Nora throws another fireball in Jeffery's direction, and he blocked it with ease. She smiled at him and raised up her thumb. She was being at the mansion for almost a month, and they trained now every day, for the moment the sun starts to rise until it came down. They only stopped to hydrate or to eat lunch. The winter has arrived, snow fall around them covering the ground in a serine white coat. Eviar was this time not with them, which was rare. But he was called away, one member of her old Coven was spotted, and he was needed to hunt them down. 

"Nora, you are getting better!" Jeffery screamed at her, she gave him a wide smile. She knew that her stamina was improved, but she wanted to be better, with every fiber in her body. "Eviar would kick himself if he saw you now." Jeffery said and her good mood vanished. She didn't want to talk about him, they had a huge fight before he left. Nora had asked him not to go on the hunt, or at least bring the Necromancer in alive. Like he had done with her, but he couldn't stay or promise her anything. Jeffery winced, he probably saw her sour mood on her face. "Sorry." He said quickly.

"Never mind." She said and raised her hands. A wall of fire appeared between them. Sweat started to appear on her face, it took her a lot of afford to keep the wall up. But not as much as when she first created one during the battle.

"Alright that looks good. Take it down before you pass out." Jeffery said. Nora did just that. "Alright, let's take a break, and then we go for a run." Nora nodded.

"No you two will come inside the mansion, and train inside the gym." Eviar's voice reached the small clearing that they used for practice. "There is a snow storm coming our way, and according to Master Goodwing it will be a big one." He said. Nora didn't look at him, she was glad that he was back. But she was still mad at him for going in the first place. "Nora please." He said, she groaned. Why was he so sweet, and protective. He held up her jacket.

"Fine." She said, she went to him and grabbed her jacket out of his hands. 

"We didn't catch the Necromancer." He said. "It was a cold trail." Nora knew that he only told her this to make her feel better. But still he went after them, a member of her old Coven. Someone who has not committed a crime, according to the laws of the nine kingdoms. Still they were hunted down and killed, only because there were some who believed that their magic was unnatural.

"I do not want to talk about it." She said and walked away from him. Jeffery appeared next to her.

"You know that he has no choice. It is part of his contract, he needs to hunt Necromancers to stay here." Jeffery said, Nora nodded. 

"I know, but that those not make it any easier." She sighed.

******

There was one good thing about the mansion, it was warm. But because of the storm that razed outside, it was a bit over crowed. The gym was filled with the other students. Nora and Jeffery both took turns on one of the trap mills. Eviar leaned against the mirrors. Watching them like a hawk, watching his prey. 

"Nora, slow down a little." He said. She tilted her head slightly. Why did she need to slow down? She got her answer when he attacked her with an orb of air.

"Are you crazy?" She said. But he shook his head. 

"Nope. Your stamina has improved a lot, now it is time to push against the limits." Eviar said, when he threw another orb of air. "Block those orbs of air, while you are running." He said and Nora nodded. He started to throw one orb after the next, she blocked and avoided them. Jeffery started to join Eviar after a while, and it became harder. She loved the challenge, the fact that she was improving with every orb that came her way. She ducked away from an orb that Eviar threw at her. A scream filled the whole gym, and everybody stopped with what they were doing. Nora stopped the trap mill and looked over her shoulder. Casandera lay on the ground, right after her. One of her minions, kneeled beside her. Eviar walked towards the two women. "Casandera, are you crazy or do you want to get hurt." He said. "And do not say that I attacked you. I have shielded the space around Nora. So you just willingly stepped into the line of air." Casandera's eyes threw daggers at him. Jeffery stood next to Eviar arms folded.

"I didn't see any shields." Casandera said to Eviar. 

"That is Minotaurs shit, and you know it." Jeffery said. "Because you walked through two." Meaning he had also put up a shield, just in case. "And everybody else had seen it, so, or you are stupid, or you need glasses." 

"Do not talk to me creep." Casandera snapped at him. "If I was in charge of this school, you wouldn't be here."

"And why not?" Nora said. "Because he is gay? That is Minotaurs shit. The fact that he falls for men instead of women those not make him a lesser wizard." Casandera looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"It is unnatural, just like your magic." Casandera snapped at Nora.

