Page 41 of The Art of Exiley

“Journey Vanguard,” the professor responds firmly, “that was an instruction, not a request.”

Rafe continues his work, unfazed. “I’m sure you can find someone else to assist the recruit.” The saccharine way he says “recruit” makes it clear he wishes to say something else entirely.

“In that case,” the professor counters harshly, “I’m sure the Bioscience hoverjoust team won’t be needing your assistance either.”

Rafe snaps his spoon—which is ostentatiously gold—shut and looks up. His face remains neutral. “That’s ridiculous. I’m not an apprentice to be scolded.”

“The choice is yours, Journey Vanguard.”

He stares her down but doesn’t object again.

Master Hayyan turns to me and says, “Why don’t you start by making homing pigeons. They’re simple golems, and an excellent form of practice.”

As Master Hayyan walks away, the tall girl smiles at me. “My name is Mbali.” She has a strong, melodious accent. “Sorry about him.” She rolls her eyes at Rafe.

There is clear camaraderie and affection between them that makes me wonder if they’re more than friends. She’s not the same girl who was clinging to him in the cafeteria earlier, but something tells me that a lot of girls cling to Rafe.

“Fie on this!” Rafe sneers. “Just because Avant’s Sire curriculum is more advanced than Genesis’s shouldn’t mean we have to waste our time catching her up.” He ends his rant by walking away.

“Don’t worry,” Mbali says. “I’ll help you.” She gives a brief explanation of the experimentation she’s doing with viper venom.

Rafe returns and drops a box of putty in front of me. “Here. Make some pigeons.”

I sink my hands into the putty and pull out a handful. It’s soft and pliable and immediately molds to the shape of my palm.

“What is this stuff?” I ask.

Rafe groans. “They sent her to the Sire lab without knowing the basics of the high materials?” He massages his temples. “I can’t believe this. I’m not a gravdamn nursemaid.”

More like a whiny baby. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not standing right here,” I say.

“Pardon me?” he asks in surprise.

“You’re not better than me, and the fact that I know nothing about the way things work here has already been established, so no need to keep harping on it,” I snap.

His eyebrows rise appraisingly, and Mbali stifles a smile.

Rafe draws himself taller and looks down his perfectly shaped nose at me, but before he lets fly whatever insult he has planned, Mbali gently pushes him aside.

“Down, boy,” she says, then patiently and graciously reviews all the guilds’ high materials with me as I take notes.

High Materials

Loam (Artisans): An easy-to-manipulate clay that is highly porous and sensitive to conductive Ha’i. Good for prototyping and simple golems.

Glace (Alchemists): Like glass but lighter and shatterproof. Nonporous. Easily melted down to reuse without creating any waste.

Sap (Bioscience): Biological healing compound. Main ingredient in patch paste.

Spidersilk (Ciphers): Synthetic fabric. Thin and lightweightbut virtually impenetrable. Used for ornithopter wings, military and athletic uniforms, etc.

Sense (Sophists): Coin-shaped… something about a neural network?? Used as money and basic brains for golems.

The concept of sense, the Sophists’ high material, trips me up.

“I thought sense was money?” I ask Mbali.

“The coins can be exchanged as currency, but they are also used as neural network power sources.”

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