Page 79 of Class Studies
The thin lizard of a woman, who got more complicated every day, sat at her desk, forking an entire pie into her mouth. She’d pushed the first two rows of tables back, clearing ample space on the floor.
“You’re late,” Tederwinkle snapped.
I jumped in surprise, not noticing him leaning against the same wall as the door.
Abe snorted, making me flush. I bit my lower lip. This was not how I wanted the evening to start.
Tederwinkle pointed at a box. “I took the liberty of gathering your supplies from your tower.”
I looked at the familiar cardboard in confusion. Only Ashe and I had keys to my room, well, maybe Beryl now, too. “Ah, you did what?”
Tederwinkle grinned. “As your official judge, I have access to your room.”
I clenched my jaw. Director Flemmings gave a strange man access to my life?
A small smile quirked Tederwinkle’s mouth. “Alchemist Blickenstaff was kind enough to share your plans.”
I glared at Abe, but she wasn’t looking at me. Her angry lizard-like gaze rested on Tederwinkle.
He pointed at my stuff again. “Don’t worry. Your tower was empty, and I only took what I thought you needed.”
My eye twitched. He’d been alone in there, looking through my life. He could’ve messed with the potion I left to simmer! My blood cooled. It wasn’t only my workstation; it was everything. My clothing, my master’s journals, the stuff my boyfriends left in our space.
He invaded my life.
I thought Officer Keres looking through my phone felt bad, but this. I hadn’t done anything wrong this time. Wrapping my arms around myself, I dropped my gaze to the floor.
“Three men are a lot to handle,” Tederwinkle said suggestively. “I’m surprised you still need a dildo by the side of your bed.”
Heat flared to my face. I balled my fists, badly wanting to make a Bead of Will to shut him up. At least Officer Keres gave me my phone back without a word and never brought it up again.
“That’s enough, Teddy,” Abe spat. “Let the girl do her spell.”
Abe’s voice jolted me back to reality. I was here for a reason.
Pushing past my anger, I skirted around the recruiter and went to the box. The bowl with both my stuffed turtle and the live turtle sat at the top. My sock looked undisturbed from where it hid my dragon scale. He grabbed every potion in my room, and the book of Damon’s I’d left open on my workstation. He must have been in a hurry, though he still had time to poke around my bed. Red filled my vision, and my magic rushed toward my fingertips.
I didn’t have to put up with this.
Tederwinkle pushed off the wall. “Your time here is limited. Do you have everything?”
I flexed my fingers. “Yes.” Two deep, calming breaths controlled my anger. Turtle first. Once I could dump my magic into him, I could do whatever I wanted to Tederwinkle without hurting the men in my life.
I studied the stone floor that would be my canvas. I’d just lied about having everything. “I need some chalk.”
Abe walked toward me, a thin white stick already in her fingers.
I took it. “Alchemist Blickenstaff, could you charge my potions while I draw the runes?”
She scowled but took the two glass jars I handed her with a sigh.
Turning back to my supplies, I pulled the silver chain out of the little jewelry box and draped it on the dark stone floor in a straight line. Next, I put the bowl on one side and began drawing. I lost track of time as I layered my runes precisely. When I got to the final layer, I hesitated.
The original design was for an Internal Rimmed Mage, desperate for his magic to do more. This final drawing would define my magic, guaranteeing the spell only affected me.
I couldn’t use the same pattern.
Absently I fingered my socket, thinking of the drawings I’d seen in Brian the Bold’s book. Something clicked, and I carefully added a final rune.