Zoe thought about deflecting completely, but decided to edge around the issue. “Our reputation is poor, it is true. Yet every student in all six years of this school are on the same scholarship that you are. If we were so poorly off, we would not be able to afford such things.
“As for our reputation itself, well, it is a complicated issue. You will learn more about it in the future, I am sure. For now just focus on your schooling and rest assured that plans are already in motion to elevate our school in our peer’s eyes.”
Eva did not respond, she just frowned in thought. Juliana looked bored by the short discussion, like she wanted nothing more than to flop down on her bed and sleep.
“On an unrelated note,” Zoe lied as she pulled a small pamphlet out of her breast pocket, “there is a seminar that will meet several times this summer. It is meant for older students, but I ask that you attend even if you cannot participate right away.
“You can ask me questions if you have them later.” She dropped the paper on the small dining table. “Lets finish up our tour before we miss dinner. After that, I am sure that Miss Rivas at the least would like to sleep.”
Thankfully, Eva left her pet carrier on the desk.
The two girls followed her on the tour through the building’s facilities. They stopped by the alchemy lab, though both seemed disappointed they would not be allowed inside without supervision until they finished their second year. The library seemed of particular interest to Eva though she seemed a bit disappointed by the small size. Zoe quickly stressed that there was a much larger library within the main school building.
The recreational areas seemed to please the girls. The pool disguised as a massive beach and the hot tubs that looked like natural hot springs atop a snowy mountain were especially well received by Eva; she seemed more happy that there was actual magic present than she was about the water.
Juliana found one of the study rooms to her liking. It was a smaller room with a ceiling that showed the sky and stars above as if there weren’t light from any source, regardless of the actual time of day.
At the end of the tour, the two girls began whispering to each other. Eva spoke up. “We can take our meal in our rooms, right?”
“I don’t see why not,” Zoe said with a shrug. “There is a communal kitchen near the lobby we started at, they will serve you meals there. There is a large dining room adjoining the kitchen if you wish to socialize with some of your future classmates.”
“I’m exhausted,” Juliana said. “I will probably fall asleep the moment I get food in me. I’d rather not have to climb stairs between the eating and the sleeping.”
Zoe wondered for a moment if that was an excuse to get out of her presence. The deep rings beneath the blond’s eyes convinced her otherwise.
“Very well.” Zoe pulled out two of her business cards and handed them to the girls. “If you have an emergency, you know how to use these. Otherwise I will see you at the seminar.”
The two children walked off down a hallway that was almost the shortest route to the kitchen. She didn’t correct them. They would learn in time.
The moment they were out of sight. Zoe withdrew a thin silver dagger and flicked it across her chest. The walls of Rickenbacker hall trembled and tipped backwards into the ground. The pure white space of between rushed to fill their vacancy. Another flick and reality reconstructed itself in the form of the staff meeting room.
She walked from between into the room and took her usual seat. A plate of roast and mashed potatoes materialized in front of her and she ate while waiting.
Soon enough other instructors began entering the room. They tended to use far more normal methods, such as the door. They would move to their chairs and sit down. Some would eat the meals that appeared while others chatted about their new students.
Wayne appeared directly in his seat. He ignored the food and turned to Zoe. “Did you get a look at her spider?” he grunted.
“I saw its cage. I didn’t ask.”
His face split into a feral grin. “My boys were talking about it. Big as her face, they said, and it climbed all over her head. She didn’t even bat an eye when its deadly fangs rested on her forehead.”
Zoe glared at him, looking for any sign of a lie. She didn’t find one. “An exaggeration, surely,” she paused, looking at him again, “or a poor jest trying to frighten me.” She wasn’t about to tell him it was working. “I did my research after she mentioned having her pet. They didn’t look near as bad as I first imagined.”
Sure many might be poisonous and have poisonous bristles sticking out of them. But domesticated tarantulas were supposedly calm and didn’t attack unless they felt threatened.
Wayne grunted. “Don’t come cryin’ to me when you want someone to hold your hand during inspections next week.”
Zoe paled at that. She had yet to find someone to take over that responsibility and she doubted she would be able to.
“Did you ask her about the museum?”
“Must have slipped my mind.”
“The Elysium Sisters reported a dangerous object was stolen with the aid of runes, a system hardly anyone uses these days, the same day your girl used the same runes in your presence. She also met with a mysterious mentor later that night. And you don’t question her?”
“Very long-winded of you Wayne.” Zoe glared at the man.
“I’m just sayin’ if the dorms explode in a ball of black magic, don’t come cryin’ to me.”
The dean popped into the room at the head of the table alongside her secretary. Conversation died out as she cleared her throat.
Zoe started tuning the woman out before the first word bumbled out of her mouth. The woman was the cause of half the academy’s problems and this meeting was a waste of time.
But, Zoe didn’t want to be fired. And she had a job to do. So she smiled and nodded along with whatever the dean was talking about.
— — —
Eva awoke at her usual time. At least, she thought it was her usual time. The black sky outside her window suggested otherwise.
Time zones, she thought with a sigh.
Stretching and yawning, Eva sat up in her bed. A heavy lump fell off her chest and into her lap.
She poked Arachne tentatively. The spider twitched and sprung to her feet. Her frantic glancing around gave Eva a spur of giggles. The spider leapt and half tackled her back to the bed. Arachne clasped her legs around her and just sat.
Eva just sat back with Arachne on her chest. She half wondered if Arachne had a nightmare. After five minutes she patted the spider’s back.
“Going to take a shower now,” Eva said.
Arachne’s grip not loosen in the slightest. Eva shrugged and walked straight to the bathroom.
With the hot shower water poring over the two, Eva patted Arachne’s back once again.
“Hey, you alright?”
One of her legs finally unclasped and lightly tapped Eva’s right shoulder.
“We’ll spend some time this week finding a place where we can be ourselves a bit more. In fact,” Eva said, “if you want to run around today while I’m shopping, that would be perfect. Well, perfect as long as you stay out of sight and don’t attack anyone.”
There was a bit of hesitation before Arachne tapped her right shoulder again.
“Alright. Good. For the record, I liked the hospital much better than master’s place. If we could find something like it, that would be best.”
Eva shut off the shower. It wasn’t half as good as her old shower. The runes she carved into the metal shower heads were the perfect temperature. Or maybe she just got used to the temperature. Eva made a note to look into recreating it.
After towelling off, Eva stepped out of the bathroom and froze.
Juliana had sat up in her bed. Her eyes locked with Eva’s. A moment later they flicked downwards, staring at Arachne, then downwards again before snapping back up to Eva’s eyes.