She gave me a look. "You are one to talk. Has Ian said a full sentence to you since the mock battle?"
I cringed. "Fine. How about we both put the past in the past tonight? You don't have to accept my brother's apology – just talk to him."
"And you'll apologize to Ian instead of moping around like a beaten lamb?"
I raised a brow. "You've been waiting to say that one, haven't you?"
She grinned. "Perhaps." The girl pointed to the back of my bodice – which was in a shameless state of disarray. "You haven't been practicing like I told you."
I looked at the ground, guiltily. Practicing courtly manners and learning how to dress like a highborn had been last on my list of things to do.
"One day I won't be able to help you," she teased. "And then what will you do?"
"Wear my mage's robes?"
"Ha."
****
I had told myself over and over that I would fulfill my promise to Ella. And I really had intended to keep it. But that was before I had entered the grand atrium and seen the two of them dancing. Amidst a sparkling purple glow of the Alchemy first-years' lights, Lynn looked even more a queen than Priscilla in her blood red dress. Lynn's hair was done neatly in a simple bun with two strands falling neatly in front, and she wore a dress of sparkling green and silver trim that glowed like magic every time she spun.
Beside her Ian looked every part the nobleman, and even though I knew he had spent his childhood working for blacksmith parents, it was hard to believe he had not been raised at court. He looked so carefree and charming with his sandy blonde curls just slightly swaying as his laughing green eyes lit up the room.
I couldn't do it. Not while he looked so happy. I wouldn't ruin his evening by dredging up the past. He and Lynn deserved to enjoy their night without an obnoxious, hardheaded mentee getting in the way.
"Ryiah, come meet my friends!" Derrick came running up to me and grabbed my arm, dragging me away from the dance floor and onto one of the benches I had sat with my own group last year.
The same place I met Ian. I bit my lip and focused on the introduction – giving my little brother and his first-year colleagues the attention they deserved. I had only meant to stay a few minutes before finding Ella and Alex… but those first-years were so excited to have an apprentice to answer all their questions - especially one so infamous as me - that they kept me long after I had intended to leave.
Before I knew it Constable Barrius was coming around to send first-years on their way. He caught sight of me and recognition sputtered on his face. "You." I was the girl the staff would never forget, and how could they? I had destroyed an entire building.
I paled as the man's scowl deepened.
"You want to know who got stuck cleaning up that mess after your trials, girl?"
"I am-"
"Don't apologize, apprentice, the man is merely jealous he hadn't thought of it sooner."
I whirled around to find a chuckling Sir Piers. All of the Academy staff had been present for the ball, but I hadn't had the chance to catch up with any of them, least of all my favorite teacher.
"Sir Piers!" I wasn't sure whether it was appropriate to hug the older, dark-skinned commander but I found myself doing so anyway. Out of all my teachers, he had always been the nicest – despite his no-nonsense ways and loud demeanor. He alone had stood up for me against Priscilla when she had bullied me in class. The man had congratulated me after the naming ceremony too – but I'd been so busy with my newfound apprenticeship I hadn't had a chance to thank him.
The two of us exchanged amiable greetings as the constable left in a huff. Piers asked me how my training was going as an apprentice and if I liked the desert, and I asked him about his newest batch of first-years. I found I liked the trainer even more; now that I was no longer his student he opened up to me about what it really was like to teach the Academy students and his life as a former commander of the King's Regiment, the personal guard to the Crown.
Eventually we were forced to part ways – the rest of the staff and students had long since departed - and the man winked at me. "This is your last night of fun, apprentice. I suggest you grab that troublemaker friend of yours - Ella, I believe - and the two of you share a good laugh. Once you get back to that desert the hard part begins."
I thanked him and promised to do just that.
****
I couldn't find Ella anywhere. She wasn't in her chambers and she wasn't in any of the training rooms. The palace bell had just tolled eleven, and after ten minutes I decided to go find my twin instead. Alex was missing as well. Well, I had told her to talk to him…
I considered searching for Lynn and Loren, but the first would inevitably be found with Ian, and the latter… well, as friendly as he and I were, it was always around others and we had never had that much to talk about on our own.
Fine, I'll just go to bed early! I shut my door and collapsed on my four-poster bed – dress and all - and then proceeded to stare at the ceiling.