14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen:

~Lochlainn O'Hare~

" R andolph, it is best if you do not speak of what you saw." I grimaced at my RA. He made a face, a mix of confusion and awkwardness.

"The part where I saw you and Valerie?" he squeaked, putting his back to the cave wall.

"Correct," I sighed heavily. "Look, Randolph—"

"Professor, it's none of my business. I mean, Valerie's a grad student, and you're not really the type to, well, you know—you've never been THAT kind of professor that makes it weird. Plus…if we're being honest…Kahrina kind of owes me five gold now."

"What?" I barked, baffled—nay, bewildered, as I stumbled backward.

"I may have thought you two were already, you know, banging. I mean, why else would she get special treatment?" Randolph shrugged with a ‘sorry, not sorry' expression plastered to his face.

"I have given her no special treatment!" I defended, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Sir, you moved her into The Grove without a second thought, she was given a single room, when most initiates are bunked in clumps of four, and you eat breakfast with her most mornings. It took me three months as your RA to get even lunch with you once a week." He flashed a knowing smirk at me. I scowled, but my underling only smiled to himself as he averted his gaze. "I'm not saying she's getting any perks that matter in the grand scheme of things. Kahrina told me you haven't graded her any easier, and I mean, I've seen her working. She's not getting special treatment in anything that changes anything, but…she is for things that I notice because I know you, Professor. Kahrina bet she was secretly related to you, but I bet the more realistic case that you two were romantically involved. I mean, come on, Valerie is-"

Randolph let out a low whistle, then peaked up at me, "And let's not mention how pretty you are, Professor."

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Randolph."

"All I'm saying is I'm not surprised and it's still none of my business." He threw his hands up like white flags.

"Thank you," I snorted.

"And I mean… get it. " He snickered to himself before shamefully looking away. "Um, you should see if she's dressed. Kahrina is probably worried or something."

I sent him a we will discuss this later look before pushing open the cave once more. The fire went out, so I ripped off a thick branch near arm and fashioned a hasty torch. Igniting it, I found Valerie leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths while glaring at a particular spot across the cave. I glanced at it, but found no one else in there with her. "Valerie, are you alright?"

"Just wobbly, all things considered," she chuckled, winking at me. I smiled involuntarily, extending a hand to her.

"Good, then we need to be off." She crept toward me. I scooped her up to my side, glancing behind her one last time. As if willing whoever or whatever she was staring down to show itself. It did not. I returned my focus to her. I would come back later to retrieve all our stuff. Well, my stuff; I'd torn her clothes off.

She ducked through the cave entrance and gave Randolph a weak, two finger salute. He smirked, returning the motion. "Good to see you're alive."

"More or less," she ended with a squeak as my palm found it's way to her ass cheek sharply. Valerie glared at me over her shoulder but scurried through the trees. "How bad is the damage?"

"To The Grove? Not bad, given that half our building is made of wood and leaves, but thankfully all the students rallied together to put out the flames. Only two rooms were destroyed," he explained as we steadily climbed the hilly forest. It would be faster if I wild shaped, but then I'd arrive without pants once more.

"Mine being one," Valerie grumbled, "I just bought new shoes too."

"And Kahrina's."

"What!" Valerie and I barked. Valerie continued without missing a beat, "Is she okay? You said she helped, so she's okay, right? She's not…"

Randolph put up a hand, her worrying words died down with a huff. "Kahrina, as per usual, was in the lobby working on her project with a few other druids. She wasn't even near her room."

"The Oak Father blesses us this day," I exhaled heavily. "We should hurry."

"You two go ahead," Valerie flapped her hands ahead of her, shooing us.

"You know I can't do that. Likely what the arsonist wants is to get you alone," I warned, stopping us. "Randolph, help me summon a tree-to-tree portal."

I saw the look of disappointment on Valerie's face but had no time to address it. We could talk about it later. Likely, my little witch was trying to draw the attention away from The Grove, from me, but there was too much going on. I couldn't chance this attacker to get to her. They'd already preyed on The Grove while I was away.

