Page 35 of Class Studies

“Oswald, you’re excused for the evening,” Abe didn’t look up from the bubbling liquid on her desk. “Please have those assignments graded by tomorrow morning. And deliver the letter to Alice before you turn in for the evening.”

A pang of guilt cut through the adrenaline, making my heart race.

I still owed the librarian a hoodie. Shoving the feeling aside, I peered at Abe. Although she and Alice were both tall and thin, that’s where anything they could have in common ended. Down to the way they dressed. Abe wore tight flapper dresses and could kill someone with her glare, while Alice lived in swirls of light fabrics and colors. The librarian told me all she wanted was to be as kind to everyone as possible.

What could Abe want with Alice?

Oswald collected a stack of papers on Abe’s left before gently placing them in his dimensional pocket. Abe stirred her potion before tearing her attention away from it. With a flourish, she handed Oswald a thin wooden tube, which he also slid into his pocket. Without a word, he exited, closing the door softly behind him.

The sound of bubbling potions and the smell of too many herbs lay thick between us. Slowly, Abe took a chocolate kiss out of her pocket and popped it into her mouth. “I’m assuming an opportunity arose for you to come undetected, as you’re dressed for GS and have arrived unprepared.”

I nodded.

She wagged a knobby thing finger. “Though I’m sure you know you’re still on camera.”

I frowned. “Ah, the cameras are down, I think.”

Abe raised a slender eyebrow. “You think?”

I tugged on my braid. “I didn’t see the blinking lights.”

Abe’s face fell, and she shook her head. “There’s no blinking light. The administration started that rumor to get a new Aptitude reading.” She tsked. “You’re smarter than this.”

I flushed.

Abe flicked her fingers and leaned against her desk. “Don’t you have someone you can ask to see if the cameras are really out or not?”

We eyed each other, both with reasons to keep our lives private. Professor Garnet said the staff, as well as the students, used Beryl. I glanced at Abe’s illegal pantry, apparently so well hidden the MA hadn’t found it during their search. Slowly, I pulled out my phone and brought up my messages with Beryl.

Beryl the Boyfriend: A wizard’s company went bankrupt….

Beryl the Boyfriend: He had to let his staff go.

I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. Beryl had been so friendly today, but the MA watched his every move. The sapphire-eyed mage never lied to me or played games with my emotions. Not once. But he kept me at arm’s length. What was his staff? A dick joke, his black market, me?

My nerves scattered my thoughts. I had to focus.

A: are the cameras down right now?

My phone immediately chimed with his answer.

Beryl the Boyfriend: Yes, why?

I gritted my teeth at the word ‘why.’ He’d not answered a single one of my whys. I didn’t owe him any of my own. Besides, telling him would open up a can of lies I wanted to fix before admitting to them.

A: How can you tell if a witch is on a diet?

Beryl the Boyfriend: Her food is potion-controlled. I know all the punchlines ^_~

Beryl the Boyfriend: Does this mean you’re in the Alchemy Lab?

I groaned, wishing I’d picked a different joke in my attempt to infuriate him like he infuriated me.

Beryl the Boyfriend: Your phone is secure. No one’s reading these messages.

Beryl the Boyfriend: Why are you asking about the cameras?

Beryl the Boyfriend: Where are you?