The Wizard of Time (Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

“And each person can only accomplish one of them. So mages work together in teams of six.”
    “When do I begin?”
    “We will begin soon,” Ohin answered. “But there are introductions to make first.” He gestured with his hand to where Sema walked back across the yard with a man and a girl.
    “Oh,” Gabriel said. They probably made you wait forever to get to the good stuff. Just like all teachers.
    “Today you will meet the rest of the team,” Ohin said. “Tomorrow you will travel through time.”
    Gabriel smiled at the thought of that. Traveling through time. Just a few days after being dead. It could make your head whirl if you thought about it too much. So much new information. So many extraordinary facts. So many wonders. And all coming so quickly. He felt like he had no time to breathe between revelations. But he had no more time to think about it because Sema was waving as she walked up with the man and girl.
    Not a man and girl. While the one was a slender Hispanic girl, the other was an exceptionally tall Chinese woman. Not as tall as Ohin, but she stood at least six feet. Her long black hair was in a ponytail, which was why Gabriel has mistaken her gender at a distance. They wore the same white tunics Gabriel had seen most people in the castle wearing.
    “Hello again, Gabriel,” Sema said.
    “Hello,” Gabriel replied, smiling at Sema and the woman and girl.
    “My name is Teresa,” the girl said, extending her hand. She looked to be about fourteen, and was an inch or so taller than Gabriel. She had an oval face with a button nose and hazel brown eyes. He wondered what time she was from as he shook her hand. She had a powerful grip for a skinny teenage girl. The tall woman also extended her hand as she smiled.
    “Welcome to the team,” she said. “My name is Ling.” While Teresa possessed the gangly energy of a young colt, Ling seemed all fluid symmetry and grace, her height and slender build combining to give the impression of a tiger at rest. She had high cheekbones and an almost masculine chin. He thought she might be in her late thirties. As she bent down to meet his eyes, he noticed she wore a Taoist yin-yang symbol dangling from a necklace.
    “These are two more members of our team,” Sema said. “You’ll meet the others later today. Everyone plays a different, but essential role.”
     “Sema plays mother hen,” Teresa said.
    “Even to those of us who have been mothers ourselves,” Ling added, her eyes narrowing as she grimaced.
    “Well, you all need some mothering,” Sema said, standing a bit straighter. “Someone has to look after all of you.”
    “That’s supposed to be my job,” Ohin said.
    “Yes, but you’re too nice about it,” Sema said.
    “So Ohin is in charge of the, what did you call it, the Crimean Team?” Gabriel asked.
    “Chimera,” Ohin said with a frown as Teresa giggled. “It’s a Greek mythological creature with the heads of a lion, a goat, and a dragon. Each team chooses its name, as well as its leader. It is often the Time Mage, but not always.”
    “He doesn’t want to hear all the boring rules of team organization,” Teresa said. “He’s a boy. He wants to see some magic. Like this.” Teresa turned slightly to the side and raised her arms out before her, the palms of her hands facing the sky. In the blink of an eye, a lightning-blue ball of fire the size of a beach ball burst into existence above Teresa’s hands.
    Gabriel’s eyes went wide and Teresa gave him a mischievous grin. He knew it must be true, since he stood in a castle with dinosaurs outside its walls, but until that moment, he hadn’t been sure if he believed it. Now he believed. Magic was real.
     

Chapter 4: Making Magic
     
    “If you’re going to be a showoff,” Ohin said, “you should at least explain how it works.”
    “Right,” Teresa said as Gabriel blinked in wonder at the fireball floating before her. “First off, there are six kinds of magic.” As she