Randolph and I made quick work of the portal, opening it between two trees. Inside The Grove were two trees made around a carved, enchanted gem. It allowed those who resonated with it to open portals from between two trees and to step out inside The Grove. Kahrina, Randolph, and myself were currently the only ones who resonated with it to allow us to get back in times of dire need. A shimmering portal opened up before us, a glittering mirror of The Grove that danced with every raindrop that hit it. I thrust Valerie and Randolph through it before following myself. It popped like a bubble behind us.

I stood at the backside of the courtyard, staring at the curved horseshoe of a building, where there was a distinct burn scar across a portion of it.

"Damn." Valerie's hiss echoed around the silent courtyard. Despite a hundred students all gathered around the Mother Tree at the center, there was no noise. Just the hiss of steam coming off the building. Green magic illuminated the night as they reformed the flora wrapping that portion of the building.

"There you are!" Kahrina broke the silence, scrambling away from the Mother Tree. She rushed up before me, "Professor, thank Sylvanus, you're alright. We did our best—"

It was the first time I'd seen my TA in less than rigid control. Tears were streaming down her soot covered face, her fingers shaking, tufts of moss and little corn snakes crawling through her hair as she lost the reins of her magic. I'm not sure why, but I wrapped my arms around her, dismissing the snakes and moss and twigs and pulled her tight. Her body snapped upright, rigid like stone, her voice caught in her throat. I reached out an arm to Randolph and tugged him into the bundle too.

"You two have outdone yourselves. You have exceeded any expectations, and the Oak Father is blessed to have you two at his side. My little druids, I could not ask for finer leaders or protectors of this grove."

I squeezed them tight. Kahrina hiccupped shortly before wrapping her arms around Randolph and I. My RA chuckled softly under his breath, but it was not lost on me that there were sneaky tears trickling down his cheeks. I rubbed both their backs before pulling back from them.

"Thank you both," I cooed, making sure to lock eyes with both of them before I slid past them toward the Mother Tree. "Now it is my turn."

I spread my arms wide, funneling all the magic in the air to the building. The blessing of nature, the feeling of His hands resting on my shoulder, keeping my soul grounded while my magic ascended into the air with the arcana swirling around us, it felt like home. My eyes fluttered closed, my head back, and the scent of new life filled my lungs. I gulped it down as I gave that life a mission. It swirled through the air as the earth beneath us rumbled.

Soon the building stopped steaming. It grew a second floor, a spiraling staircase of mushroom tops and stone it grew through leading the way. The building groaned as new rooms were added, but more importantly, as it grew thicker. All its wounds, the knicks and cuts from where the villain carved their way in, were sealed up. Sap leaking like blood was plugged up and healed over. I opened my eyes to the Mother Tree's last branch detaching from the building, returning to her natural state. My druids all gasped, excitedly rushing to the side of the building. Their eager hands roamed its new exterior as I retracted my magic. Sylvanus' touch falling away, just one last stroke to the top of my head. Like a pat for being a good bear.

I smiled as I turned to see my students all staring at me. Kahrina was lit up like a child with a new present. Randolph was wide eyed and mouth ajar, gobsmacked. Valerie stared right at me, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. I didn't need to smell her to know her frenzy returned tenfold. My spine straightened with pride as her eyes hungrily roamed my body. When they locked with mine once more, my cock strained in my pants.

Kahrina and Randolph raced to see inside the building while Valerie sauntered up to my side. She jabbed a finger in my direction, whispering so low it felt like a threat. "You, sir, are in so much danger."

"And how is that?" I smirked, keeping my hands to my waist. If I didn't, they'd be on her, and I'd finish what we were doing in the cave in front of all my students.

"Because I'm about to sneak into your room tonight and ride you till you see stars, that's why," she hissed, but heard Kahrina call out her name. She glanced over her shoulder, giving me ample opportunity. I leaned in, whispering in her ear.

"You won't be sneaking, little witch. I'll see you in our bed tonight." And before she could speak another word, I pressed a hand to the small of her back and guided both of us toward the building.