Page 44 of Class Studies
Operation DUMP had to work. With a vessel for my magic, I wouldn’t rely so much on my Gentle Giant, and I could focus on finding a way to prove whether my magic was in someone or not. Then I could free all the MA from my spell so they could all go home and get back to their lives.
My Gentle Giant included.
* * *
I organized Abe’s supplies on my workstation, stacking up the extra unasked-for tubes of Abe’s Deltalab test. With classes starting in just a few minutes, I didn’t have time to do anything else. Ashe stood with the plates from breakfast he brought me and took them to the sink. I wouldn’t point it out, but I was sure the tidy mage also picked up mine and Beryl’s uniform from the night before.
He was way, way too good for me.
I pulled my focus away from my plans that would eventually put Ashe back on the right path and pulled out my phone.
Saffron didn’t have Beryl’s privacy app. So, Officer Keres and the administration would read anything I sent him.
I read over his last message again.
Saffron: Talk when we can. Mercedes and I are over, but it’s gotten complicated.
My gaze unfocused as I tried to figure out the right thing to message back.
A: Complicated’s OK. We’re figuring this out together. See you in potions class.
He didn’t text back before I found myself hurrying, tucked into Ashe’s side, to my first class of the day.
Ashe stopped outside the door. “I need to spend the morning going over some things.”
I mouthed the words ‘scales’ and ‘tracking.’
“You’re as fucking subtle as a rutting bull, A.” Ashe shook his head before kissing my cheek. “I’ll find you at lunch.”
Still frowning at his comparison, I slipped into the room and made my way to Derek and his friends.
“The Martial Art’s Coterie’s badass,” Derek said the moment I sat.
Unused to Derek swearing at all, I blinked a few times.
He made a punching motion with his fist. “I mean, for you too, once Mercedes stops picking on you.” Derek’s face darkened. “I hope she destroys Saffron. I can’t believe he’s gotten away with messing with Rimmed Mages for so long. It’s not right.”
I blinked again. “Didn’t you want to do this because of the MA?”
Derek straightened his shoulders. “It’s both. I know you still like the guy, but you need to get over him and his Golem. He’s worse news than Beryl now.”
I studied my friend as he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through Mêler. Derek had never told me what to do before. He was always full of advice and opinions but never judgment.
“The Martial Art’s Coterie is okay,” I said, returning us to a safer topic.
Derek brightened. “Maybe we can practice together. If you weren’t so bad, Mercedes would pay attention to you less.”
I gave my ‘friend’ a flat look. “Thanks, Derek.”
He blushed and immediately put his hands up. Before he could further insert his foot into his mouth, class began.
My vest-loving history teacher whacked the board with a stick. I focused on his notes, pushing past my unease. Derek would be fine. Like all of us, he was processing all the changes.
Morning classes went surprisingly smoothly.
I found myself in another awkward session with Doctor Roy, playing a card game on his laptop to pass the time. The moment lunch began, a knock sounded on the door, and Saffron’s resting bitch face appeared.
I raised an eyebrow. “Is cutting class a good look for you right now?”