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“I’m of two minds here, Archer.” A faint smile. “On the one hand, academic integrity is of unassailable importance to this institution, and to me personally. I cannot abide the prospect of extending special treatment to a student because of the wealth and privilege held by their family.” Archer waited for the other shoe to drop, hiding his impatience. There’d be time for handwringing about the injustices of the world later. Was the Dean going to let him stay or not? “On the other hand, I know how difficult it is to live in that shadow, Archer.”
He blinked, thrown by this sudden new direction in the conversation. “What do you mean?”
“I can only imagine the consequences of bringing this kind of news to your father,” the Dean said. That was genuine concern on his face. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the kind of force he uses on subordinates who disappoint or displease him. I’ve heard his account of the relationship between you, and I know him well enough to fill in the gaps. It would be downright unsafe to send you home with this news.”
Archer felt like the solid ground beneath him had disappeared, as though he was standing on thin air and waiting for gravity to catch up. “He’s not that bad,” he heard himself saying, his voice oddly hollow. It was a lie, and they both knew it. The Dean only nodded.
“Perhaps. At any rate… I’ve discussed the matter with your teachers, at length. They agree that your work doesn’t show a lack of promise, only a lack of dedication. And I’ve talked them into allowing you a chance to prove that that lack can be overcome, if you’re interested.”
Archer was still thinking about his father, about what the Dean had said about the way he treated subordinates who displeased him. Subordinates. That was it, wasn’t it? His whole life, his father had treated him like just another employee. Someone who, at the end of the day, could be replaced if it came to that. That was the source of his discomfort with the old man, his unease… the knowledge that being kicked out for good was always on the table.
“Archer?”
“Yes,” he said quickly, shaking his head to clear it. “Yes, sir, I’ll do anything. Whatever it takes.”
“It will involve remaining here at the university during the break,” the Dean said softly. “It will be quiet, but as you know, the university is never left completely uninhabited. Each of your teachers will arrange an intensive program of study to make up for what your results demonstrated you missed during the term. Professor Rowton has agreed to supervise you during this time.”
“He’s staying?” Archer was a little surprised. He’d imagined the quirky professor would have all kinds of mischief planned for the break.
“Oh, yes. Without professor Rowton, the volcanic magma that lies beneath our feet… well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be there any longer, and neither would we.” The Dean smiled faintly. “But outside of those duties, he’ll have plenty of time to assist you in your studies. If you demonstrate the commitment to your studies that your teachers agree you’re capable of, I’ve agreed to allow your grades to be amended to reflect this. If you apply yourself, you should be able to secure a passing grade and be at the necessary level to embark on your second term of study.” The Dean hesitated for just a moment. “For my part, I will ensure discretion regarding your father’s knowledge of the situation. If he enquires after your grades, I’ll maintain your confidentiality. And when it comes to advising him of why you’re remaining at the school over the break, I’ll leave that to you. But if you advise me of the details, I’ll ensure that your story isn’t contradicted by any official communications from the university.”
Archer nodded in agreement, accepting the thick bundles of paper that the Dean was handing him one by one. He knew the Dean was doing a lot for him, and he tried to make his gratitude clear… but this all still felt like being handed a horrible prize in recognition of his absolute failure as a person. Two weeks of intensive study, almost completely alone on this stupid island, while all of his friends went home to celebrate a successful term and spend time with their families… what an utterly miserable prospect.
Still, he had to admit that it sounded a lot better than bringing news of his failure home to his father.
Chapter 15 - Morgan
Morgan must have slept a solid twelve hours after her final exam. She’d walked out of the Great Hall with shaking legs and an aching hand that had gripped her pen far too tightly… but even then, she’d known her hard work had paid off. The questions had been difficult, of course, but there had been no surprises. Her diligent preparation had paid off. And with the weight of the exams finally off her shoulders, she’d simply fallen into bed in the early evening and slept right through until the following morning… just in time to join her roommates for a group trip to check their results. They’d all agreed to go together when results were posted for moral support. Morgan squeezed her friends’ hands as they approached the board, but quietly, she knew that she’d be happy with the result she saw. Sure enough, she’d passed with flying colors… and so, it seemed, had her friends, who broke into a chorus of delighted screams when they found their names on the list.
“We’re celebrating tonight,” Keli declared firmly. “This is not up for debate. Dresses, dancing, more drinking than is sensible.”
“Okay, but make sure you drink plenty of water, too,” Alina put in softly. “Inter-insularly travel with a hangover? I don’t recommend it.”
They traipsed back to their dorm after that, and the relief was palpable as the four of them started packing up their things for the break. Everyone was going home for the two-week break, and as much as Morgan had been looking forward to seeing her family again and easing the homesickness that had never quite left her, she realized as she packed up her things that she was going to miss this place while she was gone, too. That didn’t seem fair, she thought crossly, a faint smile on her face. Calling two places home meant you’d be homesick no matter where you were. Still, she reflected, it was an acceptable price to pay.
