The Teacher

Morena smiled, staring down at Victor. Her caramel skin was lined with sharp features and high cheekbones, and her dark hair was bobbed, reaching a few inches below her chin. Victor recognized her lipstick and eyeshadow as the very shade of blue spirit flames came in.

Victor blinked, the blanket over his shoulders only causing more sweat to pour down his back. Was he supposed to talk?

“You okay, kiddo?” her voice had a distinct Spanish accent, “Still not feeling so hot?”

Victor bit his lip, cheeks burning. Umbra quickly stepped in front of him, making Morena take a step back. His posture was tense, fists tight in a ball.

“My son is mute,” Umbra murmured in a condescending tone, “You're making him uncomfortable.”

Victor kept his eyes on her, almost mesmerized. He had never met another necromancer before. This was an opportunity he couldn't pass up on. He nodded at Morena, trying to answer her question.

“He’s obviously not deaf,” she muttered, offhandedly pointing at Victor.

Morena slid past Umbra, sitting beside Victor. “So, Victor, how's your magic going? Is it hard?”

Victor kept his head lowered, rubbing his wrists. An idea sprung in his mind. He had asked Seraph to teach him more about the telepathy spell, and he realized this was the perfect time to try it out. He took a steadying breath, quickly tapping his forehead to Morena’s. Magic sparked between them, and a familiar buzz gathered in Victor’s mind.

He quickly pulled away, putting a hand over his face. He was frightened to send a message to her, but he knew he had to try.

“Uh, can you hear me?” Victor said, forcing words between their new telepathic bond.

Morena blinked in surprise, and Victor knew that she heard him. She grinned at him, leaning forward. “Telepathy, huh? You're a pretty smart kid.”

Victor tugged at his collar. “I mean, not really, uh, my brother taught it to me…”

Umbra leaned on Matthew's shoulder, clinging to his arm. He eyed Morena and Victor critically. “They're using telepathy, Matthew. Do we need to allow this?”

Matthew shrugged. “It does make communication easier for him.”

Victor dragged his attention back to Morena. He hoped she couldn't sense how awkward he felt. “To answer your question...I guess I'm doing pretty good. I have a spellbook that I practice out of, but I'm pretty much teaching myself.”

Morena reclined against her arms, laughing to herself. “I know how that feels. I had to teach myself too, kiddo,” she narrowed her eyes, “You're still at that age where your powers are crazy, right?”

Victor’s face flashed scarlet. “Only when I get really scared or emotional...which is kinda often, if I'm being honest…” He paused,  mentally kicking himself. Why did he have to sound like such a loser?

Morena stood, propping her hands on her hips. Facing Umbra and Matthew, she raised her eyebrows. “Jürgen, Jürgen’s friend, I have an proposal. I want Victor to stay with me for a week or so and become my apprentice. I don't want this kid to have to keep teaching himself. I want to be the teacher I needed when I was younger.”

Author's Note-by far the most relatable thing is when victor starts oversharing with someone and then realizes he sounds like a loser