Page 142 of Sorrow & Strangers

I lift my hand and summon my spell wheel. It glows faintly in front of me, and while it is nothing like the headmaster’s, it’s pleasing to the eye and much more populated than it was at the start of the year. It’s a sign of my progress, and I am proud of it.

“I’ve started training again, sir. With Max. Just as you asked. That’s why I was late,” I say. It’s only a partial lie, and I hope it lessens his irritation with me, if even a fraction.

He glances at me over his shoulder, his expression giving nothing away. “That is acceptable. Still, do not let it happen again. My schedule is more complex than Mr. Romulus’s. Your training with him must be scheduled to fit around your training with me. Not the other way around.”

“Yes, sir,” I say, relaxing a little when he doesn’t seem as angry.

He spins around, launching a flashing red Infernal rune at me. I manage to dodge it, and while I expected to be sore after my workout with Max, I actually find myself to be a little more nimble. My body feels warmed up and primed. I am sure I’ll be sore later, but for now, I can harness my skills to avoid being hit.

With every spell he throws at me, I can feel the complexity of the runes increasing, with more power behind each one. The headmaster pushes me relentlessly, and it doesn’t take long before I’m finding them difficult to dodge.

I’m not even at the stage where I’m supposed to be making countermoves. At the moment, we are focusing on evasion, but I am also feeling for the power so I will be able to identify it.

The headmaster sends another blast of power, and this one is so strong that he grunts as he hurls it. I try to dodge it, but it seems to follow me, and no matter how I move or what I try, it succeeds in slamming into me. I fly through the air only to land hard on the ground in a heap. Every single part of my body hurts, and I groan as I roll onto my back and carefully stretch my limbs, making sure everything still works.

The headmaster offers me his hand, and I look at it for a long moment before summoning the strength to lift my arm and take it.

“Better. Your work with Mr. Romulus is helping,” he says, pulling me to my feet.

“Thank you, sir,” I say, feeling my cheeks heat again.

“We’re done today,” he says, reopening the portal.

I drop my gaze and step through, not sure why I feel so disappointed. The headmaster follows behind me, the portal snapping closed behind him. I wait a moment, wondering if he’ll give me any more feedback or make another appointment, but he doesn’t. He just sits behind his desk and resumes his work, paying me no attention. Considering myself officially dismissed, I leave his office without saying another word and head home to change for class.

Alice comes into my room as I am fastening my skirt. I glance at her in the mirror as she collapses onto my bed, her body bouncing a couple of times on the mattress.

“Sum?” Alice says, tilting her head, her eyes on my neck. “You have the biggest hickey on your neck. Like . . . did you wrestle an octopus in training?”

“I walked into something,” I lie, slapping my hand over the bruise.

Alice snorts. “Okay, well, you smell like,” she inhales deeply, “the headmaster and the berserker.” She thinks for a moment. “If you’re fucking both of them at the same time, I need those details.”

“Alice,” I say, looking at her over my shoulder.

“What?”

I roll my eyes. “You know I’m training with both of them.”

“I didn’t realize you were training in the art of love bites. I’m hurt you didn’t come to me,” she quips, flashing her fangs.

I flip her off. “It’s from Max, okay?”

Alice huffs. “Boring.”

“Whatever. It was the last time.” Alice gives me a skeptical look, but I keep talking. “Anyway, more importantly, we need to try to convince Rafe to come to the gym with me tomorrow morning.”

Alice grimaces. “Rafe around people?”

“No. Just Max and me.”

“Still. Look at your arm.”

“That was my fault. He needs this,” I say, instinctively covering the bandage. Alice still looks unconvinced. “Al. I need you on my side if we’re going to manage this.”

Alice stares at me, and I can almost see her weighing the risks versus the rewards. “Okay. I’m with you,” she finally says, rolling off the bed.

I smile brightly and grab the new baby monitor I bought to replace the one Rafe made a point of crushing into tiny pieces. I shove it into my thigh sheath and arrange my skirt.