Ella looked down at her hand, wondering what she should do.
Mildly encouraged, Talwin continued. "I’ve loved you for so long, Ella." He reached forward and ran his fingers over a lock of blonde hair that had fallen loose.
Ella tensed.
"Please, say something?" Talwin said.
Ella removed her hand from his grasp. The look on Talwin’s face at that moment was devastating. He gulped. She felt terribly embarrassed for him, for seeing this window into his heart. For not being able to give him what he wanted.
"Talwin," Ella spoke slowly, softly. The way one speaks to a child. She wanted to choose her words carefully. "I care about you. You and Amber, you are both my friends. I… I’m still trying to discover who I am. What I want from life. At the moment all I know is that I want to become an enchantress. The best enchantress I can be."
There was a long pause. Talwin looked down at the ground. "Is it another?"
Ella sighed. "It’s no one, Talwin."
"Then why not me?"
She could see such hurt in his eyes. It would be hard to stop him from hating her for causing him such pain.
"You are my friend, my colleague, the one I study with and joke with about the teachers. You want to become an enchanter, don’t you?"
"Yes. Of course I do."
"That’s good. Talwin. You’ve been such a good friend to me. Please, don’t push me away."
"I’ll always be your friend, Ella." He looked up at her. "Are you sure..."
"I am sure. Talwin, I..."
Ella was cut off by the sound of a girl’s voice, screaming her name. She turned to see Amber, running towards her. Ella turned back to Talwin, in that moment catching what she thought was a tear in his eye. She looked quickly away, trying to give him time to compose himself. Without a word Talwin stood up and left.
Amber was obviously in trouble. Tears streamed down her face.
"Ella, oh it’s so awful!"
"What is it, Amber?"
Ella watched Talwin’s departing back. Did she say the right thing? He was so sweet-natured. She hated to have hurt him. Why couldn’t they just be friends?
"Oh, Ella," Amber threw herself down next to Ella and cried for a solid five minutes.
There was nothing Ella could do except hug her friend and murmur sweet platitudes.
Finally Amber pulled herself together. "My parents told me they’ve chosen someone for me to… to marry." Her voice choked at the last.
It wasn’t unusual for parents to choose a suitable husband for their daughter, depending on how old-fashioned the parents were. It was the only thing Ella could say she was glad about. No one would ever choose who she married!
"And...?"
"At first I was happy when they told me. They’d asked me what I wanted in a husband. I said I enjoyed the Academy, my friends here, the books, the learning. Spending time with you. Your brother." Amber started to choke again. "So they picked me a husband, here at the Academy. They listened to me, Ella!"
Amber broke down in sobs, sounding like she would drown in her own tears. Her face was red, her hair tangled and nose running. Some girls looked pretty and delicate when they cried. Amber was definitely not one of those girls.
"I don’t understand. They picked one of the students? Who was it? Warren? Borsen?"
Amber whispered something, as if to say it louder would make it all the more true.
"What? Amber, I can’t hear you."
"Master Samson," Amber said.
Ella pulled back in shock. "Did you just say Master Samson?"
"Y… Yes…!" Amber cried. Her sobs grew louder. She howled. The other students in the Court looked at Ella in consternation. Ella shook her head, patting Amber on the back.
Ella couldn’t believe Amber’s parents had chosen the dour teacher as a match for their beautiful young daughter. Amber was so vivacious, so friendly and open. How could anyone want to cage such a vibrant girl? She didn’t want to say it out loud, Amber was upset enough as it was, but he must be more than twice the girl’s age!
Her mouth set in a line, Ella determined to see what she could do. There was still a chance. Amber loved Miro, who obviously felt at least some affection for her. Miro would return soon. Ella would make everything right.
"When is the wedding planned?" Ella asked. How much time did she have?
~
THE first class of the next day was lore, taught by Master Goss. Usually attentive, Ella found herself distracted by the distraught young girl sitting next to her.
Master Goss’s voice droned. Ella didn’t even hear the words coming from his mouth.
"As Ella here knows, there is a limit, depending on the matrix and its purpose." Master Goss looked at her expectantly.
Ella looked up, "I’m sorry?"
"Essence, Ella, essence. Raj ichor. The cornerstone of our lore."
Ella was quick enough to recover. "The limit is proportional to the activation cost, more energy requires more essence."
Master Goss harrumphed. "Correct. Now, I’d like everyone to draw the rune for the colour green on their deskpad."