I shook my head. “Not worth it. Thanks for giving me a place to rest.” I stood up. “You’re the only one I trusted.”
She eyed me dubiously. “You really mean that?”
I put my arm down slowly, and raised my head to look her in the eye. “Yeah. I do.”
There was a beat of silence before I turned away. “And I will fill you in on more of this when I can. I promise. Until then, though, I want you to be extra careful. I don’t think there’s any actual danger, but last night got me nervous.” So much so that I’d had trouble getting to sleep.
“Buy a chain for your door,” I urged. “Today. I’ll help you install it if you need me to. We need to start warding our rooms, too. I’ll learn the necessary runes.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “You think we’re really in danger?”
All I could do was shrug. “I don’t know, but if last night proved anything to me, it’s that it’s better to be as prepared as we can be.”
“If there’s a threat to you, or to both us, I’d really like to know why.”
“Let me do some info-gathering on that, and I’ll plan to meet you again tonight after classes. Say, at eighteen or so. Dining hall.”
“I have a class until nineteen.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded.
“Fine. Dinner at twenty. My stomach will pay penance for the sin of my intrusion last night.”
“I’ll see you there.”
***
I headed straight for Professor Orden’s office. If I didn’t check in with Jin by mid-day, he would inform the academy guard.
Fortunately, she was present, and without a line this time.
I was hesitant when I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.
“Professor—”
“Wait. I’ll ward the room first.” She stood, tracing figures on the wall with a finger - the same few I’d seen her draw before. Or, at least, I was pretty sure they were.
When she finished, she sat back down in her chair. “Now, before you talk, let’s be quite clear. I’m Professor Orden. The same Professor Orden that you met in this room previously, and the same one that was at your room last night.”
I nodded. “And how can you prove that?”
“Last time you were here, we spoke about the Voice of the Tower. I have told no one else of this. I suspect you have been equally tight lipped. Thus, unless you think someone was spying on this chamber — quite unlikely, but you’re welcome to check the runes — I am, at very least, the same Orden you talked to previously.”
She took a breath. “You could assert that I was never the real Professor Orden, but that line of thinking doesn’t get you anywhere. If I’m good enough to pretend to be Professor Orden to the entirety of the campus staff, I’m effectively Orden as far as you’re concerned, no?”
“It would be a problem if you’re not the same Lyras Orden the Voice directed me to—”
“The Voice called me Lyras? Curious. Continue.”
“—but you’re right, I have no way of doing anything about that right now. Maybe I’ll look into your records or consult a Diviner eventually. I should also mention, before things get too heated, that my compatriots will be going to the academy guard about you if I don’t tell them not to by a designated time.”
Jin was the only one I’d actually warned, but in fairness, Sera probably would go to the guard if I missed dinner. Maybe I should have told her more specifics, though.
“How assertive of you. Unnecessary, but good. Your friends, if they reported the incident, would find the guards quite amused. I reported my raid on your room to them in advance, of course. Your dorm chief was also informed in advance. Had you checked with either of them, you could have confirmed that. Of course, I hadn’t anticipated a firearm being discharged — how novel! — and the guards already did investigate the scene.” She gave me a pointed look. “You would have also known that, and met with them, if you had stayed rather than retreating to Miss Shard’s room.”
I tensed at that.
“Yes, of course I know where you went. You should endeavor to be less predictable next time. Fortunately, I am not actually your enemy, and you performed better than anticipated in the test. As such, I will allow you to be a part of the investigation if I require your help.”
I tilted my head to the side quizzically. “Investigation?”
“I,” she tapped her fingers on the table, “am looking into an incident that happened at the tower. I may require your help, but I will be looking into some other matters first.”
An incident? I hope she’s not talking about my little prison break.
I scratched my chin. “All right, but you’re going to repair my door. And my ceiling.”
She let out a light trill of a laugh. “Ahh... No. Ward your room, Corin. You’re an Enchanter. No excuses, I gave you days.”
I had literally zero training as an Enchanter until yesterday.
I didn’t offer the retort that was on my mind, though. It would just make me look weaker. “Fine. But if you want me to make serious wards, I need resources.”
“Hmpf. For the moment, I need you to learn more than I need you to earn, so I’ll consider it. Nothing today, but perhaps I’ll arrange for you to receive a delivery at some point. In the meantime, we need to continue our conversation elsewhere. This place is, as I’ve mentioned, not perfectly secure. I had planned to take you somewhere to speak last night, but you were quite insistent on me leaving.”
I nodded, turning toward the door. “Where are we going?”
“No need for walking. Take my hand.”
I didn’t like where this was going, but I was tired of waiting for answers. I had my sword, my cane, and my shield sigil — I was as prepared as I was going to be if she turned this into a fight.
I walked toward the table and reached out. She gracefully took my hand.
“Spirit of wind and air, I command you!
By the pact sealed between us, I invoke your power.
Rise around us and within us;
Carry us upon your ethereal wings to the place of greatest safety.
Veiled Teleport!”
My vision went black. My stomach revolted.