woke up. We didn’t know what would happen when you did.
Thankfully, after a few nights of rest, you returned to normal. ”
Victor starts to feel sick. His stomach turns as he tries to figure out what to ask next. “What happened to me?”
Superior Jackie reaches into her bag sitting on the floor and pulls out a thick folder.
She opens it and hands the folder to Victor.
“It’s called Rage. It’s an uncommon occurrence that happens to empaths.
Empaths can channel and absorb emotions from others.
But sometimes, those emotions can be ‘poisonous,’ causing an empath to rage out. ”
Victor looks through the papers in the folder Superior Jackie handed him. “So, someone was pushing their emotions on me to poison me?”
“Yes, for the most part,” Superior Jackie answers. “We don’t know who it was. By the time Charles got to the warehouse, the presence of the person who might have done this to you was no longer around.”
“What about my eyes?” Victor asks as he looks at the two superiors.
“I can answer that one for you, young empath,” Superior Charles responds, taking a drag from his cigar.
“Some of the most powerful witches or warlocks with an ability will sometimes have glowing eyes, based on the specialty they are wielding. Your grandmother’s eyes used to glow when she was conjuring a powerful spell. ”
“Do your eyes glow?” Victor asks Superior Charles.
“No. I’m not as powerful as your grandmother. You might be the most powerful empath warlock, even before me. That’s saying something.”
Superior Jackie takes the folder back from Victor. “Even though Charles is an empath like you and can control all the specialties known to us, you will become more powerful than him or me. You could become the next High Priest or even the Grand Warlock.”
Victor shakes his head and bolts up from his seat. “But I don’t want that. I don’t want to be some superior. I don’t even know how to be a warlock. I’m not even in a coven. I’m only 32 years old, much younger than both of you. No offense.” He turns sheepish after that last comment.
“None taken, young empath,” Superior Charles responds as he blows a puff from his cigar.
He puts his cigar between his teeth as he reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket.
He then starts patting around. “Where did I put it? Ah! Here it is.” Superior Charles pulls out a silver metal card the size of a credit card and holds it to Victor.
“Take this. It might help next time someone tries to give you their poisoned emotion.”
Victor takes the card from Superior Charles. “Thank you. But won’t you need this?”
“No, that’s for you,” Superior Charles answers, puffing his cigar.
“It’s an artifact I created for empaths.
Keep it on you at all times. And if you’re naked, keep it close to you.
It will help repel emotions that are being forced on you, especially tainted ones.
” He stands up, as does Superior Jackie and Victor.
Victor cranes his head as Superior Charles towers over him.
“Once you finish your basic specialties lessons, come see me, and I’ll assist you with your empathic ability. ”
Superior Jackie smiles gently while placing her hand on Victor’s shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze.
“Until we meet again, young empath,” Superior Charles says as he shakes Victor’s hand. Leo opens the connecting door when the superiors take their leave. “Good evening, Superior Jackie, Superior Charles.”
Superior Charles stops and speaks in a low, husky voice so only Leo could hear. “Take care of our young empath.” Leo looks over at Victor, who has now sat back down. Superior Charles looks over his shoulder, “He’s going to be the most powerful warlock you’ve ever seen in your lifetime.”
Once the superiors exit the room, Leo walks over to Victor.
“Hey there, how are you doing?” Leo asks, placing his hands in his pockets.
Victor licks his lips and speaks softly. “I don’t know how to feel right now.”
Leo removes his jacket and vest and sits beside Victor. “The others left a few minutes ago. Would you like me to stay with you tonight?”
Victor nods and then rests his head on Leo’s shoulder.
Leo wraps an arm around Victor’s shoulders and turns on the TV.
Victor feels a little uneasy after speaking with the superiors.
His mind questions why his grandmother kept all this hidden from him before she passed away.
Why didn’t his mother tell him anything?
But Victor is still too tired, after the toll his body has been through the past few days. Victor can tell he needs to rest.
Victor and Leo watch the TV in silence until they retire to their bedrooms.