Page 93 of Class Studies
I cut into my blueberry pancake and let the taste dance in my mouth
I hadn’t spent a ton of time observing Tanwyn’s social life. But, if everyone knew he could summon massive bear-dogs who could bite their heads off, it didn’t surprise me he was a loner.
“The Director just called Tanwyn to her office,” Saffron said, looking up from his phone. “He’s in trouble for calling on his summons and leaving Vac out.”
I eyed the phone. “Group chat’s working then?”
Saffron grunted and kept reading. “Beryl’s found a new back door into the Institute's security again.” He scowled. “I’d no idea being good with technology would come in so handy.”
I smiled behind my bite of pancakes, enjoying Saffron’s love-hate relationship with the internal mage. A glimmer of hope that my guys could all like each other someday blossomed in my heart.
After breakfast, Vac’s massive claws scraped against the stone floor as he escorted us to my first class. The scowls and dirty looks we received for the last few days turned white and backed off. I squirmed, torn between enjoying their fear and wishing we could all get along.
“Do you think he will hang out with me or you today?” I asked Saffron, trying not to overthink my conflicting emotions.
Saffron grunted. “All my morning classes are with Beryl, now that he’s attending class again. And Ashe is off figuring out the locks to your room, so Vac better stay with you.”
I bobbed my head.
As Saffron predicted, when he left me at the door to history, Vac stayed close to my heels. The room was mostly full, and everyone backed away from me as I took my usual seat next to Derek. The massive bear-dog demon curled around my chair.
Derek’s usual smile fell, and he edged away from me. “Is that a dog?”
The joy I found in seeing the fear in my peers’ eyes vanished when I saw the same in Derek’s.
“Ah, it’s one of Tanwyn’s pets or summons or, I guess I don’t know what he is.”
Derek’s face twisted with hurt. “Tanwyn now too?”
I studied my young friend. “Yup.” I sighed. “Derek, I’m dating all of them. I’m not joining a bunch of girls to fawn over someone, and I’m not waiting around to see what my future holds; I’m making it.”
“You’re making it out of all the wrong people!” Derek thumped his desk. “Beryl’s got a negative aptitude score. Ashe’s job was to stalk you. Saffron’s probably an evil scientist, and now Tanwyn? He summons demons from hell.”
I blinked. “I thought hell wasn’t a real place.”
Derek spread out his hands. “Well, he summons them from somewhere, and it’s not Chicago.”
Vac’s lion tail wiggled.
I couldn’t argue with his logic.
“You should’ve been at Coterie.” Derek huffed. “Teddy was there, and he gave out invites to his reenactment. Cal got one! He said the rest of us looked very promising.”
So, Tederwinkle was Teddy now. I pulled on my braid. “Don’t you think it’s weird he’s reenacting the fight which defined the split between Natural Mages and Rimmed Mages, especially right now, with everything else going on?”
Derek scowled at me. “What, because it highlights that one of your boyfriends is a magical racist?”
I tensed but let it go. “Because the MA and Director Flemmings are trying to fix the Institute.” I peered at Derek. “It could get shut down, and Tederwinkle’s plan is counter to everything they’re doing.”
Derek screwed up his face and shrugged.
I let out a frustrated breath, reminding myself he was only thirteen. “I thought you were trying to keep your head down and focus on your Aptitudes.”
“I was.” Derek rubbed his stomach. “Until some MA agents beat me up because they could. One of them tripped me because they thought it would be funny. When I stood back up, they said I didn’t have permission and needed to be ‘put in my place.’”
I dropped my gaze, remembering the end of the incident. I’d been so mad at the MA.
“And the Aptitudes.” Derek hissed. “What a joke. The Institute's shining example of good was cheating on his harem and kidnapping Rimmed Mages for experiments. The system’s broken, if it ever worked at all. Deadeye died for nothing.”