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“I know.” I say what I need to say to placate her. “But we both know that receiving my mission is inevitable. I want to do this, I need to do this, so that I can put everything behind me.”
We are headed to our dorms. As we reach the entryway to our dorms, Callista places a firm hand on my arm.
When I look at her – because I have avoided looking her in the eye for a long time – there is concern on her face.
I suppress a sigh.
“I just want you to think carefully before you make a decision that is life-altering. You’re good at what you do. You’re excellent at it. But what you want to do with the skills you’ve been taught here is dangerous. Just, please, think it through.”
Footsteps sound in the hallway before I can properly respond to her.
Callista pulls away from me. We turn to see that it is Sion, a young minotaur who acts as Sythar’s assistant and is terribly mistreated.
Sion has clearly been running and is out of breath. He is wheezing slightly and comes to a skidding stop in front of us.
“Salina.” I wait for him to catch his breath as he stutters my name. “The headmaster needs to s-see y-you. Right, right away.”
I know that my eyes have widened as I look at Callista. She does not try to hide the expression of worry on her face.
But she also gives me an encouraging pat on the back, and I go running.
Today is the day.
Today is the day.
Today is the day.
I am receiving my mission today. I am sure of it.
I do not slow down once as I run to Sythar’s office, and I am thankful for how fit training has made me, because unlike Sion, I am not out of breath at all.
I come to a stop outside Sythar’s office and straighten my oversized shirt and trousers. I run a hand through my hair to neaten the flyaway strands that are probably standing upright around my head before I knock on the door.
The voice behind the door is booming and imposing. “Enter!”
I roll my eyes at his theatrics and enter Sythar’s office. I close the door quietly and wait for him to instruct me to sit.
Sythar is quite strict about etiquette, and while I hated the mandatory etiquette classes that I attended for an entire year, I cannot deny that they have helped me a lot.
High society jobs are always so much easier when you know which fork to use,I think idly to myself as Sythar gestures widely at one of the chairs in front of his desk.
I sit down meekly and cross my legs. I keep my hands folded in my lap, and I ensure that my posture is perfect.
My throat is dry, I realize. I am bouncing my leg slightly, something that would drive Sythar crazy if he could see underneath the desk.
Iamanxious, and I know it is a blend of my impatience and my excitement at finally receiving the thing I have been working towards for what feels like years.
“You called for me, Headmaster?” My voice is soft and smooth and as sweet as if I were speaking to a mark.
Sythar looks at me through narrowed eyes and grunts. He is clearly unimpressed by the show I have put on for him.
My mouth widens into a smile and before I know it, both the minotaur and I are laughing.
“Thank you for seeing me,” he says once we have both gotten over the fit of laughter. “Now, I asked you here to discuss your mission. The one you requested of me a long time ago.”
“Yes.” I try not to jump out of my chair and dance around the room. “The Thuvrol mission.” I clarify so that I know we are on the same page.
“Yes,” he grunts the word. His eyes narrow again, and I lower my head to hide the fact that I am swallowing convulsively.
