Reassurance

Chapter Seven: Man of the Hour | Part 1

Five days had passed since the twins’ departure, with no communication.

It got easier. By somewhere around day three, most people had moved on and found newer, more interesting things to obsess over. Each day, the professors passed Thirtyx copies of Benn and Rhea’s assignments for safekeeping. Each day, the concern with which they handed off those assignments intensified.

Thirtyx had to admit that his own concern was mounting. He was barely keeping up with his studies while fully present. Rhea and Benn would almost have to teleport into the Tixe and do all their homework outside the time stream if they had any hope of catching up. He briefly considered sending the work to the palace via raven, but it would only make matters worse if they were on their way back.

That part bothered Thirtyx most—not knowing when they would return. The palace had successfully kept the attack out of the news, so he had no information on Grimmary’s condition or how quickly it may be improving. But no news also meant he was still alive. His friends were still alive. Everything would be okay.

Thirtyx’s own reassurance gradually reassured everyone else. On the third day, the headmistress pulled him aside in the hall. As his stomach squirmed with unease, she drew a sigil Thirtyx recognized as a soundproofing spell, her tail lashing anxiously back and forth.

“Venmagalion, just… just tell me they’re safe. Please.”

He’d never seen so much worry in the Devil’s eyes, and he could count on one hand the number of times he’d heard her use the word “please.” Thirtyx thought carefully about his answer before he responded. “I have no credible reason to believe they aren’t.”

She searched his eyes for any sign of deception, but when she found none, Thirtyx felt a rare moment of connection with the headmistress. They both cared deeply about Rhea and Benn.

She gave him a curt nod and strode off.

Seerla, too, seemed to absorb Thirtyx’s calmness. She never once pressed him for details about the twins’ status, focusing instead on how Thirtyx was holding up without them. “You know, I think it was unfair how everyone jumped in to refute your point about the Nurrecit today.” She looked up from her notes with a pensive expression. “I thought it was really interesting how you compared the rhetoric of modern extremist Trolls to an ancient Vampire cult, but I couldn’t come up with a good argument to support you before the conversation moved on. I guess that’s why you need Rhea back, huh? She always thinks so fast.”

Thirtyx snorted. “Yeah, usually to her detriment. Don’t ask me how many times Benn and I have done damage control after she catapulted into a situation without having all the details.” He was still baffled by Seerla’s recent decision to spend her free period with him instead of with her usual friends. The company was nice—certainly better than being alone—but the last thing he wanted was to hurt her social standing.

“Ugh, I wish I had that problem.” Seerla tapped her pen against her paper a few times before dropping it with a sigh. “I… well, I know it sounds silly, but I’m always aware that whatever I say could influence how everyone views people of mixed heritage. I have to be draconic enough—but also trollish enough—and if I embarrass myself, people will think I’m a failure, and that maybe all mixed-species babies will be failures, and…” Her cheeks pinkened, and she looked pointedly at her fingers. “Sorry. I know it’s a stupid way to think.”

It took Thirtyx a moment to overcome his shock at her openness, but when he did, he leaned in, crossing his arms against the table. “You realize who you’re talking to, right? It’s not stupid at all.”

Her eyes narrowed in temporary confusion before going wide with understanding. “Oh Twins, I’m an idiot,” she muttered. “Of course you’d feel the same way. I’m so sorry, Thirtyx.”

“No, don’t be sorry,” he said quickly. “It’s refreshing to know that someone else knows what it’s like. Well, maybe not refreshing, because it can be awful sometimes, but—”

“Seerla. Thirtyx. We have a problem.”