Page 29 of Cathmoir's Sons

Not very welcome, either.

I open the rest of my mail and answer emails before I head home to change into my one good suit. Academic armor.

Dean Quinn greets me at the door of the small conference room in Bodeman Main at the appointed time. She’s wearing full robes, as are the three other members of the committee, while The Mr. Black is in a gray pinstriped, three-piece suit.

I’m damn glad I went home to change.

Dean Quinn shakes my hand and gestures to a chair near the door. The committee and The Mr. Black take seats facing me. The chair is warm, like someone was just sitting in it, and I recognize a truth charm.

I didn’t plan on lying anyway.

Dean Quinn sits down across from me in a similar high-backed leather armchair. I doubt hers is spelled, although I’ve always known her to be fair and honest. Carver glowers at me from her right.

Carver was a year ahead of me at Bevvy but we were definitely not friends. He was part of the old money crowd. Connections. Patrician good looks. Entitled assholes. He and his friends bullied a girl in their year so badly she dropped out. He’s from a big-name New York mage family so, of course, nothing happened to him. But he washed out of the White Cloaks after just a year and I’ll admit I felt like justice had been served. It was a huge disappointment to find him back at Bevvy.

The three members of the committee are cyphers. One’s Professor Dittman, a former White Cloak and the chairman of the school’s magickal law enforcement department. He teaches a lot of battle magic seminars and I hear he’s a hard ass. Another is a Fire professor who I don’t know personally. The last committee member is Erasmus, the school’s ancient administrator who I’ve never heard speak, but when I transposed the numbers in my date of birth when I submitted my initial pay request, he sent itback to me with the date circled in red and a thorn hex on the paper.

I don’t expect a lot of sympathy out of any of them.

“Kellan,” Dean Quinn begins. “Do you know everyone?”

I nod because the Fire-mage’s name has just come back to me: Sarah Ratner. She taught at Bevvy when I was a student here, although I never took any of her classes.

“We’re here, of course, because of your report about involving three students in a conflict against an extra-planar entity in December,” she continues. “We’ve all read your report. Do you have anything to add to it?”

I shake my head.

“Very well,” Dean Quinn says. The corners of her mouth turn down and I wonder if I should have added something to my report. “The Mr. Black?”

Carver nods. “I’ve followed up with Rhodes Hale, the Cait princes, and their families. They were all very clear that no one blamed Professor Wyndham for leading the three students into the battle. Rhodes Hale was independently summoned. He credits Professor Wyndham with saving his life when he was attacked by a rogue family member. I think we’re all aware of the Hale family and its issues.”

He waits until everyone around the table nods.

“Kimberly Cavalo-Darling is of Niles Hale’s line and evidently shares his anti-fae agenda,” Carver continues. “Although I don’t quite understand the nuances of why she attacked her cousin, I understand it was part of the larger offensive by anti-fae forces who were seeking to destroy the ley line on which the Thistlemist Court sits and assassinate the Thistle Regent. Rhodes Hale was instrumental in countering this offensive. Professor Wyndham was not the only Bevington professor to fight in the battle and I think we’re all aware that Doctor Prince tragically lost her life there. I’m not inclined torecommend any disciplinary action against Professor Wyndham due to her accompanying Rhodes Hale into the battle.”

I stifle my sigh of relief because I feel a “but” coming.

“The Cait princes are another matter. Professor Wyndham reported a relationship with a student’s family member several months ago. The report doesn’t name the family member, but it does name the student: Lucas Cathmoir. Prince Lucas is also Professor Wyndham’s research assistant. During our interview, he spoke passionately and at length about the work they’re doing and his admiration for Professor Wyndham. Prince Lucas and his twin also have an unfortunate reputation for rash and violent behavior. This is excused by this administration on account of their heritage as Cait Sidhe.” The knots in Carver’s jaw show what he thinks of Dean Quinn’s leniency. “Given the depth of her involvement with Prince Lucas and his family, I believe that Professor Wyndham should have foreseen Prince Lucas following her into the battle. She should have contacted either his family or the crows to detain him.”

I look down at the table between us to keep from sneering at him. Has he ever been in a real fight? I didn’t have hours to prepare. From what I can remember, I had seconds. At best, I might have taken a moment to close the Court of Cold Mist behind me so Law and Luca couldn’t follow me, although I’m not convinced they wouldn’t have found another way through Faery, particularly given what I know now about Luca and Rhodes. There’s no way Luca would have let both of us go into battle without him.

And he and Law must have been doing some pretty tap dancing with The Mr. Black. How did they keep him from figuring out that it’s Law I’ve been seeing?

Dean Quinn sighs. “It’s at the request of their parents that we’ve treated the Cait princes like any other students. They declined special security. They haven’t been given any additionalprivileges. They’re both extremely good students. What’s more, they’re both legal adults. I don’t see what grounds the crows would have had to detain either Prince Luca or his twin. Doing so would have been directly contrary to their parents’ express wishes.”

“We wouldn’t let any student follow a teacher into a violent conflict,” The Mr. Black argues.

“The Cait princes are not court fae,” Professor Dittman interjects. “They’ll spend their lives fighting. I don’t see how this battle was any riskier than the many times they’ve left campus to take on the Mirk. From the report, Lawson Cathmoir was injured by a Mirk Rider he defeated. That is, frankly, hisjob. What’s more, I know Rhodes Hale well. He’s one of my best students. I helped him apply to the White Cloaks. He’s going to be inducted in June. I have absolutely no concerns about Rhodes as a White Cloak or in a combat situation. He’s ready.”

Carver’s cut jaw ripples like he’s grinding his teeth. A different kind of vibration shimmies through me at hearing that Rhodes already has a position with the White Cloaks after he graduates. Yet another thing he didn’t tell me.

“Then the school should reconsider the freedoms we allow the Cait princes. It’s unacceptable for students to be injured chasing around after a teacher,” Carver insists.

Professor Dittman shakes his head but doesn’t say anything further.

“I would like to hear from Professor Wyndham,” Professor Ratner pipes up. She’s probably Dean Quinn’s age, but she has none of the Dean’s charm. She looks withdrawn and somehow, ashy, in her gray suit and glamored blonde hair. “Professor Wyndham, did you have any reason to believe the Cait princes would follow you into the battle?”

I shake my head since it honestly never occurred to me. “I don’t even know how they knew about it.”

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