I was appreciative for the new wardrobe, if only for the fact that it would help lessen the stigma of class that ran rampant in the halls. Some of us could certainly use the reminder that we were all supposed to be equals here.
Smiling inwardly at the groans coming from the side of the room that had been unofficially designated upper class, I quickly dressed and headed down to the dining commons. I was tired but anxious to finish at least a problem or two of mathematics over steaming porridge and a hot mug of tea.
When I arrived, Alex was already seated in our normal spot.
“How many problems do you have left?”
I sighed. “Too many.”
“Me too,” he contributed cheerfully. “What do you think will happen?”
I stared at the equations on my paper, willing them to make sense. “I hope we aren’t the only ones” was the only reply I could think of.
Unfortunately, as my brother and I learned, we were indeed the only ones to not complete the first day’s assignment. The rest of the class had either copied each other’s answers, or they had all better managed their time. Even Ruth, whom I thought had a couple equations left, managed to turn in a complete paper.
As punishment for our negligence, Alex and I were expected to spend two hours after supper assisting Constable Barrius’s staff with the mucking of the stables.
“But we didn’t have enough time to finish last night’s work! How am I supposed to finish today’s and clean the stables?”
“Miss Ryiah,” Master Eloise began slowly, squinting down at me, “if you can’t meet the Academy’s demands, then perhaps your time would be spent better elsewhere.”
Behind me I heard several students snicker.
My face burned. “Just because I didn’t ch—”
Alex kicked my shin, and I paused to glare at my brother. His eyes narrowed and I swallowed. His expression was clear. I was only making it harder on the both of us: Did I really want to drag him down with me?
“My apologies,” I mumbled to Master Eloise. “It will not happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.”
I followed Alex to our seats, avoiding the gaze of those I passed. When we had reached our desks and the masters had begun their lecture, I turned to him.
“Why did you stop me? You knew half the class cheated!”
“Do you really want to make enemies on your second day?” he countered.
“No…” I stared at my hands, frustrated.
“Besides,” Ella pointed out, joining our hushed conversation, “arguing with the masters will only strengthen their opinion that you should not be here in the first place. It’s your job to prove them wrong.”
“But how can I if I don’t have enough time to do what they ask in the first place?”
Ella raised a brow. “I think the only ones who know the answer to that are the ones that already have an apprenticeship.” She tapped her books with her quill, “Now pay attention, you two. I can’t have my only friends leaving me to fend for myself.”
After four hours in the library and the shortest lunch imaginable, Alex, Ella, and I headed for what was sure to be the worst part of our day: two hours with Sir Piers.
Expectations did not disappoint.
After another five-mile run, which was much worse now that everyone was sore from the day before, Sir Piers had us practice again with the staffs. Somehow he expected us to have significantly improved.
Instead, our exhaustion just led to more mistakes than the last session.
When I got down the line to Alex, he and I spent our five-minute drill barely moving in order to catch a quick break. When it was Ella’s turn, she spent the entire time trying to helpfully contribute tips that I neither wanted to hear nor heed.
Sir Piers spent the whole exercise shouting. I was convinced someone had told him the louder he yelled, the harder we’d try. It didn’t work.
Half the class was at the point of collapse by the time the second hour had finished. It was all I could do to walk my staff back to the armory.
“Just where do you lot think you are going?” Piers barked.
The crowd of students froze, and I turned back to see Sir Piers and Master Cedric scowling at us.
“Gods, no,” Alex said in a hushed voice.
“We are not finished,” Sir Piers bellowed. “I need all of you to return with your staffs. Master Cedric and I have a new exercise for you.”
My stomach fell. My legs were weak as jelly, and my arms felt like lead weights.
The assisting mages from yesterday returned, passing out small strips of cloth to each student they passed. Alex, Ella, and I each took one, exchanging dubious expressions as we lined back up in the two-columned formation we had been practicing in.