Weakened Mountains (Artemis University Book 4) Read online

  He gave me a look asking who was crazy enough to do that. “I didn’t think anyone around you was that stupid.”

  “He won’t be again,” I sang before jogging back towards the dorm. It was fucking cold out and that was enough for the first day back.

  By the time I reached the cafeteria, I realized I really did want what I’d been thinking of before Lucca. And I thought I should be able to ask for it, deserve the help after all I’d been through.

  I changed course and headed for Edelman, who was sitting with several of the faculty. “I’ll do it, but I want some protection in place.”

  Professor Collins snorted. “I think you’re able to take any of the students on campus, Vale.”

  “Maybe, but what I need is less fights,” I countered, my gaze locked with Edelman’s. “I’m not dealing with a bunch of assholes purposefully thinking about me giving them blow jobs because they know I can’t punch them.” I nodded when he winced. “Yeah, that happens. So, I’ll help whoever teach and lecture using Hudson as the continued example, but I want more for one on one work.”

  “A buffer?” he surmised.

  “Yes, but a scary one who can’t be bought or take sides,” I said, nodding to the table of guards. “Several said they wanted to work on getting stronger mental shields as well. Cool, let them wear a telepathy rune and get an education on how those work should they need them. Plus, they’ll bite any jerks.”

  “We were thinking any master’s students who were planning on having the subject one of their focuses,” Edelman muttered, frowning like he didn’t like the development. He winced at whatever was on my face.

  “So, depending on who that is you could have two assholes thinking shit at me? Or someone in the master’s program level trying to get shit from me when I’m focused and in someone’s head. Meaning I’m about as open as I get?”

  “Yeah, that’s not happening,” Mel drawled from behind me. “There are three types who would volunteer to referee that sort of situation, and two wouldn’t do it for the right reasons.”

  I was missing one, thinking the only two would be for true learning purposes as telepaths were rare. And the second was what I was worried about being a jerk and screwing with me, teaming up with whoever I was working with to lie about me even. “Who am I missing?”

  “Those who have ties to councils or elders that would abso-fucking-lutely use anything and everything they could get from you to get in with them,” she explained.

  “Yeah, damn, didn’t think of that,” I admitted. “No good deed goes unpunished and all of that.”

  “Yeah, like that,” she agreed. “I think it needs to be one of the guards and one of the teachers already holding office hours at that time not seeing anyone. They all hold them at the same times, so pick someone who can supervise and make sure people are protected and it all stays as it should.”

  “That seems a bit much,” Collins objected.

  I simply shrugged. “Maybe. Hopefully, but it will also show this isn’t a joke and keep people behaving instead of another problem we have to deal with later. If it’s not needed, then great, but I vote with starting off smarter and toning it back.”

  “Agreed,” Edelman cut in. “I’ll get the combined office hours scheduled to you and we’ll have you do your assessments in that meeting room down the hall. That way anyone not sitting with a student can be there with you. Hopefully they can grade papers or do whatever they would in their office normally but if not, we’re ready.”

  “Exactly,” I agreed. “Thanks.”

  It was the right step if I was going to do this and even though some people said it was my responsibility to clean up my mess since I got Koch fired, I sort of thought it was a mess I came upon and had cleaned up by getting him fired. Honestly, I was shocked at some of the things the elites put up with but then wondered if their parents were as dismissive as the kids were.

  They had to learn it from somewhere, right?

  I loaded up on food and headed to get ready for class. Part of me wanted to have fun with Craftsman in class after how awesome the other night had been, but then I heard a few things that had me shutting off my telepathy and retreating into myself. It got worse when I caught something later and I wasn’t sure what to do about the situation… Or if it was a situation.

  Or it could become one.

  I got lost in our discussions on Harry Potter in English 102, already knowing what I was plotting for my paper and project. Well, it was only supposed to be a paper, but the idea I’d had made me want to try and make it a project and maybe that was what I needed right then with everything else going on.

  Next was Mental Shielding 101 and I was glad it was Professor White with me again. I didn’t like the camera recording me for the other classes, but I’d agreed to it. When the bell rang, I let out a heavy sigh and sat on the teacher’s desk.

  “Look, I don’t know if I’m the right person to teach anyone on this and I know there are gaps I’m going to need help with since I’m new to this. I certainly can’t teach you how invade someone’s mind. I’ve never really tried besides to get a better read on someone’s thoughts, and that was before when I thought I was a freak human.”

  “So what good are you then?” one of the guys snarked, eyeing me over like the only answer he could give involved me naked and on my back.

  “What I can teach you if you take this seriously is how to protect yourselves,” I continued as if it wasn’t also the answer to his question. “I can teach you and tell you things that won’t be in books because I’ve dealt with this my whole life.”

  “An example?” Professor White suggested.

  I sighed. “I didn’t read the whole textbook yet, but I doubt it goes over which humans have stronger natural mental blockers.”

  “No, no it does not,” she confirmed, giving me a curious look. “Please elaborate.”

  “Certain people are harder to read than others. I don’t get the same amount from everyone if I’m standing by ten people who are all thinking stuff. Some people I could never get anything off of. As odd as it may sound, humans who meditate, do yoga, and even some vegans are hard to get anything from.”

