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I frown. “We are not cohorts. Our employment contracts state that romantic relationships between employees in which one has direct or indirect authority over the other are strictly prohibited.”
Vega lets out a low chuckle. “Did you memorize your employment contract?”
“More or less,” I admit.
“And I am assuming you are not someone who breaks many rules?”
My heart is racing in my chest. “No, I prefer not to.”
V moves around the room, searching her boxes for something, before pulling out a small paper plate. She opens the mini-fridge and takes out another bright green cupcake, handing it to me. “Here. Then at least we can be friends? I still enjoy your company, even if only platonically.”
“That would be nice,” I say, though I don’t believe my own words. Can I handle being her friend? I have enough anxiety as it is. I’m going to be thinking of every little thing that could go wrong. What if I accidentally flirt? What if she flirts with me and I can’t handle it? What will people think if I turn bright red during a meeting? The unfortunate possibilities of this friendship are endless.
* * *
I sit on my porch, Dahlia on the chair beside me, and sip my warm tea. The taste of orange blossoms sits on my tongue, gently reminding me of V.
“How did Alitha react?” Dahlia asks, taking a handful of popcorn from out of the bowl.
“She swore she wouldn’t tell anyone and recommended that we discontinue contacting one another outside of employment.”
She smiles with her mouth full and waves a finger. “You’re not going to do that though, are you?”
I put down my tea, curling my legs up to my chest. “We have decided to remain friends, as that is not against university policy.”
“You told me she has magical fingers, and you think you two can remain friends?”
I laugh. “I mean, she does literally have magical fingers… she’s an orcling!”
“You’re an elfborn human! But that isnotwhat you meant by that and you know it. Don’t bullshit me, Watson.”
“Alright, Torres. It’s going to be hard, but I think it’ll be worth it. I really like her.”
She frowns. “I’m just worried you like her too much, and you’re going to get your feelings hurt. Have you texted your therapist?”
“No.”
“Not to sound like Alitha, but text your fucking therapist.”
I sigh, knowing she’s right. Simone will probably just tell me to stay away from V since it could risk my career, but I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt safer than how I felt in her arms on Saturday morning. She’s so comforting and kind… I want to be her friend, even if it costs me my sanity.
four
INDIGO
Augury University can best be describedas a series of massive jungle tree houses. There’s six tall camphor trees which form a wide-spaced courtyard in the center. Each one houses a different magical discipline and their respective classrooms and laboratories. Charms, potions, illusions, sight, naturalism, including both creature crafts and botanical crafts, and lastly the histories. As an adjunct, I teach an intro level history course, as well as a few lower-level charms courses. Luckily, those trees are right next to one another, which leaves my travel light. There is also a bent tree of some species I’m unfamiliar with where the school library is kept.
Kapok trees surround the camphors, reaching up to the skies, giving cover to the university below. As I walk through the courtyard to the Histories Tree, a charms assistant helps me onto the lift. There are wooden stairs and ladders for those who want the exercise, but for anyone disabled, elderly, or just not wanting the massive trek, the school employs charms mages to run a lift system, similar to major cities’ elevators.
Making my way inside the kapok, the bright morning sun high in the sky, I head down a platform until I cross the threshold into the conference room. Many professors have already taken their seats. Adeib Ali, a serpentine who heads our Botany Department, sits at the end of the table where we don’t have chairs. His tail slithers around Aura Nguyen’s wheelchair, and she smiles brightly at me as I sit next to Alitha. Aura is a cambion about ten years older than me, with bright red skin and leather-like wings. She uses a wheelchair from time to time, though when she’s feeling up to it, she’ll fly around campus bossing us all around. Aura is the Chair of the Sight Department and is friends with Alitha. One day, I’d like to consider her a friend too, but I’m scared of Adeib. Nothing seems to impress him or bring him joy. The people-pleaser in my heart cannot handle that.
Anxiety tells me that Aura’s going to hate me, but I assure myself that, logically, she’s warming up to me or she wouldn’t have smiled. Adeib, on the other hand, doesn’t smile at anyone. Nobody knows how old he is, besides Dean Archeron Bariel, and nobody asks either. Rumor has it he’s older than The Convergence, but that’s just speculation.
On the opposite side of Alitha and I, most of everyone else sits in a row, minus a few missing merfolk. I don’t know everyone’s names yet, but I’m slowly figuring it out. My other boss, Dr. Elara Lothiel, the four-hundred-plus-year-old Histories Chair, waves at me excitedly. I want to be her when I grow up. Elfborn and elflings don’t live as long as full-blooded elves, nobody really does, but a girl can dream.
“Hey, any word on what this meeting is about?” I ask, quietly adjusting my pencil skirt.
“Aura told me it was legislation updates, but who knows? I wonder if they’ll introduce any of the new staff members,” Alitha answers. She had her hair done over the weekend, micro box braids which fall down her thin frame, reaching the middle of her back. She wears a red long-sleeve jumpsuit that compliments her long, lean frame and deep brown skin.
