Page 6 of Class Studies
I sat around an oval table in a large room next to Director Flemmings’ office with sixteen others. A few pictures of former directors lined the walls along with plaques, but otherwise, bare gray stone surrounded us.
Hours ago, Director Flemmings introduced everyone here as heads of their departments. Still, the only faces I looked to were the people I already knew: Doctor Roy, my psychiatrist, the Director, Nurse Norah, Officer Keres—standing with a hulk of an MA agent over his shoulder, and Professor Garnet, who represented all the teaching staff at the Institute. Before tonight, I hadn’t known the Institute needed things like IT and maintenance. The logistics required to keep this place running boggled my mind. I’d never been so happy not to have taken control of something in my entire life.
Ashe stood against the wall at my back, silent and still in his MA uniform. The sound of typing filled the space as Director Flemmings’ assistant notated everything we said into a laptop.
“In summary,” Director Flemmings said when the sound of clacking keys paused. “We’re putting the Institute on lockdown. Except for the situation between the Gibson and Howel families, which will be carefully policed by both the MA and our instructors, no one in or out of Charbon. The accused MA agents will remain in the cellar until they receive a fair trial.” Director Flemmings gestured to me. “We’ve permitted you to infect Officer Keres and his men a final time to guarantee their good behavior until we’ve come to a solution. Once you’ve given the order, you’re to stay far away from any of the MA. You will return to being a normal student. Your pink slip status is pending.”
Pink slip students were on their final chance. One more mistake, and they’d be executed. So far, I’d broken the rules and messed up more times than I could count, and I was still alive. If anything, I’d been rewarded with a private tower and security guard. Her threat barely registered.
“You’re still growing into your abilities.” Director Flemmings furrowed her eyebrows. “Now that we know what you’re capable of, the element of surprise is no longer on your side. Every MA agent has orders to shoot you on sight if even a glimmer of one of your crystal beads appears. The faculty and staff will be receiving a similar notice tonight.”
I swallowed and nodded. I wasn’t safe by any means. But this was a show, and we both knew it. With one command, I could force Officer Keres to call on his magic and obliterate everyone here. Maybe that’s why the good officer attending this meeting was unarmed. I didn’t recognize the MA agent standing behind him, but his arms were the size of tree trunks and looked like he’d have no trouble holding down his short, wiry superior.
“Furthermore, Aphrodite.” Director Flemmings pointed at the paper in front of me. “As you can see by your class schedule, you’ve been given three hours per day to focus on better understanding your magic and reversing its effects. After careful deliberation, we’ve decided Teddy Tederwinkle will supervise your new studies.”
I flicked my gaze to the short man in a brown suit sitting to Director Flemmings’ left. He pushed his thick mahogany framed glasses up his hooked nose and smiled at me.
Teddy Tederwinkle had been in Director Flemmings’ office when I’d come in and taken over. Tonight, he’d introduced himself as a recruiter for Global Tech, which I’d never heard of.
“I thank you for giving me a task, as I can’t leave.” Teddy Tederwinkle’s eyes twinkled. “I do not mean to imply unhappiness. This is a tricky situation. I appreciate such things. It will give me more time to interview prospects.” He tapped his chest. “I completely understand the need for a guaranteed, unafflicted individual, seeing as Aphrodite may have infected every person in this room.”
I shook my head and bit my lips shut. I didn’t know half the people in this room.
“Unless there’s anything else,” Director Flemmings said, looking around the table.
No one spoke up.
“Good.” She stood and pressed her fingertips into the table's smooth surface. “Doctor Roy and Professor Garnet, please stay behind to help me word our Mêler announcement to the students.” She looked at Tederwinkle. “Aphrodite, Teddy Tederwinkle will accompany you to the MA’s meeting in the Alchemy Lab. Please take the back way.” She arched one eyebrow. “It’s a miracle the student body doesn’t know about your involvement. I intend to keep it that way. You have your one order to give. Then you return to being just a student, given with a unique housing arrangement. Curfew’s no longer exists, though the MA will continue their work, making the Institute a safer place for students.”
I looked at Professor Garnet before dropping my gaze to the table. Although I focused on the MA agents who were now locked up, the rest had been doing their job. Cleaning up the institute, maybe even changing it for the better, as the professor wanted.
With the meeting over, administrators and staff leaned toward each other. Low voices filled the room. I picked up my folded schedule and pushed it into my pocket with my phone. Professor Garnet gave me an encouraging nod before Tederwinkle’s waving hand drew my attention.
“Aphrodite, it’s wonderful to meet you one-on-one, shall we?” He motioned toward the exit.
I led the recruiter through the back halls, Ashe following behind us. Although a few students gave us curious looks, I doubted they understood what they saw.
The big news was still Saffron’s Golem and Beryl’s ‘attempted MA coup.’ The rumors were all over the place. Saffron and Beryl teamed up to take down the MA. Beryl hijacked the Golem from Saffron to capture Mercedes and hold her ransom. My favorite was the one where Mercedes planned all of it herself, so people would stop talking about her break-up with Saffron.
“It’s extraordinary circumstances bringing us together,” Tederwinkle said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I wrinkled my nose. “Probably.”
We continued walking.
“You’re not one for talking much.”
“I am not.”
Tederwinkle chuckled. “The gift of controlling others through words, spoken or not, and you don’t like to talk.”
I studied the floor. “A loud mind is greater than a loud mouth.”
Tederwinkle side-eyed me. “A Matshona Dhliwayo quote. Do you enjoy philosophy?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t know I quoted a philosopher.”
“Did you not?” Tederwinkle eyed me. “That sounded like a quote to me.”