  “You’re kidding, right? A vegan diet helps have a strong mental shield?” that guy drawled.

  “That’s not what I said,” I threw right back. “People who are very aware of their carbon footprint and what they put out into the world are harder to read. It’s like…”

  “A way of life, a mentality that extends to their person?” Professor White offered.

  “Yeah, it really does,” I agreed, bobbing my head. “It’s like Mel drilling it in my head that a stronger core means stronger balance and that can save your ass in a fight as it’s the right foundation. It’s the foundation of being mindful of what you put out in the universe that makes your mind harder to read.”

  “Anything else?” she asked.

  I shrugged. “People who do drugs. Drunks. Anyone who can’t articulate well because of substances normally can’t think all that well. Getting anything from them is a joke.”

  “Do you have a visual for your mental shield? It was quite impressive for someone without training.”

  I snickered. “I’d say growing up a telepath is pretty good training even if not formal or I didn’t know anything about all of this world.” I nodded and pulled out my phone, bringing up the image. “It took a while to build but I’m always improving on it.”

  She took my phone from me and smiled. “A medieval metal helmet, yes, I could see that being something workable to you. Steel, I assume?”

  “Yes, but I have to do some research to change that.” I shrugged as I reached for the phone. “I think if I replace parts of it over time, I can use a metal that’s stronger for against impact damage. That’s what I felt when someone tried to take my shield down. It was like being hit before they pulled. I want stronger impact protection.”

  “You talk about it like it’s a real thing,” one of my classmates muttered.
/>
  “To me it is,” I promised as Professor White gave me my phone back. “I didn’t know about this world, but I could read people’s thoughts. It terrified me someone could read mine. I started working with what I knew and how to maybe prevent that. I was totally wrong as it was different than putting a shield around my mind, but I was alone in this, so it still ended up being useful.”

  “Right, so let’s move on to your example with Mr. Vogel. If everyone was smart they’ve already completed the first steps you went over in class as they were in attendance. If not, I suggest you watch the video Ms. Vale has kindly allowed to be shared with other classes and catch up as I will be testing your shields as this class is meant to be.”

  “I’m not helping if you bully people,” I blurted, wincing when Professor White’s eyes flashed shock. “I understand that type of teaching, but there is a better way.”

  “I’m open to suggestions,” she offered. “And a demonstration if you’re willing.”

  I nodded. “Fine, after the camera’s off since the contracts signed only cover what’s learned in class, not videos or anyone in any class.”

  “Yes, all right, and after we practice you won’t be as ready for Mr. Vogel.”

  I winced. “Yeah, last time it was a fucking migraine and a half.”

  She shot me an amused look. “I won’t attack you like that, Ms. Vale.”

  Glad to hear it. I gave a quick nod and moved with Hudson to sit on two chairs so we were in view of the camera. I took his hands in mine as our knees touched and closed my eyes as I turned on my telepathy.

  “Okay, show me your mental barrier again.” I smiled when I saw it was exactly as I’d seen it when we stopped. “Perfect, it’s the same. Nicely done.” I frowned when I heard in his thoughts it was taxing. “So, this is the part it’s going to be new to me too. I couldn’t build this much so fast as I was a kid. I never felt the ‘weight’ of my mental shield.”

  “I take it off sometimes?” he asked, his tone confused.

  “Yeah, for now because getting it stronger for when you need it is more important than how long you can use it.”

  “During training in here, and we’ll go over how to progress with that when you’re done,” Professor White cut in softly, trying not to disturb us. Good there was a plan though.

  It also meant we might have a problem. “Can you go still? You’re wiped.”

  “Yeah, I can do this,” he promised. “I didn’t think to take it off.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t—it’s instinct for me like clothes. I don’t really take it off unless I’m injured, or I know I’m somewhere completely safe and just need the break.”

  “I get it. What’s next.”

  I blew out a slow breath and focused on what I wanted. “We’re going to make you a foil hat.”

  “Excuse me?” he drawled.

  “Yup, like those people who protect their brains from the government or aliens,” I teased. “I want you to think of a huge roll of aluminum this time instead of plastic. We’re going to do the same thing we did last time but slower as it’s thicker. And we’re going to wrap it around your nice plexiglass shield. That’s another change I made to my shield after getting attacked.”

  “What?”

  “I put a layer of fucking foam inside my damn shield so it didn’t hurt on impact so much,” I grumbled.

  “Did it help?” he checked.

  “I think Professor White is going to show me for sure, but I find with mental stuff like this it’s sort of how you think it. I mean, like runes and visualizing it. It’s the same for this in a way. To me.”

  “Got it,” he muttered when I started to ramble. “Okay, industrial roll of aluminum wrapped around my plexiglass shield. What could go wrong?”

  “It tears. It will probably tear but so what? That’s the great thing about foil and you just press it back together.”

  “Well done, Ms. Vale,” Professor White praised, understanding my progression better now.

  We worked for about ten minutes before he had a mess of layers. Now this was going to be the tough part.

