Page 43 of Self Studies

“I’ll see you at lunch, Mercy,” Saffron said, snapping me out of my musing. “Aphrodite, we’re already late.”

I huffed and tried to pick up my bag with one arm, but I couldn’t lift it. My quick inspection of the inside came up with nothing different from yesterday. Squatting down, I got the straps over my shoulders and drove up with my legs. It still felt too heavy, but it was on my back. Maybe I was weak from the healing potion; I’d never used one before. I had no idea what the side effects were.

“Aphy,” Saffron snapped, already moving. “Now.”

Mercedes, who’d been hiding a smirk behind one of her perfectly manicured hands, scowled at me. Her unhappiness made me unreasonably happy for some reason. I hurried after the grumpy Greek God.

Unlike the day before, he instructed me to grab something easy to eat. I shoved a breakfast burrito into my mouth while we walked. Focused on my food, I didn’t keep track of where we were until Saffron stopped outside one of the many thick wood doors.

To my surprise, he took a moment to look me over and settle the hood evenly where it rested on my shoulders. “Your class schedule is unorthodox.” He handed me a piece of paper. “This is Magus Terra’s class, Practical Magic Application.” He pressed two thick books into my hands. “You’re already behind. Magus Terra stresses discipline, including arriving to class early as he purposely makes it the first class of the day, so there are no excuses.”

My pulse quickened.

If I were a mage, like Professor Garnet believed, I wouldn’t have frozen yesterday. I shouldn’t even be in a Practical Magic Application class.

Saffron narrowed his eyes. His usual scowl softened slightly. One of his fingers lightly brushed under my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“You’re going to do great,” Saffron said. “Keith told me how fast you slipped into a mage-trance. I’ll be waiting for you, right here, when class is over. Like someone should have been your first day.”

I managed a nod, and Saffron removed his hand. His shoulders twitched like he wanted to move his arms but held them back. After an odd pause, he stepped away from me, his scowl deepening.

He opened the door a little too hard and marched into the room. With my hood pulled up, I followed him into a sea of judgmental gazes. I focused on the giant of a man at the front. Magus Terra towered over everything. At least seven feet tall, dramatic red robes draped around his fit form. They perfectly complimented the brown man-bun and braided beard trailing down his front.

“We received her schedule this morning,” Saffron lied to cover up my oversleeping.

He handed Magus Terra a paper; my pink slip stapled to it.

The Magus glanced over the note before waving dismissively to Saffron. He gestured to the rows of occupied desks. “Find a seat, Aphrodite.”

The door closed behind me with Saffron’s exit, and I turned towards the class. A few young adults my age sat scattered amongst the teens. One boy didn’t look more than twelve. Derek’s mad waving got my attention. The kid sitting at the desk next to him moved to the back, and I gratefully took his spot.

My bag cracked against the stone floor as I dropped it, drawing the attention of the class. Eyebrows went up, and a few people laughed. I tightened the strings of my hood.

“As I was saying,” Magus Terra continued drawing the class’s attention to himself. “Magic exists in three forms. Stolen, external, and internal. Although the sources of magic are different, the way we use magic is fundamentally the same, while being unique to each mage.”

I scrambled to get out my notebook, unbelievably grateful to see Derek opening the correct textbook for me.

“Derek.” I winced as Magus Terra called my friend’s name.

The color drained from his freckled face before he stood. “Yes, Magus Terra.”

The Magus caressed the sides of his beard. “Why are you at the Institute?”

Derek swallowed and glanced at me.

“Answer me now, or leave this class and do not return.”

Derek’s shoulders dropped. “I killed three people.”

My heart fell for my friend. I didn’t know his history, but it had to have been an accident, like Roisin.

“And how did you kill those people?” The Magus asked.

“I,” Derek stuttered. “I called down a lightning storm.”

I looked around the room, but no one reacted to Derek’s story. My peers played on their phones or took notes out of their textbooks like this was completely normal.

I took a calming breath.

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