The following morning, the Grant children sat in the sunny kitchen, heads down as each concentrated on their meal. The breakfast table sat under its usual coverings of cups, plates, cereal boxes, and the occasional spilled milk or orange juice. It seemed like a typical morning on a regular school day. But the main difference in their usual routine stood near the stove, coffee mug in hand, as she droned on about the last couple of months.

"It's obvious that everything you've gone through has seriously affected you, Victor. Maybe all of us." Lovedae paused to sip her cooling coffee. "You were inundated with alien powers, accosted and assaulted by villainous magi, your emotions tampered with—"

Victor's head shot up at the mention of emotions. "Mum, Kristy had to use the Allure on me. It wasn't her fault!" The Allure of Desire—an innate fairy trait that forced desire on a victim. As a half-fae, Kristy had no choice about captivating him with the Allure as her former master, Arabella, had ordered it. 

"I wasn't assigning blame, just stating the facts," said Lovedae. She frowned at the interruption but continued speaking after a brief pause.

Victor bit into his cinnamon roll, wondering where all the talk would lead. He'd looked like a total prat last night, screaming like a banshee just because of a nightmare. Although assuring everyone it had just been a bad dream, it had taken all he had to crawl back into bed after his mother and Rosetta left. Jason, noticing his discomfort, had slipped from his own bed and climbed into Victor's.

"You don't have to do this," he'd said while scooting over, giving the younger boy more room.

"It's like when I was little and had nightmares," Jason had whispered back. "You'd guard me while I slept. Now, you sleep, and I'll guard, 'kay?"

"Thanks, Jason." Ashamed by the sweet gesture, Victor hadn't slept much.

He gazed over at Jason, who grinned at him while rolling his eyes. Victor smiled back before focusing on the tail end of the conversation.

"...meet with Dr. Mason after school today," said Lovedae as she put her empty mug in the sink.

Victor sat up straighter. "Wait, to what, the where who? Beg pardon, Mum, I missed something."

"Because you weren't paying attention," replied a smug Rosetta before sipping her milk.

Jason turned to Victor and smirked. "Mom said you're gonna see a shrink."

Victor felt the hurt. "Mum, you think I've gone bonkers?" 

"He's not a psychiatrist." Lovedae glared at her younger son. "I want Vic to talk with Dr. Lyle Mason, not get his head examined. He's a former student of your father's and a distant relation, recently hired by the University. His area of expertise is the mystical and paranormal, so he wouldn't consider Vic addled."

She turned to Victor. "Apparently, it was Dr. Mason your father contacted the night you came to us. I knew... Craig had consulted someone about your strange appearance. I didn't know who until he came to my office to offer his condolences, and we talked."

"Never heard of him. Did he talk with Papa much?" Victor wondered if this doctor would have any knowledge of the paternity test.

Lovedae shook her head. "Not lately. He heard of... Craig's passing when he moved back to the states. He'd been conducting research in East Africa."

Victor cringed at the sound of pain mixed with betrayal in her voice when she mentioned the professor's name.

"I also checked several of... Craig's yearbooks from his former teaching positions. Dr. Mason was in several photos with your father."

Jason slid out of his seat and took his empty bowl to the sink, turning on the taps to rinse out the leftover milk. "Did he know any of Vic's safe words?"

Professor Grant had devised a worded system of passwords as a means of protection for Victor. Although the family strove to keep his 'talents' a secret, the professor had supposed there would be a time or two when an outsider's assistance might come in handy.

To his knowledge, this Dr. Mason would be the first.

"He knew them all. Dr. Mason is authentic." Lovedae glanced at Victor. "You have nothing to fear in speaking with him, Vic. I've known him for several weeks now. I think you'll like him."

Victor still balked at the idea. "Yesterday was stressful. I'm sure it won't happen again. Honestly, I don't need my head examined." He didn't want to talk to anyone who might discover the horrendous failure that haunted him since the professor's passing. Even with the weakened powers he'd once wielded, saving the professor should have been possible—and it hurt worse knowing the beloved man had been his father all along.

Three years of compounded guilt worsened.

As a child, he pretended he was the natural-born son of Professor Craig. The dream came true, but he didn't know Lovedae's faith in the professor would be the price. It didn't seem fair. Regret and worry consumed Victor, knowing his birth had caused the latest problem.

Does she still want me here? he wondered as he sulked.

"Even the great One Magi will benefit from speaking to someone other than me, Kristy, and the Duo." Lovedae crossed to him, her hands cupping his face as she kissed his forehead. "Son, try to understand. I need to do what's best for you. Please, let's just give it a try tonight, okay?"

The kiss and the word 'son' sealed his fate. Victor agreed to her request, although begrudgingly. "I despise that One Magi title. But I'll do it."

Lovedae released him and turned to leave, glancing over her shoulder as she headed toward the foyer. "Rosetta, Jason, I'll drop you off, so get moving. Vic, take the car. I want you home right after school to talk with Dr. Mason."

"Mum, I've got a session at the studio. I don't want to cancel last minute just because you think I'm bonkers." Victor didn't tell her it wasn't a client gig to increase his chances of keeping the appointment.

It worked. Lovedae nodded. "Okay, after your session, which should be around six. If you're a bit late, don't worry, Jason will talk with Dr. Mason first."

"Smashing!" Victor suddenly felt better.

Jason poked his head in the doorway, the backpack firm on his shoulder. His voice sputtered with indignation. "No way! I don't need to see a shrink! I ain't crazy!"

