Page 5 of The Midnight Blizzard

“Ah, yes. About the records room…” Jack took a deep breath. “It’s off-limits to all but the most senior of staff here. I can’t promise that a copy of Cedric’s will would even be here, and with the balls, all the staff are busy. If you intend to press charges, there won’t be anyone to help with that until the balls are over.”

“How long would you say that will take?”

“A week. There are several balls and a feast, and…” Jack hesitated. “If you aren’t participating, you won’t be permitted to stay. The head steward has been very strict about that rule. He says he has enough to deal with at the moment.”

I bit my lip, staring at three stray hens that had perched themselves up in the rafters, far from the dogs’ sharp teeth. My stepmother would easily be able to forge a new will in that time and the deadline to renew the school’s license would expire by then. I couldn’t afford to wait any longer, and the longer these proceedings were drawn out, the longer my students went without an education. If I only had enough time to search for the records or find someone to talk to about funding… “Can I compete so I can stay, then drop out later?”

Jack held his hand up to his chest in feigned shock. “A damsel who doesn’t wish to wed a prince tells his advisor when said advisor is in charge of eliminating contestants?”

I grinned mischievously. “Eliminating innocent young girls? How do you ever expect to improve the public’s perception of mages if you go around killing anyone you dislike?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant.”

“Do I? I did only just meet you last night. For all I know, you could be one of those untrustworthy men that women are always warned about.”

Jack laughed. “I guess I’ve been called far worse. To answer your questions, yes, you can sign up and drop out later. All you have to do is prove that you’re a noblewoman and sign some forms stating that you understand competing does not guarantee marriage to the prince.”

My mouth twitched. “Can contestants be any age? I know plenty of eighty-year-old women who are nobles and very eligible. I’m sensing a lot of flaws already.”

“No eighty-year-old women as far as I know, and the prince does get to choose, you know. I can’t imagine that hewould be wildly attracted to any woman four times his age.”

“What sort of tests are in the competition?”

Jack’s white eyebrows jumped up on his forehead. “Oh, and now you expect me to divulge information and give you an unfair advantage over the other girls? You’ll have to rely on more than just your looks if you want to weasel that sort of information out of me.”

“I didn’t realize you had noticed my looks,” I told him with a shifty side glance.

Jack’s pale complexion did nothing to hide the intense flush that burned on his cheeks, which made his electric-blue eyes stand out even more in the early dawn. “Not that I—I mean, I wasn’t…if you think…”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I noticed your looks too,” I teased.

“Now see here,” Jack spluttered, hastily backing away from me into his pack of dogs, who all wound between his legs and brushed against his sides. “You can’t just go around saying things like that.”

“I don’t usually listen when someone tells me I can’t do things. There’s nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting.”

“There is when you’re flirting with a mage,” he answered solemnly. “And it isn’t you who would get in trouble for it.”

My heart sank as my heady recklessness faded, instantly replaced by regret. I’d been so swept away in the moment that I’d quite forgotten that there were still laws forbidding mages from entering into courtship with non-mages. Of course Jack would be wary of giving any appearances of flirting. He could lose his position or even be imprisoned for such an offense.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I…I didn’t think before I spoke.”

Jack’s jaw tightened. For several minutes, he busied himself with wiping down his sled. I couldn’t think of anything to say, nor could I find anything to do besides stand and awkwardly remember my foolish and hasty comments that might have alienated him before our friendship had done anything more than bud. My heart pounded, willing Jack to forgive me. It cast into reflection all the things I took for granted, like the ability to be courted by anyone. At least, I amended in my mind, Icould be courted by anyone other than a mage. Jack had no one. Of course, he could court another mage if he could find one, but when mages only accounted for maybe one birth in several hundred, finding a girl his age that he was compatible with was next to impossible. My school was tiny compared to others, with only a dozen mage pupils, and they ranged from five years old to eighteen.

After he finished wiping down his sled and got it propped against the wall, Jack relaxed slightly and the sparkle returned to his eye. “Judging by all your actions from today, I get the impression that not thinking before speaking might be common for you.”

“Only judging by my actions? Meaning that my fatherneversaid I was impulsive? It’s like he didn’t know me at all.”

His smile broadened. “Cedric did mention that a time or two.” He finished securing the ropes to hold the sled firmly in place before he turned to me. “You should enter. I’d be willing to help you look into the situation with your father’s will, and if you ended up with Prince Stephen, then you wouldn’t even need an inheritance. You would be able to open a hundred schools.”

“Will you have time to help me? Being an advisor, especially during the balls, must be demanding.”

“I’ll find the time.” Jack’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “I did know your father, after all.”

“You’re doing so much for me; what can I do for you? I don’t want you to think of me as a charity case.”

His lips pressed into a thin line. “I wouldn’t say no if you convinced the king to grant full rights to mages.”

“I would do that anyway. I could…I could give you an ice skating lesson or help you with your dogs.” I cast around for another idea, my eyes begging him to recognize my attempt at making up for putting him in an uncomfortable situation. Besides, if he didn’t accept any help from me after he had saved Kodiak from a wolf attack, gotten him medical care,andbrought me to the castle, I didn’t think I could ever ask for his help again. I already owed him too much.

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