Stephen frowned a little, exchanging a glance with Camille. “It’ll be hard to avoid. Hunting parties are part of the requirement of the school.”
Jade smiled and shrugged. “I guess I’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Or I’ll leave. As much as you’ve all done for me, if you try to force my hand, I’ll find a different path. She smiled innocently, not letting her true thoughts show through. However, this had planted a seed of doubt in her mind. She silently vowed to become as strong as possible as quickly as possible. Only when she was strong enough to defend herself would she truly be free to choose her own path.
Deciding to change the subject, she asked, “Anyway, what brings you here, Stephen?”
He smiled down at her, then nodded at the princesses. “Someone said the princesses had come in with another girl and the description matched, so I decided to come see.” Jade laughed. Gossip. She almost got into trouble because some ninnies couldn’t keep their mouths shut. He glanced around, examining the room. “So what are you trying to make here, anyway?”
Jade smiled, shrugging, and got up, walking over to the glass table where ten small metal boxes lay innocently. “All sorts of things, really. Anything and everything I miss from my old world.” She opened the box, gently unwrapping one of the sculptures before she concentrated on lighting it up.
All three of them had followed to watch her. As soon as she finished lighting it, she handed it to Tisha, who looked like she was dying to get a closer view. “Ooooh, it’s even better than I imagined! I wish I knew light magic!” Tisha cooed over the sculpture as Jade moved on, pulling out the next one. Camille eventually took it from Tisha, packing it back up and setting it in her bag once more. It became a line of Stephen watching curiously, Jade lighting them up and handing them to Tisha, who mooned over them until the next one was ready, at which point Camille took the last one and packed it up.
On the sixth one, Jade smiled and finished lighting it up, then handed it to Stephen instead. “Eric picked this one out for you.” Eric’s was next, and Camille set it aside instead of wrapping it up. When she was done, she sighed in relief. Her magic had recovered, but she was still in the growing pains stages.
“They’re just going to love these!” Tisha grinned happily, dancing about.
Camille nodded. “They really will. Thank you.”
Jade laughed. “Honestly, it’s nothing compared to all you spent on me today, so I should be the one saying thank you. At least I could do something in return!”
Camille laughed, then pulled out her pocket watch. “Unfortunately, we have to go. We still have tutoring tonight.” Tisha groaned, and Jade nodded in understanding.
“That’s fine. I had a wonderful time with you two today. Be safe, okay?” She hugged each of them as they bid reluctant goodbyes and left. She turned to Stephen. “Are you staying on campus? I was going to head down to the library and get some reading in before it gets too late. By the way, are you the dark magic teacher? Can I see your classroom?”
Stephen narrowed his eyes at her, considering something. Finally, he asked, “How did you know I have dark magic?” Her eyes widened momentarily in panic as she glanced at the ground to try and disguise it. Crap, crap, CRAP! What do I say!?
“Oh, Eric mentioned you were the teacher when he was setting up my schedule. Was he not supposed to tell me?” Yeah, blame it all on Eric… I think he actually did say something about Stephen being one of my teachers… I can pull this off, totally. Her tone was a little guilty, as if she’d been let in on a secret she wasn’t supposed to, but Stephen’s eyes had gone back to normal when she peeked up at him.
“I see. Sure, I can show you my classroom. With how strong your light magic is, I wasn’t sure you’d be interested in dark magic. Usually they’re non-compatible.” He waited as she closed and locked the room, having shoved a bit of food in her constant companion, the bag. How many first projects did she have now? Couldn’t everything just be done already?
She just followed him, saying simply, “I want to learn everything, and I think I can, so why shouldn’t I?”
He snickered. “Why shouldn’t you, indeed. I suppose that’s as good a reason as any.” They had only walked down three doors when he stopped, pulling out his own key to open it. She followed him inside with a grin, peering around. There were about ten desks spread out, but most of the windows outside had dark curtains covering them. Only one was letting in light. She unconsciously took a step closer to Stephen. He peered at her curiously. “Are you afraid of the dark?”
With a grimace, she told him the truth. “It’s not my favorite thing ever, so I might be a little bit afraid. Where I spent my life, there was no true darkness. The hospital was always lit up, so even if the lights were off in my room, light seeped beneath the doors or came from the machines keeping me alive. The street lamps also let in light from the window. It was never really truly dark for me, so it’s just a little unnerving. Maybe being able to control the darkness will help me with that.”
He nodded and said understandingly, “Maybe. Why don’t we get you to the library?” He ushered her out of the room, closing the door behind him. She smiled and accepted his offered arm once he was done. She could tell he’d wanted her to like his element, and he was trying to gauge if she’d stick with it. Still, her spidey senses were telling her that there was something more, but she couldn’t figure out what she was missing.
They stopped on the first floor so he could drop off his figurine in his office, which was next to what appeared to be a staff lounge. A few people had spotted them and called him over, so she was brought along.
“And who might this young lady be?” a white-haired older gentleman asked as he bent over her hand. His demeanor was stately, but he also seemed to be emanating a comforting aura of vitality. It was like a refreshing wave of warmth that seeped into her bones, and if comfort had a smell, she’d say that’s what he smelled like.
Stephen responded smoothly, “This is Lady Jade, a traveler. You’ll probably see her around a lot, as she’s been given the blood magic room for her workshop, and she’s in every single one of the magic classes for her level.” He figured if he let most of them know now, word would spread and no one would hassle her.
“A pleasure to meet a student with such aptitude, miss Jade. I’m Duke Whitby, the instructor for life magic. I’ll look forward to having you in my class.”
She subsequently met Count Leroy, the etiquette teacher, who was slightly miffed when he realized she wasn’t taking his class because it overlapped with the magic classes. “Etiquette will help in all aspects of your life. You should seriously reconsider.” She had nodded solemnly to mollify him, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but knowing he wouldn’t let her go unless he thought she had come around to his point of view. His severely parted and flattened hair reminded her of a strict butler who would whack you with a ruler if you slumped.
However, her nod didn’t seem to be enough to get him off her case, so she smiled and responded, “Of course, manners are the basic building blocks of a civil society. However, I’ve already been signed up for my current schedule, so it would be considered bad manners to cancel on the teachers who are expecting me in their classes.”
Finally seeming appeased, he’d moved off and others had moved in. Most seemed to be in their forties and fifties and of higher rank. She could see why Stephen, Eric, and Jarom were considered the youngest ones in their position. When she’d finally greeted all seventeen professors and assistants who’d been in the room, which included a few more who’d dropped by after hearing there was an unusual student to meet—courtesy of what was apparently a very active gossip mill—she and Stephen finally made their escape.