"And Rosetta too," continued Lovedae as the little girl skipped out of the kitchen.

Rosetta turned to Victor with shining eyes, pumping one small fist in the air. "Hurray! I'm gonna see a shrink!"

Great, we'll all go nuts together. He grabbed the car keys and headed for the door.

Victor pulled into a parking space in the school lot, then turned to watch his passenger work. After confiscating his math notes, Kristy copied them by running her hand down the page. A duplicate appeared in her notebook in her own handwriting. Victor thought it a marvelous time-saving trick.

"There," she said, handing him his notebook, which he shoved into his backpack. "Thank goodness Mr. Ryan gave us an extra week to study for the test. I despise Algebra."

Victor grinned. "You sound like me about chemistry."

"You're a junior. I thought chemistry was a sophomore-level class?"

"Not if you don't pass." He sighed, his fingertips tapping the steering wheel as the car idled. "I didn't do so hot last year."

Her eyes widened as she faked a look of surprise. "Are you admitting that you aren't perfect?"

Before meeting the pink-haired genie, Victor had blown up two chemistry experiments causing minor damage to the lab. Since becoming a full-fledged member of the world of magic, he'd nearly blown up several city blocks. His fingertips touched his chest as he thought of the magic of the fae, witches, and genies, known as Disciplines, residing inside him. 

It shocked the teen to discover he was equal parts witch, genie, and fairy. How could he be one hundred percent of each Discipline? The math didn't add up! Magic, science, emotions—they all gave him headaches, especially the magic. Lately, it had become as infuriating as the Duo.

Victor pursed his lips. "Maybe that's my problem, Carys. Everyone expects perfection, and I can't deliver. Unlike you, I'm only human."

"Carrie? Huh?"

Victor frowned. Carys? "Sorry, love. My wits went woolgathering."

"Well, for the record, I like you just as you are." The sapphire eyes shimmered as she placed a soft hand on his cheek.

The touch of her hand sent a chill of pleasure throughout his body. Even without the Allure of Desire, she still had the same effect on him. Victor feared the genie would never return after he freed her from the witch. But Kristy had returned, the same day he'd managed to heal the professor's tree in the clearing. It troubled him that she still blamed herself for what the witch had forced her to do even though none of it had been Kristy's fault. She'd been a pawn in a game of conquest, and against all odds, they had won.

Both grew quiet and sat staring at the riotous students running through the parking lot. To cover the awkward silence, Victor shut off the engine and reached into his pocket, handing Kristy the paternity letter. The little genie fumbled with the papers before opening them up and settling down to read. He watched her, admiring the smooth skin and how she bit her lip as she concentrated. The pink ponytail swept downward, covering her face, and it took all he had not to run his fingers through the silky strands.

Get a grip, idiot! She came back, and you bloody well start mooning over her again. Victor sat quietly, giving himself advice on how to behave around the girl. He'd just finished outlining a plan of normalcy when Kristy grunted.

"The professor never mentioned any of this to you?"

"No. But now I'm in a bit of a quandary because I'd accepted Arabella's lies about my origins—"

Kristy held up a hand. "Wait. What makes you think she lied?"

Victor frowned. "Unless Arabella was telling porkies, I happen to have a real flesh and blood parent."

"Porkies?"

He sighed. "Lies."

"Oh. Did you ask Lovedae what she knew?"

"It surprised her too." Victor shook his head. "Mum thought she and Papa were... uh... untouched when they married, and he had no baggage. I think if she'd known about me, she wouldn't have married him."

The knowledge cut like a knife.

"Vic, Arabella said a magical construction needed base material. Somehow, your professor suspected he provided part of the—" The genie gave him a sly look as Victor squirmed in his seat. "You do know the components needed to make a baby, don't you? Ever hear of sperm?"

Victor felt the heat rushing up his face. "Of course. And the woman supplies the, uh... the umm..." The blush increased, and he gave up, burying his face in his hands. "The other part."

"Egg," said a giggling Kristy. "The egg had to come from a powerful magus. The professor didn't carry the magic and wouldn't need to have actual sex with the egg owner. There are magical ways to retrieve seminal fluid. Someone wanted him to father you."

His eyes widened in horror, but Kristy shook her head. "I know what you're thinking. The magi can't steal your little soldiers to make a legion of magical Victors."

Her words brought to mind the younger version of himself he'd dreamed about in his nightmare.

"It's possible to obtain sperm to produce a child, but if it came from a male magus, the sample wouldn't contain power. You need to actively participate in the 'act' to transfer magic when creating a fetus. It's why Arabella wanted to set you up as the stud of her herd."

Before he could die from embarrassment, the first bell rang, signaling the start of the school day.

"Will you let me get the car door this time, love?"

"I appreciate the chivalrous gesture," said Kristy, her hand on the latch. "But we've been over this. By the time you walk to my door, I'll already be in my first-hour class or even at lunch."

He ignored the jab. "Let's go. I hear the new principal is a stickler for rules. Can't get detention today. I set up practice time at Marta's to work on your Paso." Victor grabbed both backpacks and slung them over his shoulders as they exited the car.

As they walked to the side door, Kristy asked, "Do you mind if I check out this GenTrak just to see if this report is legit?"

"Gladly, love, but they won't tell you anything." Victor opened the steel door, ushering the genie inside the cramped hallway that led into the main part of the high school. "Information like paternity is confidential."

"Not to the magi." A smirking Kristy patted his cheek before taking her backpack. "See you at lunch."

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