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“You trust this place to organize a decent party?Thisplace? Nah, dude.” He shook his head firmly. “They showed us everything we needed to know the first night. As far as I’m concerned, I’m the one planning this thing.”
The guys whooped in support. Of course they did, he thought, feeling an uncharacteristic wave of irritation. He hadn’t evendoneanything yet. But he would. This would be the biggest party this place had ever seen. Everyone would be talking about it for years… including that stupid, stuck-up dragon from his astronomy class.
Chapter 5 - Morgan
Morgan was surprised by how quickly she felt at home at Brisant once her classes were underway. Having a schedule, homework tasks, assignments to work on and books to read… maybe it was the structure that helped her feel more settled, or maybe it was just the subject matter that was taking her mind off her homesickness. But whatever it was, she was feeling better and better with every passing day… even if she still was writing an essay-length letter back home every evening. It felt good to be able to reach out to her family, though she was already counting down the days until the mid-semester break at the end of term when she'd be able to head home for a couple of weeks to visit.
She already had so much to share with everyone back home. This place was an absolute revelation. Her classes were everything she’d hoped they’d be—intense, rich, and challenging to the point of being overwhelming sometimes. She’d picked up a couple of general academic subjects on history and society to start catching herself up on the world outside of The Valley, which took up the majority of her study time, especially with how much assumed knowledge she was missing. But her teachers were more than willing to suggest resources for background reading. She was surprised by how supportive they were. Some part of her had been expecting cold, foreboding academics in robes, scowling and shaking their heads with disappointment at her every mistake. But they were just regular dragons, in the end.
Well, most of them were, anyway.
She met her magic teacher the second week. The class had come strongly recommended by the Dean himself, who’d listened intently when she described the intuitive ability she’d always had to sense other people’s emotions. She’d expected it to take place in a classroom with other students, like her other classes… but she quickly learned that magic lessons worked a little differently from the study of history or science.
And so Morgan found herself standing on the beach one afternoon under a brooding, ominous sky. She hadn’t felt this anxious since the start of term. Professor Reine was an unassuming woman with gray hair swept up and pinned tightly against her head, with blue eyes so pale they were almost white. They’d met at the welcome party that first night, and Morgan had been surprised to learn that their classes together would be one on one. More surprised still to be invited down to the water’s edge like this. Elemental magic, she reminded herself, taking a steadying breath. Maybe they needed the water there, to… do magic on? She wasn’t sure.
“Well?” the professor asked, breaking a long, meditative silence that had made Morgan feel like she should be holding her breath.
“Yes, Professor?”
“What are we doing out here?”
Her first test. Morgan took a deep breath, forcing down her worry. Unlike her other classes, there had been no preparation assigned for this class, no introductory readings, not even a topic outline. “I’m guessing… getting in touch with nature?” The professor’s expression didn’t change, and Morgan felt her heart sink. “Is that wrong?”
“That depends. Are you getting in touch with nature?”
Morgan hesitated. The truth was, she’d been doing everything she could toavoidnature. The humidity had made her hair almost unmanageable ever since she’d arrived, the constant shifts in barometric pressure made her feel disoriented and cranky, and every time the volcano rumbled or the earth shifted beneath her feet, she felt panic lurch through her. But as she opened her mouth to attempt an explanation that didn’t make her sound like some spoiled princess, she felt a raindrop land right on the tip of her nose with a cold shock. Her mouth snapped shut with surprise, and professor Reine chuckled.
“Good answer.” The professor glanced up at the gathering clouds above them. “Enough for today, I think.”
Morgan blanched. “Professor?” They’d been there for barely five minutes. But the protest died on her lips as the slight woman raised an eyebrow, barely a quarter of an inch.
“Yes?”
“Is there… any homework?” she asked, feeling ridiculous. The professor smiled faintly.
“You’re doing enough for now, I think.”
And with that, she was gone. Morgan had never seen anybody shift so quickly—it was like the dragon was in the air before the human shape had even disappeared. Her jaw hanging open, Morgan watched the dragon above her swoop low over the ocean, her scales glinting against the roiling gray background of the distant Fog. For a moment, she thought the professor would simply keep flying until she disappeared into the gray… but without warning, she dove instead and disappeared beneath the roiling waves.
Morgan waited on the beach for a while, wondering whether this was some kind of test, but professor Reine didn’t reappear, and the rain was only getting worse. Eventually, she hastened back up the beach and back into the comforting warmth of the school, utterly mystified, terrified she’d failed some cryptic test… and yet, somehow, very much looking forward to class the following week.
What to do with her sudden free time, though? Feeling oddly guilty, she cast about for a suitable way to spend the time she’d set aside for magic class, coming up with nothing. Finally, she headed for the library with her astrology books under her arm. Their first assignment for the year was due the next day, and though she’d already put the finishing touches on her third and final draft the previous weekend, it couldn’t hurt to take another quick look at it, right?
The library staff already recognized her on sight, which was a little embarrassing so early in the term. So was the fact that she already had strong opinions on the best table in the place to work at. She’d done most of her homework here… she always felt self-conscious about staying for such long stretches in her room back at the dorm, acutely aware that her roommates were often chatting and socializing in the living area, but there was nobody to judge her for her solitude here in the library. Besides, there was something about the density of the silence here that was incredibly comforting. It made her think of the long hours she’d spent in the Palace Archives back home. That reminded her. She should really ask if a visit to the Brisant library could be arranged for Arric and Hartwell. If they could overcome their fear of leaving the shelter of home… well, this place would probably give one or both of them a heart attack, but they’d die happy.
With the querulous pair of Archivists on her mind, Morgan wondered for a moment if the argumentative voices she was hearing were a figment of her imagination. But no, she wasn’t imagining it. Someone was speaking to the librarian on duty in an increasingly frustrated tone, and she craned her neck, curious to find out who it was but unable to see around the bookshelf that was standing in the way. Whoever it was, they sounded upset.
“—why wouldn’t there be enough books for all the students enrolled? What kind of a place are you running here?”
“I’ll pass on your feedback.” Morgan recognized the librarian’s tone. This student would have better luck arguing with the volcano.
“And how’s that going to help me right now, exactly?”
“Perhaps you can find a classmate who placed their request earlier to share with.”
“I don’twantto share the—hey! Are you literally walking away from me right now? You are. You’re just going to—unbelievable. Unbelievable!”
Silence swallowed that final declaration, and Morgan hid a grin behind her hand. Her amusement only intensified when the mystery student stomped away from the front counter and came into view. His posture was dejected and his expression far from its usual cocky grin, but she’d recognize that distinctive mane of golden curls anywhere. Archer, the stuck-up jerk from her astronomy class she’d nearly come to blows with last week. The anger that stirred in her at that memory was quickly tempered, however, by something a lot more like pity. Alone as he was, with the bravado gone, he looked… well, he looked worried. She watched as he dropped his books onto a table, then slumped into a chair with his head in his hands. And before she knew what she was doing, she found herself walking across the library towards him. What was she doing? He was sitting at her least favorite table, the one that caught the draft from the front door every time a student came in or out…
