by Candy Crum
That was certainly good to hear. Amelia immediately felt better upon hearing those words. "I can't wait to hear about it."
Talia gestured for Amelia to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. She moved some papers out of the way and sat down herself on the opposite side.
"So, as you know, I traveled to Cella. I went to talk to the Governor, who was very glad to see me. Lucky for us, it’s a small city, and everyone knows everyone. I negotiated terms on behalf of Arcadia, and I hope that you’ll be satisfied with what I came back with. I hope that's OK."
At first, Amelia wasn't sure how she felt about the Dean negotiating anything on her behalf. It wasn't until that moment she realized just how silly it was to allow Talia to go instead of going herself.
But, having thought about it, she realized Talia did have a better chance at gaining ground than she did, simply because of the relationship she shared with the smaller town. She relaxed and nodded, giving an encouraging smile to urge Talia to continue.
"The Governor agreed to send a hundred men to help us rebuild. They’ll also bring supplies—though, I'm sure that won't be much. Most of the supplies they have come from us in the first place. Regardless, the hundred men will be a huge help. What he asked for in return was six months reduced cost on anything that they ordered from us, but I talked him down to three."
Amelia's eyes went wide for a moment as she thought about six months of making little from their biggest consumer, but Talia had corrected it. Three months would be difficult, but it was still money coming in. "That seems fair. Did he ask for anything else?"
Talia shifted in her seat leaning forward and placing her clasped hands on the desk in front of her. "He would also like for his son to attend the Academy free of charge."
Talia held up her hand when she saw Amelia was about to protest. Talia smiled.
"Trust me, I know doing anything for free right now is a big letdown. So, I told him yes to his son attending for free, only if he encouraged some of his non-Arcadian nobles to send their children to the Academy. He said those people would be happy to pay the tuition costs."
Amelia sighed in relief. "I hate charging large tuition costs at all. But with the Boulevard families being unable to pay anything, and the city being unable to tax anything because there’s nothing to tax, we have no choice but to do income based pay structures here.”
Talia smiled. “Everyone understands, Chancellor. Try not to worry about that.”
Amelia nodded. “Once the city is up and running again, and everyone is working, everything will fall back in line. Tuition will be more regulated. Still, you did a wonderful job as an ambassador for Arcadia. I’m grateful. This’ll go a long way. A hundred men. That was quite a feat."
Talia smiled and gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Amelia. I appreciate your kind words."
Amelia dreaded the next part. Talia had to know that one of her students had been murdered, and she was hesitant to start the uncomfortable conversation. "I'm terribly sorry to do this. I know I always have bad news every time I walk in this office, but I do, in fact, have terrible news."
Talia's face fell for a moment. "OK. I understand, though you never have to be afraid to come to me with anything. What is it?"
"I'm sure you remember me telling you about Amos."
Talia nodded. "Of course, I remember. How could I forget?"
Amelia shifted in her seat, coming to sit closer to the edge. "He was found dead on the Boulevard. At first, we thought he’d been killed there. But we were told by one of our newest teachers, a nature magic user, that he'd actually been killed somewhere else. She’s been quite a help. With her, I think we might be able to find the one responsible."
There was a flash of something that crossed her face. Anger? Sadness? But it disappeared quickly.
"What? I… I don't understand. I have so many questions," Talia said, her brows furrowing as she leaned further into her desk.
Amelia nodded. "Understandably. Feel free to ask anything. I know this is probably very hard on you, too."
"Who’s this new teacher? How would she know that he wasn't killed there? What if she could be involved? Seems suspicious to me. When you initially told me, I was certain he'd gone off on his own. At least, that's what I’d hoped. This is terrible."
Talia's eyes began to fill, a single tear escaping to run down each of her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, clearing her throat and gathering herself.
Amelia felt terrible for the Dean. She knew Talia would take it hard, but Amelia had hoped that she wouldn't feel the guilt that she did.
"As for the new teacher… While you were gone, we had two visitors come. One was a druid from the Dark Forest, the other a former Arcadian turned druid. Her name is Arryn. When I saw her following the guards from the house she's staying in, she offered to help. I guess nature magic has a lot more to it than the obvious."
"I see," Talia said. "When will I get to meet this new teacher? Seems she might be quite handy to have around the city for something other than just teaching."
"Actually, tomorrow will be her first day. The students and teachers should be back, barring any issues that might arise today. The laborers are still working. It's slow, but when your men arrive, that'll change."
Talia forced a smile. "Well, I look forward to meeting her. The men should be here within two days.” Talia looked down to her hands, fidgeting with her nails. “Seems like things are about to get very interesting around here."
Amelia thought it sounded like a strange thing to say, but she let it go. Interesting was probably a bit strong of an adjective, but productive certainly seemed like a good fit. She couldn't wait to see the progress, for the city to see progress, so spirits could be lifted.
Amelia thanked Talia and excused herself, heading back home. She wanted to get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow. It’s a brand-new day, and a brand-new opportunity for success.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Arryn made her way into the Academy, her anxiety rising with every step. She wasn’t used to being up so early in the day anymore, a bad habit she’d vowed to fix. It was time to get her routine back—she’d missed it.
