“Do we really have time to go meet your niece? I don’t know how much tutoring I can get done within the next three days, given how many lives are on the line if we do not solve the current situation…” I complained as Conrad led me to a warded training room for mages.

“Wizard Jason, I don’t think you realize how important your safety is to the kingdom. Under normal circumstances, perhaps Lance’s squad would be enough, but right now, adding more firepower, no pun intended, to your security detail is crucial. Whoever attacked the king might strike at you if they feel cornered. You can put off tutoring her until later, but your safety can not wait!” Conrad replied.

I frowned slightly, I knew for a fact that the royal guards had a dozen mages, why was it important that I be given the captain’s niece? But I did not object further.

The pyromancer in question was a very striking young woman, dark red hair and green eyes. Though perhaps less classically pretty than Lily, her sharp features and the clear intelligence shining in her eyes gave her far greater presence. Her posture said she was ready for anything, and she didn’t even flinch when we burst into the room unannounced. She radiated confidence, I thought to myself, thinking that I couldn’t match her in that department.

The only other notable feature that jumped out at me was that both her arms were covered in burn scars. She made no effort to hide the scars, wearing a brown sleeveless leather vest over a plain white short-sleeve shirt. She was also wearing black leather pants that looked more aesthetic than proper armor as they accentuated her shapely long legs.

While I examined her, she examined me, “Nice robe,” she told me by way of greeting, “I’m Rebecca, you must be the new court wizard. Uncle, come to watch me train again?” She greeted Conrad with a brief hug before extending a hand towards me.

“I’m Jason,” I told her, shaking her hand. Her grip was strong if a bit rough with burns and the swordsman's calluses. Rebecca bowed her head slightly towards me as we shook hands, she was a noble, but my rank as court wizard gave me higher status.

“Rebe, I’ve decided to assign you to Lance’s squad,” Conrad explained. Lance shook hands with Rebecca as well. Lance had waited outside the king’s bedroom, he had silently followed us from there. “He’s currently wizard Jason’s security detail.”

Rebecca nodded, “Of course, I’ll keep the wizard safe.” She said with an easy grin.

“Also, I’ve asked wizard Jason to consider taking you as his second apprentice, at least for the next eight months before you retake your admissions exam.”

“Uncle! Ask me before!” She complained, “Sorry wizard Jason, but I don’t think I need any help. Last time I was so nervous I accidentally miscast a spell,” she chuckled ruefully, “But there’s no way I’ll make that same mistake twice! Sorry that my uncle told you I needed help, I’m fine.”

The loophole was a success, I thought to myself, relieved. I’d been right, her stubborn pride would save me from extra work.

“Rebe! I’ve taught you better than that. You should never pass up an opportunity to improve yourself. Wizard Jason graduated top of his class, he has plenty he could teach you.”

Rebecca’s eyes flared with anger. I could sense the fire aspected mana in her conduits spike as it started flowing faster. This was the feedback loop pyromancers were known for, I realized, anger made them stronger, but the way their mana circulated so quickly also made them more prone to anger.

“Prove it then,” She told me, “I challenge you to a spar.” She hesitated a bit as her brain kicked in, “No staves though.” To impress me, she allowed fire to start dancing around her arms as she settled into a boxer’s pose. She was going to use fire punches on me?

I sighed. Without a staff, beating her would be exhausting. I could still do it, but it wouldn’t be easy and I honestly didn’t feel any motivation to do so. I’d also have to take off my robe, since a single burning punch would break the enchant. She was in better physical shape than me and I doubted I could dodge all her punches. I might have healing potions but being burnt was not fun. “I refuse,” I told her.

“What?!” She sounded genuinely shocked at my refusal. A wisp of flame from her fiery display flew up and ignited her white shirt.

“The king's life is in danger, I don't have the time. You’ve also just set yourself on fire,” I commented.

“Oh! Crap.” She let go of her magic and beat the shirt with her hands until it was extinguished. The fact that she’d not used magic to extinguish her own flame was telling, I thought to myself. It probably meant that she couldn’t do it.

I summoned a small flame and floated it up above my outstretched palm. “Extinguish this with magic,” I told her.

Rebecca looked embarrassed, “I’d rather not,” she said.

“There’s no way you can pass your admissions exam if you can’t do this,” I told her gently. “Visualize the heat from the flame being transferred into the ground, then use mana to make the connection.”

I felt her try, her mana reaching up from the ground to my small flame, trying to form a bridge for heat transfer. But the instant her mana touched my flame, it ignited instead, and the flame blazed brighter as the threads were sucked in and consumed. Wincing from the heat, I used my mana to disperse the flame. At least she didn’t shout out spell names, I thought to myself. She was probably fairly deadly in a duel, so long as you didn’t simply bounce her flames back at her, which would of course be the first thing I’d have done in a real spar.

Rebecca’s face flushed red, “Ok maybe I need to practice that a bit,” she admitted sheepishly, “But I’ll only accept tutoring, no apprenticeship. I don’t want to be an apprentice again. I’m already fully… mostly fully trained!”

I managed to keep a straight face and nodded somberly. “As you wish,” I said. Then by way of encouragement, I added, “Once you figure out how to extinguish a flame reliably, and the king is no longer in danger, I’ll give you that spar. Try cooling the air around the fire instead.” It wouldn’t be an easy task for her, her mana was basically flammable. Mana wasn’t normally flammable, but a pyromancer’s mana was fundamentally different from that of other mages. I myself couldn’t simply ignite my mana like that, I needed to either transfer heat from somewhere or summon fire from the elemental plane of fire. Force affinity gave me strong, conductive and flexible mana threads that were excellent for moving and redirecting but not creating energy out of thin air.

“You’re with me, and I’m making you my second in command. Go change into your uniform, pack your things, then go to the mansion and report to Primrose,” Lance instructed. “She’ll give you a room, but your main task is to guard Lily. I’m worried that someone will attack Jason’s home and kidnap Lily to force him into compliance.”

I blushed, “Hey, don’t give her the wrong idea, Lily is just my apprentice!” I protested.

“And kidnapping a wizard’s apprentice is a good way to get leverage,” Lance pointed out with a quirked eyebrow.

“Oooh, now I want to meet this Lily, she must be some apprentice if she can get you to blush just by mentioning her name,” Rebecca said with a smirk.

I rubbed my face with my palm and sighed deeply as Blackwing softly cawed in laughter. "It's not like that, we're not dating..." I protested.

"How old is she? Is she pretty?" Rebecca asked.

"Your age, and yes," I replied.

"Hmmm... and you said she's free game?" Rebecca asked with an evil grin.

"I guess?"