Emory couldn’t fathom how Penelope might have found out, nor why she would have done such a thing. She’d been racking her brain to see if she’d slipped up at any point, if Penelope might have seen her with Baz, overheard their conversations about her magic. Penelope had still been fast asleep when Emory left her room earlier this morning—she couldn’t possibly have known she was at Dovermere.
The dean leaned back in her chair, a calculated look in her eye. “Obviously, you’ll need to be stripped of your New Moon identity and receive the mark of House Eclipse. Though whether or not you should be branded for hiding the true nature of your powers remains to be seen by the Regulators.” She shook her head, looking suddenly haggard. “You should have gone to them as soon as these powers started manifesting.”
Just then, a knock came at the door, and whoever it was didn’t wait before barging in.
“Dean Fulton,” Keiran said smoothly.
He looked dapper, dressed in a tweed suit that made him look older than he was. He held himself with such commanding power, Emory felt the knot of nerves in her stomach start to untangle, the last words he’d spoken through the mark washing over her with a sense of relief. Hang tight, Ains. I won’t let anything happen to you.
Faint annoyance lit the dean’s eyes. “Keiran. You can’t simply waltz in here however you please.”
“I only need a moment, if you’d allow it.” Keiran strode over to where Emory was sitting. “I’m here to plead Emory’s case.”
“I’m sure you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The hand he rested on the back of her chair was a small comfort, as if he were saying, I’ve got you, Ains. “I know she’s Eclipse-born, Sybille. I’ve known for a while.”
Though the dean didn’t bat an eye at his casual use of her first name—Emory was reminded that she’d taken Keiran on as her ward after his parents died—she seemed utterly taken aback by the revelation.
“And you never thought to share this knowledge with me?”
“She’s under the Order’s protection.”
The dean huffed. “Is she now.”
Emory’s pulse raced. Keiran was lying—the Order had told them they’d rescind any protection of her should she ever be found out. That he would be held responsible for her. She had to wonder how much the dean knew of the Order; Emory didn’t think she was part of it, didn’t remember seeing her at the lighthouse. But the dean seemed to know enough as she considered the thinly veiled threat beneath Keiran’s words.
A carefully contained storm brewed beneath the dean’s pinched face. “I’ve often turned a blind eye to what your Order does on this campus, Keiran, but you and Ms. Ainsleif have put this entire college at risk by keeping her magic a secret. If anything had happened—”
“Except nothing did happen. I’ve seen her use her magic. I can vouch that she’s taken every measure to ensure control over her power.”
The dean gaped at him in disbelief. “Your parents must be turning in their graves to see you defending such reckless behavior from one of them.”
Emory tried not to flinch at the unrestrained loathing that seeped into Fulton’s words. As dean, she was supposed to be impartial, but here was the truth of her at last, her tone giving away just how much she disliked and mistrusted the Eclipse-born.
Emory half expected Keiran to agree with her. The dean was right, after all. If Keiran had seen just how close she’d been to Collapsing in the caves… Would he still defend her so ardently, knowing she’d had no control?
But Keiran didn’t know, and so he only looked at Fulton with a complacent smile. “All the more reason to take my word for it.” A pause. Then: “The Order is willing to recompense the school greatly if this is kept under wraps.”
“Absolutely not. This needs to go to the Regulators. Ms. Ainsleif will be stripped of her New Moon tattoo and marked with the Eclipse sigil. There will be an inquiry—”
“And what do you think those conducting such an inquiry will say of the fact a Tidecaller was under your nose this entire time?” Keiran interjected. “They’ll say Aldryn College didn’t do its due diligence in testing its students for admission. They’ll interrogate every single professor who never saw the truth of her power. They’ll look into the drownings Emory is associated with and draw conclusions that would taint Aldryn’s reputation for years to come, and yours by association. They’ll gut this school alive, Sybille, unless you keep this secret contained to this very room and let the Order handle the mess for you. Your involvement will forever remain confidential. You have my word.”
A silent battle of wills took place between the two of them. Finally, the dean conceded: “This will require the utmost discretion. Ms. Ainsleif will continue to pose as a student of Noviluna Hall, keep attending all her regular classes as if nothing has changed. No one must suspect. Of course, we’ll have to get Professor Selandyn on board to start training her properly and in secret.”
“A fair arrangement,” Keiran agreed.
“And then there’s the matter of the girl, Penelope West. She’s being brought here as we speak. Is she part of your Order, or is this something else we’ll have to contain?”
“We have a Memorist who can take care of it,” Keiran said coolly. “I’ll have her come here straightaway.”
Horror struck Emory at the thought of someone taking away Penelope’s memory of this—but what other choice was there?
The dean’s eyes found hers. “One step out of line, and I don’t care what they do to me or this school—I’ll send you straight to the Regulators to receive the Unhallowed Seal. Understood?”
“What’s going to happen to Baz?”
“I’ve already advised Mr. Brysden that he’s on academic probation until further notice. But as for the rest…”
Fulton looked at Keiran expectantly, and for a second, Emory feared he would suggest getting the Memorist to wipe Baz’s memories too.
Please, anything but that.
But Keiran only said, “He’s kept Emory’s secret so far. Besides, isn’t he Professor Selandyn’s assistant? That could be useful. And if suspicions were ever to arise, his friendship with Emory provides the ideal cover.”
“Then the secret will be contained to the people in this room, the Order, and those of House Eclipse only. Is that clear, Ms. Ainsleif?”
“Yes.”
Fulton looked at Keiran again. “I’m doing this for the love I bore your parents. But for your sake, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Keiran dipped his head in thanks and led Emory out of the office.
Penelope stood on the other side of the door, eyes wide and red-rimmed. Her lip wobbled. “Em, I’m so sorry… I don’t know what came over me…”
“Save it, Nel. It’s done.” With the sudden realization that this might be her last shot at the truth before Penelope’s memories were taken away, Emory asked, “How in the Deep did you even find out about me?”
“I don’t know. Em, I swear, I would never do that to you.”
A mirthless huff. “And yet here we are.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t know how we got here. I just remember the party last night, and then I was in your room, seeing you and Lizaveta Orlov… Then it’s just this weird distortion in my head and—”
The dean’s voice cut her off. “Ms. West, please come in.”
Penelope gave Emory one last pleading look before she stepped into the office. Emory banished her tearful face from her mind, trying not to think of what would happen when the Memorist arrived.
She felt numb as Keiran led her through the corridors.
“You didn’t have to do any of that for me.”
“Of course I did.” Keiran stopped her beneath the cloisters, drawing her into a shadowed alcove. “Tides, Ains. The Order is furious. They were ready to shun you completely if this got out. I managed to convince them I could get Fulton to keep quiet. That it was better for everyone this way. Less risky to keep it contained to a single person the Order has influence over than the world at large.”