Page 5 of Elemental Affections

“The program I was supposed to joint-teach down at Sylveren. It needs to happen.”

“I agree. I remember your syllabus— Wait. You can’t be serious.”

“Who else?”

“Anyone!”

Garethe scoffed, ticking names off on his fingers as he spoke. “Jeron’s theking,so he’s out. I’m not allowed to undergo ‘strenuous travel’ for months. But you…” He wiggled a third finger.

“I don’t know a damned thing about—”

“You helped me structure the course!”

“About teaching,” Ezzyn said, gesturing violently with his hands. He winced as the still-tender skin on his forearm pulled at the bandage. “I don’t teach!”

“It’s a seminar, and you won’t be teaching it. You’ll be there to advise, maybe guest lecture about burning things,” Garethe replied, weariness stealing over his tone. “You’ve spent every waking moment for the last … I don’t know how many years, working on restoration spells.”

“With very little success. I’m needed here, Gaz.”

“No one knows the work better than you. I can’t hand this over to just anyone. I need your eyes, your experience. You’ll know what has the most merit to come here.”

“Am I expected to lead field trips?” Ezzyn said, appalled.

Garethe gave him a pointed look. “You’re expected to suss out if any of the projects would be particularly useful to our containment efforts and shepherd them along. We need the help.Yousuggested that there be a field opportunity here.”

Ezzyn rubbed a hand over his eyes. He agreed that there were benefits to having a focus track at the vaunted, self-governing school of magic in the Valley. Environmental restoration wasn’t a new track, but it had certainly gotten a flood of relevancy due to the war. Research conducted in that field could prove vastly beneficial to Rhell, and they couldn’t afford to let anything of use slip away. But his favorable stance had been founded on the idea of Garethe being part of the program. He loved teaching; Ezzyn had barely managed as a tutor. His method of pedagogy was to explain how he did a thing, and if the student failed to understand then they were all fucked, because Ezzyn only knew how to say it one way. He presumed teaching was like healing or legal services—essential skills that, happily, others could be compensated to provide.

“I wouldn’t be asking if I had another choice,” Garethe said quietly. “You know I wanted to be down there.”

“Sorry.” Ezzyn winced. He wasn’t entirely sure of the nature of his brother’s relationship with one of his colleagues at Sylveren, but he knew their distance from one another had been a sticking factor. “Does Rai know that you’re … delayed?”

“He does.” Garethe sighed. “Listen, Ez. You know how I called it a favor?”

Ezzyn groaned. “He didn’t.”

A third voice entered the conversation. “Royal decree.” Jeron, so tall his head nearly brushed the frame, stood in the doorway. “I hereby order you to go to Sylveren and fulfill Gaz’s role.”

Ezzyn made a face. “I notice that you left that part out on our ride back.” He glared at his brothers and their irritating grins. “Can I expect to be relieved at midwinter?”

“I very much hope that I can,” Garethe said in a sober tone, before his serious expression was broken by another grin.

Ezzyn buried his head in his hands.

“Oh, cheer up, you mopey ass.” Jeron clapped him on the shoulder. “You could use a rest. Use the time to do more research for your Magister Three if you’re worried about filling your time.”

“Term starts this month. It’s too late to submit—”

“Already taken care of,” Garethe said, sounding far too chipper for an unwell man.

Ezzyn’s growl was muffled by his palms. The Valley of Sylveren. He hadn’t been back in years. Couldn’t think of the place without thinking ofher.Of what could’ve been. Should have, if not for … gods all break. As if the memory of his mediocre stint as a magic tutor wasn’t enough to haunt him, now he was bringing it to Sylveren. Ana. The waste of her—of her talent and her affections.

Useless, old memories. Ezzyn pushed them away. Just as he’d pushedheraway so many years ago. He was going to spend the next few months cold and bored to shit.

Chapter 3

DearAnadaeHelm,

I’m writing to personally congratulate you on being selected as a recipient of the Vaadt Continuing Education Scholarship, and to welcome you to Sylveren University. You were chosen out of hundreds of candidates on the basis of your personal essay and aptitude tests, and I believe you will find a home here at Sylveren.

---