Milo tsked. “You’re excited. Bet you’ve even got a little countdown going on in your head.”
He whipped up to the front of Cerberus Guild and let one of the newer acolytes valet his car into the parking garage.
“Such an appropriate use of company resources.”
“Did you just call him a resource?” Milo gasped. “He’s a person, you know.”
“You treated him like a resource, parking your car. I was making commentary on how that wasn’t appropriate.”
“For shame.” Milo mockingly shook his head in disapproval.
“Oh, go fuck yourself.”
“Why would I do that when I’ve got you for that?” Milowiggled his eyebrows. “Speaking of…our morning is pretty clear until the interns show up. Wanna head up to my office for a little fun?”
“Pass,” I said. “I’m gonna wait here for the students.”
“Suit yourself.” He swaggered away, intentionally making his hips and ass all the more appealing with each step he took. “Don’t come crying to me this afternoon when you’re craving my cock.”
“Asshat.” I huffed.
Most enchanters, acolytes, and other employees went about their morning like it wasn’t any different from any other day. Granted, a few minds scrambled with a checklist of tasks to complete before the interns arrived, but no one waited as anxiously as I did. They’d all grown used to the yearly routine of gaining an intern or two and treated it more like a chore than an honor.
I found myself excited, eager, and on the edge of my seat. Which was why I decided to stand and wait. Milo kept his thoughts guarded, but I knew he had the guild master’s ear and knew who everyone had been assigned to. Part of me hoped I had a student I knew, someone I had taught. Another part of me was drowning in anxiety over the pressure of having an intern. I’d only just recently returned to guild life, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to ensure someone—or someones; I might’ve ended up with two or three interns—was ready for the industry.
Students began to trickle in at Cerberus Guild, small groups at first, all hesitant to be the first through the glass doors leading into the most prestigious company in all of Chicago.
It was amazing seeing my homeroom coven again, even from a distance. How they’d grown since their first day at Gemini Academy. Naturally, Kenzo was the first one through the frontdoors, and much to my surprise, he managed to drag two of his classmates with him.
Name: Kenzo Ito
Branch: Hex (Disruption)
Rankings didn’t matter much now that they’d landed their internships. But I hoped they’d continue improving this year, even students like Kenzo, who maintained top placement his entire time at the academy.
“Whoa, this is way bigger than my parents’ guild,” Gael said; the spikes lining his face helped frame his smile.
Name: Gael Martinez
Branch: Augmentation (Spikes)
I expected Gael to walk in alongside Kenzo since his bossy boyfriend tended to drag him everywhere for studying or training. But the bright smile and wide green eyes from Caleb as he strolled in on Kenzo’s other side was quite surprising.
Name: Caleb Huxley
Branch: N/A
I figured he would arrive on his first day with Katherine or literally any other classmate. But it seemed, despite Kenzo’s demanding rigor and brutal discipline over their summer training, he hadn’t run Caleb off. I nearly smiled, glossing through each of their surface thoughts and gleaning that they both held the memory of Kenzo’s apology close. Caleb considered it a breakthrough and a sign of rebuilding something. Kenzo only recalled his shortcomings and analyzed ways hecould improve upon a future apology, which he truly believed Caleb deserved. But right now, Kenzo believed the only thing Caleb deserved was beratement, and he went off about his sloppy form during their morning job, which happened to include the banishment of neighboring wisps.
That explained why Gael and Caleb’s pale faces were so flushed; they basically ran a half-marathon this morning at Kenzo’s insistence. The pair ignored Kenzo, nodding in unison as he explained where they each needed to improve for the future, especially if they wanted to stand out during their internships.
Since internships didn’t require students to wear their academy uniforms, the boys showed up in their own clothes, and much to my dismay, they wore workout gear. Nice workout clothing. Fine fabric tanks and name-brand joggers, but still gym clothes all the same. Not what I’d have recommended. Kenzo badgered Caleb that it didn’t matter what they wore, and apparently, Gael seconded it with his knowledge of how guild internships worked based on his family ties to Hydra Guild.
“Mr. Frost!” Gael waved, rushing past Kenzo and over to me.
“How are you—”
“I’m fantastic,” Gael blurted, his thoughts racing faster than I could track, and the words poured out almost as quickly. “It’s so great to see you. How’ve you been? I’ve got so much to tell you. Oh man, you wouldn’t believe who our new homeroom instructor is. Mrs. Whitehurst. She basically runs all the homeroom covens, though. I guess that’s part of her new job. Not like your new job, Mr. Frost. Oh, crap. Not mister. Sorry about that. It’s Enchanter Frost now, right? That’s so cool. What inspired you to get back into guild work? Did you know today’s our first day as interns? Bet you’ll be one of our enchanter mentors. Oh, that’ll be so cool. Think you’ll have one of us? Whowould it be? Who would you want it to be? I bet you’d wanna mentor—”
