Page 61 of Self Studies

My heart thundered with fear that mixed with embarrassment and anger.

I limped to the buckets, ignoring the glob of hot and sticky blood that rolled down my left calf. The handles squealed as I picked them up. I shook under their weight. The water inside sloshed as I struggled to even walk.

A few people laughed as I wobbled to the door, letting it shut with a thud behind me. The buckets slid in my failing grip. I picked a spot off to the side and shuffled to it. Within seconds my entire body shook. I’d no idea holding something could be this hard. My left hand gave out first, and the weight hit the ground with a wet thud. I teetered before falling into the bucket on the right.

For a moment, I sat in the water, grateful to not be holding it. The sound that haunted my very existence drifted in the air as a random passing student took a picture.

Moments later, Magus Terra opened the door and looked me over. Scowling, he handed me a mop. “Clean this up, and then hold the buckets empty until the end of class. Imagination is nothing if you don’t have the strength and control to wield it. I’m disappointed, Aphrodite.”

I looked at the floor. “I will do better.”

But Magus Terra had already disappeared into his classroom. I wanted to throw something at his door. Instead, I cursed Beryl and Saffron for abandoning me, even though it wasn’t their fault.

I took a deep breath, held it, and released. I could do this. I had to.

My calf throbbed. Sitting on the floor, I removed one of my socks and tied it around the two puncture wounds leaking blood into my shoes. Whatever spell the kid used had been potent enough to attack my mind and body simultaneously. A hum of sexual tension made me worry there was more to it, but other than wet and humiliated, I didn’t feel any different.

I followed the patterns on the stone floor as I mopped. The braided rope magically absorbed everything. I marveled at how horrible and helpful magic could be at the same time. Although still heavy for me, I managed to hold onto the empty buckets without shaking. I lulled myself into a trance-like state to pass the time.

The honk of the bell made my heart jump out of my chest. Students burst into the hall, forcing me to squeeze against the wall until the flood of them left Illusions and Puzzles. I didn’t see Magus Terra as I retrieved my stuff from my desk at the back.

The top of my bookbag sat open. ‘Slut’ and some drawings of dicks now decorated the outside of it. I tried to pick it up and struggled again with its unnatural weight. I resigned myself to pulling it along and headed for my next class.

* * *

Butterflies filled my stomach as I pushed open the door to the alchemy lab I’d destroyed three days ago.

Alchemist Blicknestaff’s head snapped to me. “You’re late. And remove that god-awful damp hoodie. I can smell it from here.”

The sickly thin woman’s sharp face bore down on me – her callous threat to have me killed if I didn’t do exactly as told rang in my memory. I needed to pick my battles.

A glance around the room showed only one person at each large wood table. I dropped my bag strap and peeled off my hoodie. The cooler air felt good against my sweat and watermarked uniform.

“You look like a drowned rat.” Alchemist Blickenstaff rested her hands on her thin hips, rustling the gaudy material of her flapper dress. “Students wear uniforms for a reason. Show up to my class looking like this again, and I will report you as absent.” She jabbed one of her boney fingers at me. “You know what that means, pink slip.”

I nodded and pulled on my braid, just now noticing how messy it had gotten. Alchemist Bickerstaff’s scrutiny left me. As fast as I could manage, I dragged my bookbag to the closest unoccupied table, thankfully right in front of me.

Gingerly, I tested the stool for stability and temperature before taking a seat. Instead of potion-making supplies from the first day, I found calligraphy tools and various bits of paper arranged neatly in front of me.

I couldn’t stop myself from glancing at the wall my dragon’s foot had gone through. Someone had patched it, though it no longer matched up with the rest of the stone. Guilt ate at my stomach.

“Runes are pictures,” Alchemist Blickenstaff began her lecture. “Combinations of lines and curves until they’re charged with magic. Much like potions. Today, we’re going to continue our exploration of connected ninety-degree angles.”

Although I expected more harassment when nothing happened to me, I found my nerves settling. The tables had a few feet between them, and Advance Runes didn’t have many students. Maybe I’d be left alone for the next hour.

My arms shook with fatigue. I forced them to rebraid my hair in a simple french braid before attempting to straighten my uniform.

“Aphrodite, please come to the board and fill in the missing pieces of my rune.” Alchemist Blickenstaff’s request was sweet enough to rot my teeth.

I looked at the workstations in front of me. Matching books and a tablet covered the surface, but nothing was on or opened.

“Now, Aphrodite.”

I dragged my feet, studying the half-finished rune. It was the start of three different ones or many different theoretical ones. I’d have to guess. Based on Alchemist Blickentstaff’s smirk, she’d picked the hardest of the three to complete. The old-fashioned piece of chalk squeaked across the chalkboard as I carefully connected the right angle with three more in various directions.

Alchemist Blickenstaff frowned and narrowed her eyes. “Yes, well, at least we know you didn’t cheat on your placement tests. You’re the only person to have ever scored one hundred percent.”

I beamed. I didn’t think the placement tests were graded.