Chapter 27

       Jerome walked over to where I was sitting at the table, placing a mug of hazelnut hot chocolate in front of me. He then crouch down so he was at my level before wrapping his arm loosely around me shoulder. After he pressed a light kiss on my cheek, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

       I sighed. "I don't know. It's still hard to take in. I don't know how I can control it and it's such a big change for me. I don't handle change well. And I definitely don't know the Protector Circle will react to one of the Protectors becoming a sorcerer. Can I even be classified as a sorcerer?"

       "Well, you have magic, so I would say yes," Jerome said. "Nolan, I told you, we can take it however you want to. If you don't want to learn how to use it and control it for a month, then we'll wait for a month. It all depends when you're ready."

       "I don't know if I'll ever be ready," I said. "And you know the worst part? There's no whipped cream on the hot chocolate."

       Jerome raised an eyebrow. "The worst part of you now being a sorcerer is that there's no whipped cream on your hot chocolate?"

       "What? No, that's just the worst part of my life right now."

       Jerome chuckled. "Well, I'm out of whipped cream but thankfully..." He flicked his hand, a blue spark emerging before a pile of whipped cream appeared on top of my hot chocolate.

       I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Jerome. "You can create food with your magic?"

       "Yeah," Jerome said. 

       "Can you show me?"

       "Wait, so now you want to learn how to use your magic?"

       "I want to conjure up food."

       "Of course you do. Well, finish your hot chocolate and if you still want to, we can get started. But just so you know, it's not so easy to conjure up food on the first try. And if you really want to learn how to, you'll have to know exactly how to control your magic."

       I sighed. "Suddenly, I don't care about learning how. Too much work."

       Jerome chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Just think about it, okay? And like I already said, we'll take it easy."

       He stood up and walked over to his bookshelf while I just sat here drinking my hot chocolate. I really did want to learn how to control my magic but at the same time, I didn't know if I was going to be able to. I had always been this weak person; too weak to fight a lot of the time. In fact, if Protectors weren't born into the circle, I definitely wouldn't have qualified to make it.

       But maybe... Maybe I should try and change things myself. I couldn't improve in fighting or anything if I kept telling myself I was weak. 

       And the best way to start was getting started as soon as I could with controlling my newly found magic.

       Jerome had chosen a book to read from his bookshelf and was sitting on the couch so when I finished drinking my hot chocolate, I walked over and sat down beside him. "I think I'm ready to learn how to control my magic," I said. "And not just for conjuring food. I want to know how to be a proper sorcerer."

       Jerome smiled and closed his book, placing it on the coffee table before standing up. "Well, unfortunately, we can't train here because I'm, admittedly, afraid you might accidentally break some things."

       "Honestly, I'd be surprised if I didn't break anything," I said. "So where are we going to train?"

       "Would the training room at the HQ work?" Jerome asked. "Or would you rather not because someone might walk in or see you using magic?"

       "They're going to find out eventually," I said. "And actually... It might be good if people knew. Then I wouldn't be treated like such a nuisance all the time."

       "You're not treated like a nuisance," Jerome said as he created a portal for us to take. I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, you are but it's not their fault they can't appreciate fine art when they see it."

       "Wait... I'm confused. How did you get art from... You know what, I'm not even going to bother," I said. "So... I guess we're going to go train at the HQ."

      Jerome and I both stepped into the portal as it took us to the training room of the HQ. I was really hoping nobody was in the training room then but like everything that happened in my life, I was wrong.

       At least it was only Ryder, Alan, and Orchid.

       "Awe, is Nolan actually willingly stepping foot in the training room?" Alan asked.

       I glared at him, wanting to grab something, anything, to throw at him. But I just ignored him and looked at Jerome. "So... How exactly does this work?" I asked. "Because last time I used it, I kind of did almost hurt you."

       "That's because your emotions can control it," Jerome said. "Now is there any way I could make targets for you?"

       "Awe, no, I have to use targets?" I asked as I led Jerome to the control panel where we could set up all kinds of simulation training. "I have horrible aim. If I take someone's head off, that's not my fault."

       "Wait, what's going on here?" Ryder asked. "Is Jerome training you with something? Because why would he be helping you when you have an expert with weapons as a brother?"

       "You don't know how to use a bow and arrow, Ryder," I said, creating some simulation target training. As of right now, there were three targets set up but later on, I could change it so it moves around at a certain speed. "Stop thinking so highly of yourself."

       "Okay, but I'm still better than Jerome," Ryder said. "What's something he could teach you that I can't?"

       "For starters, how to be modest," Jerome said.

       "No, I'm pretty sure I can teach that myself," I said. "So... Can we get started? Because I'm hungry and I want to eat."

       Jerome sighed. "Of course you are. Alright, come on, let's get started." I walked over to where the targets were and Jerome walked there as well. "First off, when I said your emotions can control it, I'm being serious, especially negative emotions."

       "Well, that sucks for me," I said. "I'm a pessimist."

       "Yes, I can tell," Jerome said. "It's fine though. As long as you don't let your emotions completely take off. Not only that, but it does take a lot of energy and focus. Do you think you could use it right now?"

       "Not with my stupid siblings staring at me," I said. "I could feel their eyes at the back of my head."

       "Okay, first off, rude," Alan said. "And second, we want to know what Jerome is teaching you because he doesn't use a weapon at all."

       "But there is something I use that you three don't," Jerome said. "Now don't interrupt your brother. He needs the focus."

       "He needs the focus," Ryder mocked. "Well, I'm done with training anyway and I'm going to go out in the field to find out if Dirk's team is still planning their revenge. Their very weak plan of revenge."

       "Ooh, I'm coming," Orchid said. 

       "Don't leave me behind," Alan said.

       All three of them left, thank goodness. Now I would be able to train with my magic better.

      "Okay, can you at least create a magic orb?" Jerome asked. "Like this?" He just had to flick his hand and a blue orb hovered above the palm of his hand.

       "I'll try," I said, mimicking the movement of his hand but there was nothing. "Of course. I'm a failure with this too."

       "Nolan, seriously?" Jerome asked. "It was your first try. You'll get it. There wasn't a single sorcerer who could get it right on their first try, even me and you know how powerful I am. It helps to just feel the magic inside of you."

       "The only thing I feel is dead inside."

       "You're always so morbid. Okay, hold my hand." I held out my hands and Jerome gently took them. "Just take steady breaths and focus on your magic. Only your magic. You'll get it eventually. It doesn't have to be the second or third try. All you have to do is not give up."

       I nodded and took a deep breath before going into steady breathing. I focused on the magic inside of me. On the time I accidentally used it for the first time. What caused me to get it in the first place.

       My connection to Jerome.

       When I thought I was ready, I mimicked the movement again and this time, a yellow orb floated above my open palm. I smiled and looked at Jerome. "I'm doing it," I said. "I'm actually doing it."

       Jerome smiled too. "Now do you want to try throwing it at the targets?"

       "Not yet," I said. "I want to try this out a bit more before we get to the target training."

       "Okay," Jerome said. "And like I always say, we're doing this at your speed. But honestly, I can tell you're going to be a powerful sorcerer."

       Even though I didn't like the sudden change in my life, that somehow made me really happy. Maybe there would finally be something I was really good at. 

       Maybe people will finally take me seriously.

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honestly nolan is such a mood (then again he is book me so i relate to him 99% of the time)

anyway i need to keep this author's note short because i'm tired lol.