Cathillian had woken her early that morning so they could train, hoping it would calm her nerves. While it made her feel much more like herself, her jitters were still in full swing. Amelia would be there soon to give her the tour, a request that Arryn had made since she didn't know anyone else.
"Arryn!" Amelia said as Arryn walked through the door. "I'm happy that you made it OK. You're even early."
Arryn laughed. "My sleeping routine has been total shit since coming here; I'm just as surprised as you are.”
Amelia smiled, reaching out and giving Arryn's arm a light squeeze. "Everything will start to feel more like home soon enough. It’ll just take some time."
"I’m sure you’re right. It’s only been a few days. So, let's get this show on the road. I'm ready whenever you are," Arryn said.
Arryn followed Amelia through the many different halls of the Academy. There was a hall specifically dedicated to magic, where the other halls were for history, math, and other such things. The entire building was stunning, to say the least. It was far more than anything she'd imagined.
The longer Arryn walked the halls, and the more she pictured herself being a part of the Academy, the more comfortable she became. By the time she made it to the classroom, her classroom, she felt a bit more confident. Amelia stopped for a moment and turned to Arryn.
"I know this is all a lot to take in, but you'll acclimate in a couple of days I'm sure. Everyone here is very pleasant, and I think you're going to fit in beautifully. The Dean of Students, Talia, will be here soon to meet you."
Arryn took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, stealing herself before she walked in. "Thank you, Amelia. It's hard to think about where I started a couple of weeks ago and where I am now. Unbelievable really."
Amelia smiled. "It's certainly a great start, though." She reached out a
nd placed a hand on Arryn’s shoulder. "Are you ready?"
Arryn nodded, nervously fidgeting with her tunic. Amelia opened the door and led the way inside, Arryn close behind. Arryn was surprised to see just how full the class was, and now, all eyes were on her.
Everyone there was right around her age, give or take a year or two. She was in charge of teaching them, taking care of them, even being responsible for them, and they were her peers. Her eyes wandered from face to face, looking for anyone that seemed familiar to her, but there were none.
"Good morning, everyone!" Amelia said. "This is Arryn. I know this probably seems odd, given she’s no older than a lot of you. For the first couple weeks, this class will be mandatory. I want each of you to give nature magic a chance and see if any of you have an affinity for it. After that, if you like it, you’re more than welcome to stay."
A girl up front held up her hand before speaking out. "Hi. Emily. So, is it true that you're a druid? Rumor has it you’re a druid.”
Arryn cleared her throat, her eyes briefly cutting to Amelia before she stepped forward to speak. "Sort of. I was an Arcadian until I was nine years old, but after that, I grew up in the Dark Forest.”
“Why would you choose to live there? Aren’t the druids terrifying? Some of us met one during the revolution. I didn’t, but from what I heard, she was weird as hell,” Emily said.
Arryn knew Laurel very well. She was awesome, but definitely weird. “I know in Arcadia the druids are said to be scary and dangerous. The truth is, you’ll never meet anyone with a purer heart than a druid. Living in the Forest, family took on a whole new meaning. Family isn't just important. Family is everything."
"So, they're just a bunch of pushovers?" one of the young men in the back asked.
"No, Shawn, you jackass," a man from the left side of the room said. His words seemed hostile, but the two of them seemed comfortable with one another. He wasn't dressed quite as nicely as the rest, and she imagined that he was from the Boulevard. "You fought alongside Laurel. She was a badass. Kinda weird, like Emily said, but a badass.”
Shawn looked just as confused as before. “Uh...”
The man from the left side of the room looked at Shawn incredulously. “Is this a joke? She was the one with the crazy squirrel she talked to! You clearly don't remember anything, do you?"
Shawn finally laughed. "Oh, yeah! Sorry, Tom. I totally forgot about her. She was pretty talented with a knife if I'm thinking right. Never mind, Arryn. Carry on."
Arryn laughed. "Druids are the best fighters I’ve ever seen. They spend every day of their lives training, cultivating the land, and growing their magic to make sure their borders are fortified and their food is plenty, but they also spend it playing. As hard as they work, and as hard as they train, they’re just as loving and just as playful.”
It amazed her how interested everyone was. They all sat straight forward, leaning into their desks as they listened to her every word. Then again, she couldn’t blame them. She’d always been fascinated by the druids, too. The monsters of the Dark Forest.
“I wasn’t born a druid, but I was raised one. My friend, Cathillian, was also asked to teach, but he politely declined. If you met him, you’d know why. Druids have the attention span of toddlers. Give ‘em something shiny, and they’re easily distracted.” Everyone laughed, and she joined in. “I guess that’s not entirely accurate. I say they, but really, I just meant him."
There was a knock at the door, and a guard stepped in, waving to Amelia. “Chancellor,” he said.
Amelia nodded and stepped forward. "So, Arryn, why don’t you tell the class what things you plan to teach them?" Amelia said before patting her on the back and stepping into the hall.