"Love is not unnatural." Nora said. "And for the record I was born a wizard, so my magic is natural." Nora was so done with the ignorance of this girl. Not only was she busy with ending Nora's life in general, still believing that Nora should have being killed on site. But now she was also making Jeffery's life a living hell. 

"What ever." Casandera said. "Everybody knows that you bribed Eviar to keep you alive." Nora's eyes widened. Did she just say that Nora was a whore? Nora looked at Eviar, who was shaking with anger. Yep he got that message too, loud and clear. Casandera's minion, a girl whose name she kept on forgetting stood up. And slowly walked back. The shields that protected the other students were still up, and she was clearly not planning on staying at Casandera's side. "Come on, it is no secret that you two are sleeping together. Or is it the three of you. How does that even work?"

"Casandera, I give you one more warning." Eviar said. Nora was impressed by the calm in his voice.

"Or else. Are you going to attack me?" Casandera taunted. Nora placed a hand on Eviar's arm. "You are not the boss of me." Nora knew that he was a senior student, so yes he was the boss of Casandera.

"Eviar let's go to kitchen. It is almost time for lunch." Nora said. She wanted to get away from Casandera. "She is not worth it." She whispered, to Eviar. He shook his head. 

"No indeed she is not worth our attention." He said a bit louder than she had. Their group walked towards the stairs that led upstairs. "Before I forget. You all have a test in combat magic tomorrow morning." Sounds of disbelieve sounded through the gym.

"Master Goodwing never said anything about a test." Casandera's minion said. 

"Because Master Goodwing is not overseeing this test I am." Eviar said, Nora looked at Casandera's crimson face. "And before anybody can say that I can't do that. You are wrong because I can." Jeffery started to snicker behind his hand.

"That is not fair, Nora and Jeffery will get the best grades." Casandera throw at him. 

"They will not take the test." The voice of Master Goodwing said. He stood above the stairs. "They already passed it."

"What!" Casandera screamed. "How?"

"Because, they have trained every day since the attack. And they just avoided a confrontation, knowing that they can take you without even breaking a sweat." Master Goodwing said. Nora didn't know if that was true, but she was not going to say so.

"They are not better than me, they are..." Casandera started.

"They are, better. You all prepare yourselves for tomorrow's test." Master Goodwing said. Eviar, Jeffery and Nora climbed the stairs.

******

"You two know that I can not pass you without a test." Master Goodwing said, when they had left the gym far behind them. Nora and Jeffery nodded, they knew that full well. "And I have seen the two strong shields around the trap mill. Casandera was just being Casandera."

"Master, how are you going to test use?" Jeffery asked. Master Goodwing turned around and throw a ball of fire towards Jeffery. Nora raised her hand and a wall of earth shot up.

"Nice one Nora." Master Goodwing said. "But now you are open for an attack." He said when he threw another ball of fire. But that one was blocked by a wall of water. Nora knew that Jeffery blocked that one for her, they had practiced this tag team combination. Nora nodded and a piece of the wall flow towards Master Goodwing. Jeffery sends a puff of air with it. The piece of rock broke in a million pieces, before it stroke Master Goodwing. "Nice trick. I am impressed. You two are working like a team, so in sink with one another." Nora smiled at Jeffery. She raised her hand, and the wall of fire appeared. Just in time to catch another attack from Master Goodwing.

"Help me push the wall." Nora said, and Jeffery nodded. They started to step forward pushing the wall. Until it was just in front of Master Goodwing. 

"Alright take it down, I have seen enough." Master Goodwing said. "You two passed, with ease." Nora took the wall of flame down. 

"Thank you master." She said, bowing her head slightly.

"No need to thank me. Again you two work great together, and I have no doubt in my mind that if Eviar joined the two of you, I would have being in great trouble." Master Goodwing nodded towards Eviar.

"You already were, master." Eviar said. Master Goodwing started to laugh. 

"That is true." Master Goodwing said. "A fine. Take the rest of the day off. You three work too hard." The older man turned around and walked away.