I stared at the kid for a moment. “Did you.”
“I worked with him, best I could,” Mort added, nodding. “Showed him what I knew, but I pretty much only deal in spirits, Harry. The kid can access all the elements, and he gets stronger every day. I don’t know much, and what I do know tells me that he could get out of control fast. He needs guidance from someone with real experience, before…”
Mort let it hang, but I knew where his thoughts were going. The Wardens of the White Council spent a whole hell of a lot of their time hunting down rogue wizards. Unfortunately, a lot of those rogues were kids whose talent had gone out of control and hurt or killed somebody.
“I hear you,” I said tiredly. I shook my head. “Look. I’m not much these days.”
“I heard,” Mort said quietly. “My condolences. She was a remarkable woman. I saw her shade once…” He studied me closely for a moment and frowned. “Harry, look. I don’t have the tools he needs to get his gift under control. You do. Otherwise, I have to go to the Wardens and ask for their help.”
“Neither of us wants that.” I sighed. “And I guess I owe him a favor or two, don’t I?”
“Seems like that,” Mort said seriously.
“How about it, Fitz?” I asked him. “I can show you how to not hurt anyone. That what you want?”
The young man grimaced. He looked between me and the door warily. Then he said, “No.”
I traded a look with Mort. “Go on,” I said.
“My whole life I’ve…been on my own. In the system. In the street. Even in the gang.” He lifted his chin a little and said, “I used to think I’d be dead by the time I hit twenty. Now there’s this whole new world. I…I want to see how far I can go.”
I exhaled through my nose. “That’s a very different kind of request, Fitz. If the White Council finds out I’ve taken you on as an apprentice, that could get real violent, real fast.”
“I don’t want to cause you any trouble,” he said quietly. “But…I’ve seen what the White Council does to people.”
“Oh, they’re definitely a freight train of dicks,” I said. “But they know their business. I’m not exactly in good odor with them right now. They hear I’m training you up, that could go bad for both of us.”
“Oh,” Fitz said, frowning and looking down. “I didn’t realize.”
“Well, you’d best start realizing things,” I said. “Especially if you’re going to be working with me.”
“You’ll do it?” Fitz asked, his face brightening.
“Not yet,” I said in my grumpiest wizard voice. “You’re going to have to think about this one. Sleep on it. Mort, you know how the White Council operates. Answer his questions. Give him some perspective.” I looked back at Fitz. “Kid, once upon a time you did me a real solid. So, if you have a long talk with Mort and you still want it, yeah. I’ll train you.”
Fitz blinked several times and then his face brightened. “Thank you!”
I held up a hand. “Lesson one. Too soon. Wait a few years to see if you owe me thanks or a punch in the nose. Sometimes it can be hard to tell.”
“I…Okay. Yeah, okay, right,” Fitz said.
“Go on, kid,” Mort drawled to Fitz. “I need to talk to him alone for a minute.”
“Sure,” Fitz said, nodding, clearly elated. He stepped out of the office, and I heard his light footsteps heading down the hallway toward the stairs up.
“I’m not sure you’re doing the kid a favor here, Mort,” I said, once he was gone.
“Me?” Mort asked.
I waved a hand. “I’m not sure I am, either. My outcome record with apprentices isn’t exactly sunny.”
“Look. I’ve met a bunch of White Council assholes,” Mort said. “You’re the only one of them I know who ever seemed to give a damn about people. You were me, which would you choose?” He looked over his shoulder and his face became troubled. “He’s a good kid, Harry. I mean, he walks around like a cat at a dog convention. He ain’t got much in the way of trust. And there’s something chewing at him he won’t talk about, not even after all the time he’s worked with me. But he’s kind. Gentle. You should see him handling the shades of children. Helping them on their way.”
“They’re all good kids,” I said quietly.Even you, Harry, once upon a time.
“Yeah, but I’ve seen what the Council does to them.” Mort shook his head. “I think the kid is at a crossroads. He could go either way. I’ll take my chances with you.”
I wasn’t sure I had it in me to be the kind of stable presence an emergent wizard needed to help him embrace his power effectively and wisely.
