Page 87 of Self Studies
“You and Ram?” Ghalen asked.
I blanched. “No. We have the same advisor. I guess he’s Advisor Crowe’s assistant or something.”
Ghalen clicked his tongue. “Or something’s a good word for it. Don’t take his shit. I should’ve stepped in sooner.”
“Ram’s a piece of work,” Tanwyn added. “Let me know if you need help with him.”
Ghalen cocked his head to the side and eyed Tanwyn.
I didn’t know how to respond to either of them, so I focused on my boiling potion.
“Ghalen, for decency’s sake, put a shirt on!” Alchemist Blickenstaff yelled from across the room. “Aphrodite; focus on your assigned task. Your personal drama can wait. I can see your potions simmering from here. Begin replicating the runes for your living stone.”
Tanwyn turned to me with one eyebrow raised. “Living stone?”
I straightened a little, a smile tugging on my face. “I’m not sure what to call it. Stone vines, hot box, rock igloo, it’s not actually living stone. Ah, something I came up with.”
Tanwyn smiled. “Sounds interesting.”
Neither of the two mages had backed off like they’d asked Ram to do. I shifted uncomfortably.
“It’s a story, anyway,” Ghalen said. “Probably a good one too. How ‘bout you skip your solo table and sit with me and my girls for dinner?”
I flushed.
Tanwyn grinned at me. “I usually eat alone, but you’ve got an invite at mine as well.” He pulled a red rose out of nowhere and held it out for me.
My jaw dropped, and my heart fluttered.
“Show off,” Ghalen said. He bumped my shoulder again. “Whatever, I’m excited to see who’s table you pick first."
Alchemist Blickenstaff sauntered up to my workstation and rapped her surprisingly strong fist against the thick wood. “Aphrodite! If you cannot focus and follow my directions, then what little hope I’ve managed to find in the bleakness of your initial insubordination will wither and die. Do not try me.”
Tanwyn gently placed his rose across my tablet, and the two mages left me to my work.
I blinked at the rose before picking it up and smelling it. The world had turned on its head.
* * *
“Jesus, Mercedes is on a rampage today,” Roisin said, scuffing the dirt ground with her trainer.
I moved the bag of peas away from my swollen ear. At least GS felt normal.
We sat outside a giant rectangle drawn in the dirt with thick white chalk.
Today, I’d learned both how to play dodgeball and how much I hated it. My terror of rubber balls had me running in circles until Mercedes finally nailed me in the head, or the ear, to be more specific. She’d put so much power behind it, I’d fallen on my ass. However, the fall ended the rubber ball's reign of terror. So maybe I should thank her.
I put the peas back on my ear. “How does this game teach us to work together?”
“It doesn’t,” Roisin scowled. “But,” Her lips quirked up into a mischievous grin. “A bag of peas. Let’s see. It has to be someone powerful enough they can keep things frozen in their dimensional pocket.” She started ticking off her fingers. “Rumor has it Tanwyn walked you to GS, even though he’s not shown interest in anyone since I’ve been here. Beryl’s been attached to your hip even before Aptitudes. And let’s not talk about the multitude of rumors about you and Saffron. Probably the biggest reason Mercedes hates you.”
I studied the random scattering of small rocks in the dirt. “Saffron hates me, and the peas are from Coach Robin. She’s only human and has a freezer full of them in her office. I’d no idea healing magic was as complicated and rare as it is.”
Roisin sighed dramatically. “Sandy’s going to be so disappointed.”
I wrinkled my nose as Saffron, back-to-back with Mercedes, came into my view. The latter chucked a ball at Tanwyn, who jumped and rolled, coming up with a projectile in one smooth motion. The tattoos on his arms blurred as he hit a fellow student on the hip with a rubber ball of hate.
Professor Garnet’s request I join a harem echoed in my mind. After today, I wasn’t sure I needed to. I felt like I might be making friends.