  I took in a slow breath and let it out. “Okay, this is going to be difficult for you, my logical friend, but remember, we’re in your mind and we can do what we want, yeah?”

  “I guess,” he grumbled.

  “We’re going to compress all that foil down but when we do it’s going to upgrade the aluminum to the next strength of it. There’s like eight or nine types of aluminum, um, grades of it I think it’s called. We’re going to smash all that aluminum foil down to that first aluminum alloy level. Heat it as we hydraulic press it and make a chemical reaction if you want to—”

  “That’s not really how it works, Tamsin,” he argued.

  “Yes, but we’re in the world of magic and runes, so use the new rune of ‘Tamsin said so’ which is a big fat middle finger to science you draw on yourself and do as I say. I sprinkled some chemical compound when you weren’t looking or ground up titanium or something that it works.”

  “Really? A rune that’s a middle finger?” he chuckled, sounding like he was going to lose it.

  “Yup,” I chirped, popping the P loudly. “Come on, push with me on this and then you can take a break. Don’t make me feel bad I left you with the mental shield on so long. That guilt is giving me stomachache and we know I can’t skip a meal and—”

  “I’ve got the rune on me,” he cut in, back to serious. Yeah, he was such a softy I knew he’d focus and push through because he was worried for me.

  “You’re trying for alloy eleven hundred, which is commonly used for rivets and fasteners as it’s easily adjustable for onsite projects, Mr. Vogel,” Professor White said quietly, sounding like she was reading from something.

  A bit longer and I mentally pumped my fist as he got it. “Nicely done, almost there.” I sighed when he finished and gave his hands a squeeze. “Good, now take it off and tuck it somewhere safe for later so you get a break.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” he panted, actually sweating a bit when I opened my eyes. “That was harder.”

  “A bit but it was wearing that shield so long. You rest and the next layer will be much easier,” I promised. “We’ll compress it onto the layer you have over the plexiglass and then it will make it the next alloy up. That’s how we keep building until we’re out of aluminum and we upgrade until we can’t anymore.”

  “Got it, thanks, really,” he said, giving me a wink the others couldn’t see.

  I nodded and stood, going back to the teacher’s desk and hopping up before focusing on White. “Cameras off and we’re trying?”

  “Yes, we are,” she agreed, easily reaching over and shutting off the two cameras and the extra filming lights. “Now, I’m certainly not going to bully you, but I do need to—”

  “Yeah, I get that, but there is one thought I can have just inside my mental shield that can be the test,” I told her. “Almost paint it over my brain under my shield. You hit that, you know it and win. It’s not something I want everyone to know, but it’s not my deepest and darkest secret, which is what tends to come to the surface when scared. Panic doesn’t help. A challenge does.”

  “Agreed.” She thought about it a moment and gave a firm nod. “All right, Ms. Vale, I’ve never done it this way as I didn’t know that was an option, but let’s try it. Let me know when you’re ready.”

  I took in and let out a long, slow breath before mentally getting myself into place. I nodded when I was ready, and I felt magic around my mind, but it wasn’t as brutal as that council aide. She was good though, knocking on one area but then trying to lift my shield on another side.

  “You don’t know how to fight back,” she muttered.

  “Yeah, I could kick your ass,” I grumbled.

  “Mentally,” she chuckled. “Okay, that gives me a starting line how to help you as you’re a target, but fighting back is normally the start of Mental Shielding 201. However, you’re not going to have the normal classes and curriculum.
”

  I realized almost too late that while she’d been talking, she’d been also pushing harder. I quickly threw up more metal plating in her way but she’d gotten a peek before I shut her out.

  “Well done,” she praised. “You might not be able to fight back but your shielding strength is phenomenal to add layers on the fly like that.”

  “You still got a glimpse,” I panted, my eyes flying open when she pulled back and regretting that instantly as the lights hurt. “Ouch.”

  “Yes, sorry, but I am dean and a very powerful witch,” she chuckled. “You’re jealous of someone. That’s all I know. You closed the gap and cut off my progression as you did. That’s advanced.”

  “I didn’t realize what you were doing. It was so subtle.”

  “I find it more effective that way,” she explained. “Who could you possibly be jealous of?”

  “Mel,” I answered, thinking it only fair given she’d won. I shrugged when I felt her questioning gaze, opening my eyes to meet hers. “People love her. Everyone always loves her. She had a great childhood with a loving family even if things got messed up—she even says that. But people… She’s the life of the party and I was always the one standing off to the side out of place.

  “She’s confident and knows who she is, and I was an abandoned orphan who thought she was a freak with powers. I had the cool dyed red hair that was really natural and her sidekick that most forgot about. So yeah, I’m wanted now that I’m powerful and have money, but when we were both nobodies, nobody ever picked me over Mel and I could always see why.”

  Professor White swallowed loudly and shot a glance to the class. “And that wasn’t your deepest and darkest secret?”

  “No, not even close,” I chuckled darkly. “It’s one I didn’t want people to know and would fight to protect but—there are things people even here know about that I don’t need brought to the surface. You fight in sparring because it’s how you learn, but getting a beat-down doesn’t teach you anything.”