I can explode but don't want to be exploded

"Why is your apartment so messy? I almost fell!"

"I would have loved it if you fell instead of banging my doors off their hinges."

Klint Kelvin wore a white duster and posed like he walked out of an explosion.

"Let's talk. I hope you are well rested and well receptive to me."

Rose rolled her eyes. She wasn't interested. At all. If anything, his words were all so late that it didn't matter anymore.

Seeing no reaction, he didn't worry.

"Won't you ask me to sit?"

"If anything, I'd like you to stand."

"Fine, you sit there and I'll talk."

Rose nodded. She understood that he wasn't going anywhere now.

"Yesterday, I left you because you know, I'm not supposed to talk to you. And you know, you have a magic ward here and they can sense me if I near it. But now, you are already in, so the ward wouldn't think anything of my magical imprint. Stupid loophole."

Rose was stunned. Her ward, it was useless. 

"Wonder which genius made it?" She mumbled.

"Huh, yeah, I designed it. As my graduation spell, but yeah, they don't know about this. Anyway, I'm veering off the topic, so, you weren't safe there. We had to cut you off. Simple."

"Why?"

"The whole explosion was planned to take out the headquarters and somehow, your presence stopped it. So, they had to remove you and they planned to get you involved in that murder. Your parents planned everything to keep you safe."

Her distant parents did love her then.

"Why couldn't you tell me?"

"You are obviously not the brightest bulb sometimes. You were inner surveillance and tell me, would you trust your teenage self?"

He had a point. Her magic was a havoc then and it was even manic now. But the human world limited everything. 

"But still, you expelled me. In front of everyone."

"Yeah, it doesn't matter. Witches and wizards get expelled every day and come back again the next day. Our academy has got to stop doing that."

He answered with a grin.

It was not the first time Rose wanted to pinch him. But she couldn't. He was her mentor.

Actually, Klint was just thirty now. Not old but capable enough. She chose him when he was sixteen years old. He was just a tall kid then.

Looking at the serious faces, she thought that a teenager would be easy on her. But no, he was hellish than the others.

Mentors were like lifelong familiars or a friend and family. Apart from your family, they were the only ones who you could trust.

"And now you are just some weird dude to me. Not my mentor. You, yourself said so."

Rose could still remember the scene.

The despair, the pain, the unwillingness, and the fear she felt.

She was happy to see his expression turned painful.

"Rose, it had to be done. Also, we didn't break the bond. I'm still your mentor."

"What, but you renounced me in front of the Dean and the Head?"

"No, words have powers but bonds cannot be broken by just words."

He became his previous serious self. The one she was familiar with. His joking and easygoing persona freaked her out earlier. But now, she felt familiar. 

"You should have told me."

"Kid, you never noticed. Why would you have your wand if we all didn't want uou? You know, we all hated your wand!"

Her wand buzzed and hit him on his head before coming back to her.

Rose cried.

She didn't cry when she was renounced. She didn't cry when she came to the human world alone. She didn't cry when she felt the night gnawing at her. But she cried when she knew that they cared for her. She wasn't alone like she felt.

He patted her on the back. And her wand combed her hair.

"Your nose is runny. Go wash your face."

Just, like that, he was back to his usual irritating self.

Rose changed and got ready. Their reunion had to wait.

"What? Why are you dressed up?"

"I have a job."

Klint tilted his head in thought.

"That guy, Asher?"

Rose nodded.

"He is indecisive. Likes to wait before making a decision. I don't like him."

"It's okay. He pays me. So I like him."

Klint walked behind her as she was gathering her laptop and purse.

"I can pay too. I have a company here. Want to become the head?"

"Nope. Like you said, I can maintain low there. You are high maintenance and high profile. Let's talk in the evening about other stuff."

Klint watched her leave the apartment. He sighed, put a security spell, and disappeared in a flash.

Rose met Asher in the elevator.

"Good morning, Miss Wyatt!"

"Morning, Boss. How did you sleep?"

"Good, and don't worry about Lydia. She is put up by my father's wife. Apparently, she considers Lydia as a prospective daughter-in-law. So, if you find something, tell me sooner. They can dig holes for me for the inheritance."

Wealthy families have so many troubles.

"Yes, boss."

But something told Rose that she hadn't seen the last of Lydia.

"I want to talk openly, Miss Wyatt, take a seat."

Asher's office was quiet and relaxing. She could see the sun and the light made her feel extremely content.

"You know Mr. Kell. I don't want you to help me but I want a fair opportunity to cooperate with him. What could be my next step in your opinion?"

Rose almost choked and laughed. Opposing reactions but they felt correct.

"Give him stones and cookies."

Rose smiled when she remembered her conversation with Asher. She had to be there to see Klint's reaction. Revenge felt sweet. But hey, he was her mentor, now more dear than before.

And yeah, he did like stones and cookies. 

"Miss Wyatt, a parcel for you."

Rose smiled at the receptionist and took it back to her office.

She had a rule. She shook before opening. 

It was a good thing. Otherwise, she wouldn't get the feeler from her magic.

Her immobile wand broke out from the ring she wore today and stood before her in an attack posture.

Danger 

Extreme Danger