Some of the important people in this book.

 

Gabriella, Human/Wizard. Ages 13, 14, 16. Main Character

Kaleb, Human. Ages 15 now 18. 1st Best friend

Bellamy,  Elven. Ages 14, 16. Best friend

Maverick, Elven. Ages 17, 19.  Friend/Brother

Emery, Elven. Ages 16, 18. Friend/Cuz/Bro

Noland, Human/Wizard.  Age 43.  Mentor

Sarah, Human. 40. Dear Friend

Levante, Human/Wizard. 25. Healer

Revie, Nymph/sorceress. 15 1/2. Friend, partner

Ryshonn, Human/Wizard. 18 3/4. Friend/MC

Knox, Elven. 17. First crush

The storm. Chapter 12.

(Noland the Wizard shows up. He saves a house from being destroyed by a crashing tree. Gabriella watches even as she is still making her way back from the woods.)

 

She ran out from the trees hopping over logs and rain filled ditches, wind spitting rain mercilessly into her face, bringing with it the scent of wet woods even as it stung her eyes, but she blinked it back noting that the village was now in sight. The first house thirty yards away. 

She was nearly there when a monstous crack sounded behind her. Whipping around she saw to her horror that a rather large aspen falling quickly towards her an the home.

"Run!" An unfamiliar voice yelled to her, spurring her into action. Taking a few sprinting steps she leapt, tumbling to a stop beside an allyway, she waited there bracing for the inevitable earth shaking thud... but it didn't come. 

Looking up she blinked in surprise, scrambling forward, the tough bark of the tree was suspended in mid air inches above her legs. Her eyes were drawn to a man who looked to be in his forties holding a staff leveled at the hanging tree with such a fierce look of concentration that she barely dared to breathe, until heturned the tree just enough to miss her and the building altogether. He set it down with a thump, glancing back at her. "Go home, before it gets any worse!" He ordered her. 

Getting to her feet she stole one last glimpse of the man, then he disappeared.

She could only stare, frozen in shock at the tree that had almost cost her her life, with her heart pounding in her ears and a hollow feeling in her chest. Shaking off the feeling with an effort she continued on, crossing open roads carefully, weary that anything could come flying around the next corner. 

Only three roads remained between her and the orphanage when she heard a child's voice call out. "Help!"

She turned to see Timothy, one of the youngest boys in the orphanage at the age of four, clinging to an old porch railing. 

"Stay there I'm coming!" She shouted to him. 

He whimpered as she bolted to him, reaching one of his thin arms out to her as she got close. Something in her peripheral vision caught her attention. "Timmy jump!" She screamed. He sprang into her arms, she caught him, whisking him around behind her as a large piece of board came taring past, hitting the railing, it splintered taking the railing with it, right where the boy had been a mere second ago. He cried out in terror and she pulled him protectively to her, holding him to her chest. "It's alright Timmy. It's going to be alright." She told him, as he tucked himself into her, burrying his face into her shoulder. She had to get them back safly, so even more cautiously then before she carried a crying Timothy to the orphanage. She pounded on the door, it seemed like forever before the door opened to reveal a nurse maid wide eyed, the older woman ushered them inside and when she wrapped a towel around her the girl noticed just how much she was shivering. She was soaked, half covered in mud and still trying to make sence of all that had happened. The woman took Timmy from her and helped her find a relatively clean pair of clothes, before she left her to change and clean off all of the mud in the woman's own room. Then the two of them, her and Timmy, settled down by the small fire, as the woman went to make sure everyone else was safly inside. 

She found herself starring unblinkingly into the flaims, and was surprised when Timmy crawled into her lap. But she put an arm around him, he quickly fell asleep, leaving her to marvel over the events of the last hour by herself. 

A man- A wizard, had saved her life. She didn't know much about him, only having seen him a few times over the years, but never as close as she had that night. He emanated confidence, using his power to save not only her but anyone who had been in that home. Yet she couldn't figure out how he had acted so fast, lifting the tree right before it would have crushed her legs. At this point in her thinking the nurse maid returned and upon finding Timmy asleep she took him straight to bed. But as she left she drapped a blanket across the girls shoulders. "Try to get some rest." She said softly. 

She only nodded, pulling her knees to her chest. 

What would have happened to Timothy if the wizard hadn't saved her? Would the wizard have found and saved him? Or anyone else? She had to clamp a mental hand down on the thoughts, refusing to let herself go down that path. Instead she sent a silent prayer of thanks into the universe for saving them both, then she laind down and hwen her weary mind had worn itself out she closed her eyes in sleep. 

☆

For the next couple of days she and some of the other older kids helped the adults set the village to rights. Clearing the roads of debree and bringing all of the branches into the village center to be burned. They were paid a single gold coin each from the village leader for the work they did. 

But she steered clear the felled tree as the men chopped it up and added it to the winter stores. 

☆

A week later she began to get an odd feeling in her chest, something was building, gaining power and ferocity. She tried to tell the adults about it, but no one believed her. Yet whenever she looked up to the sky she knew, althought she didn't know how she did, with a deadful certainty that it could only be one thing. Another storm was coming, and it would be so much worse then the last.