Arryn nodded, doing her best to think on her feet. She’d never taught anything except to the little ones in the tribe. She had no idea how to teach, let alone come up with a structured lesson plan.
That was one thing she and Cathillian had in common. Neither one of them did very well with structure, though Cathillian had somehow made that work during all his years of warrior training.
Arryn took a deep breath before beginning. "The first two weeks, we're going to focus on fundamentals. I know, fundamentals always make everything seem so exciting. But because some of you have been using physical magic your entire lives, you're actually at a disadvantage.”
Everyone seemed very confused to hear this—the nobles especially.
“I realize you think knowing how to cast physical magic would put you ahead. It makes sense, but I promise you it's more of a hindrance than anything. Those from the Boulevard that have little to no knowledge of magic will have a much easier time grasping the basics because the two magics are different in every way. Creation and destruction."
Shifting her weight around, she leaned back on what was now her desk, sitting on the edge as she continued to fake knowing what she was doing as much as she could. Like Amelia said, after a few days, she’d feel right at home.
Right now, all she had to do was give them the same speeches that were given to her by Elysia—and there was no better teacher than her. Though, Cathillian came in at a close second.
There was a pause as the students looked to one another, but it was the Boulevard students that had caught her attention. The looks on their faces were tragic at best.
Those students knew exactly what true hunger felt like, and she knew it. The ability to harness the ability to create food to feed their families was priceless to them, and if they stuck around, she’d teach them exactly how to do it. She heavily doubted any of them would cut the class.
“I don't want you to think I'm an expert. I'm not. I didn't start until I was ten. I’m no better with nature magic than some of you are with physical magic. However, none of you know how to use nature magic. So, the way I see it, I can learn from you just as much as you can learn from me. I’ll be in some of your other classes. So, don't be surprised when you see me around the school playing the part of student as well."
***
Talia had just finished up in her office and was making her way to what would now be the new nature magic room. Talia found it a little annoying, but it made the Chancellor happy, and whatever kept Amelia happy kept her away from Talia.
That was all that mattered to her.
She’d just turned down the hall that held that particular classroom when Scarlett darted out of an empty room.
"Heading to meet the new teacher?" Scarlett asked.
"Fuck me!” Talia jumped. She wasn’t easy to frighten, but Scarlett had done so with ease. “What is the matter with you? You might see people coming, but I can’t.”
Scarlett smiled. “Sorry about that. I was just excited. I made it my mission to meet everyone that works here. I’ve met almost everyone, but I saved her for last. So… Are you gonna go meet the new teacher?”
Talia shook her head, irritated. “Seems that way. Not exactly sure how I feel about not being involved in the interview process. The way it sounded, there wasn't one."
"I asked around. I don’t think there was. Amelia met her, liked her, and hired her on the spot. That doesn't exactly sit well with me either. You want me to loiter outside and see if I can get in her head?" Scarlett asked.
Talia kept walking, silent as she thought that over. "Well, I'm sure Amelia already took a look inside her head. I doubt there's anything to worry about."
"Ah, you mean like the way she looked in yours and found you harmless?" Scarlett quipped.
"Touché.”
“Yeah. So, if it’s all the same to you, I think I’m just gonna stand outside and nose around.”
Talia nodded. “Thanks. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I don't want to take the chance either. I'm sure she's fine, but we needed to take a look at some point anyway. May as well make good on the opportunity we’re given."
They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they finally reached the classroom, Talia told Scarlett to wait and do her investigating from outside
the room. She opened the door, a large smile on her face as she did.
Talia watched as the beautiful young woman turned to face her, a smile on her face, though Talia could tell she seemed nervous. The newcomer took a few steps forward and extended her hand.
"Hi," the girl said, everyone whispering amongst themselves as Talia walked further in. She was shocked the girl had addressed her at all, especially in the middle of talking to her class. "I'm Arryn. You must be Talia. Happy to meet you. Looks like we’ll be working together."
Talia extended her hand, taking Arryn’s and giving it a light shake. She was about to respond when Scarlett's voice broke through her thoughts.
Caution, Talia… This girl will be your undoing. I can't look further now. Amelia’s coming. Just watch your back with that one.
Talia swallowed hard as Amos’ words came back. She struggled to keep her smile from faltering, though she was instantly filled with hatred of the girl.
Try as she might, she couldn’t keep the worry and the anger of Arryn’s presence from leaking darkness into her voice. "I'm Talia. It's so nice to meet you."
***
Amelia came into the room, a smile on her face, though it was forced. “Arryn, can I see you outside?” she whispered to Arryn before turning to the rest of the class. “Take an early lunch today, everyone. Introductions were all we had planned for today. Come back tomorrow ready to learn!”
“What's going on?” Arryn asked.
Amelia said nothing as she led Arryn down the hall, out of earshot of any students wandering by.
“I thought I was teaching a full class today,” Arryn said.
Amelia turned, waving her hands in front of her as she looked around. “Do you remember me telling you we were hunting someone?”
Arryn nodded. “I do. Doyle, or something like that. He was a friend of Adrien’s.”