By late afternoon, she was all packed—with the exception of the dress hanging neatly on the back of her door. After she’d borrowed it for that first party, Keli had made a gift of it to her, insisting that it had clearly been destined for her all along. Would it be gauche to wear the same thing to two parties in a row, she wondered? She didn’t care. It was one of the most touching gifts she’d ever received, and besides, Keli was right… the dress looked great on her.
“Look at you,” Keli said, shaking her head with a broad smile on her pretty face. “That jerk’s gonna rue the day.”
“Looking good is the best revenge,” Alina agreed, not looking up from where she was carefully combing her long hair in the mirror. “Sorry. I know he’s a forbidden subject.”
“No, I can lift the moratorium for the purpose of spite,” Morgan said with a smile. Still, she couldn’t help but feel her heart sink. She’d managed to avoid thinking about Archer all afternoon, more or less, which was a new record. To avoid brooding about him, she’d thrown herself into exam study so hard that she’d nearly exhausted herself completely. “I should thank him, really. He’s part of the reason I did so well on my exams.”
“Success isalsothe best revenge,” Keli said with a grin. “But you did well on your exams because you’re brilliant, Morgan. And talented, and hardworking, and a genius. I’m not letting him get any credit for you at all.”
It felt good to have her friends with her. As they walked through the warm evening air towards the now-familiar thumping of the music down on the beach, the warmth of their laughter and chatter was almost enough to put aside her unease at the prospect of seeing Archer at this party. He was bound to be there… he’d become somewhat infamous for his role in planning these parties. Even the teaching staff seemed to approve of them. Morgan had wondered why, at first. Surely teaching professionals would want to discourage their students from drinking irresponsibly? That being said, she’d never seen anyone actually get that drunk at these parties. The alcohol was there for people to blow off steam if they wanted to, but most people seemed to stop short of the danger zone. It had something to do with Archer’s little fan club, she’d heard. He’d instructed them to be on the lookout for anyone who was overdoing it, somehow managing to curate not only the vibe of the event but even the culture of alcohol consumption. It was fascinating… and frustrating, too, that someone with such impressive people skills had been so needlessly cruel to her. It simply left no other explanation but cruelty.
Not tonight, she told herself, taking a deep breath and trying to release that thought. She wasn’t going to brood about how badly he’d wronged her tonight. Tonight was about celebrating the success of the term, and saying goodbye to friends she wouldn’t be seeing for a while. Two weeks was a long time to be away from people you’d gotten used to seeing every day.
The music was loud, the lights were bright, and the bar was well-stocked as always. Morgan noticed that a food table had been added, well-supplied with finger food and platters of tropical fruit, stuff that was easy to grab and snack on. Something had been done to the sand, too—it felt easier to walk on somehow, as though it had been compacted by some great force. How had they managed that? One of the Earth magic specialists, maybe? She wondered if Archer had put as much effort into his exam revision as he had into the evolution of these parties… and then she told herself, for the tenth time in as many minutes, to stop thinking about him.
After all, the dance floor was calling.
The next few hours passed in a dizzy whirl of music and laughter. She danced with her housemates, with her friends from her various classes, and even briefly with Callan, who swung her around in celebration when she shouted over the music that she’d done well on her exams. Morgan couldn’t believe she’d ever been too shy to dance. It was so much fun, letting the music move your body like this, with the warm night air and the light of the full moon beaming down… it reminded her a little of flying, the tingle of magic close to the surface of her skin. The memory of the last time she’d been flying rose unbidden to her mind, and she forced it down, trying not to remember the feeling of Archer’s lips against hers…
And then, as if on cue, she saw him. He was on the far side of the dance floor, and his usually thick, bouncing golden curls were lank around his face—his whole body, in fact, was dripping wet. Had he been swimming fully clothed? She wasn’t the only one who was looking at him, she realized, nor was she the only one who could tell something was wrong… but the uneasy looks on the faces of the people around her faded when Archer fixed a broad grin to his face and joined the dancing crowd, pumping his fist and roaring an instruction to turn the music up.
Had he seen her, she wondered? His eyes had passed over the crowd, but they hadn’t seemed focused. Archer in general didn’t seem focused, she realized. What he seemed was drunk out of his mind. His usually graceful movements were clumsy and exaggerated, and she saw him stumble and nearly fall several times, only caught by the dense crowd on the dance floor, who were more than happy to hold him up. A grim curiosity rose in her, and before she could remind herself that Archer was none of her business anymore, Morgan let her eyes unfocus, inviting the tingle of magic that always accompanied her aura glimpses.
