Chapter Nine: Lockdown | Part 1
Thirtyx started waking at dawn to study while Benn meditated. His nose was typically in a book during breakfast and most of lunch. He spent most free periods and a fair amount of after school time with Seerla, who’d immediately jumped in to help by making copies of all the extra lessons he’d missed.
“You don’t have to do that,” Thirtyx said for what felt like the thousandth time.
“And I keep telling you—it’s a good refresher for me.”
“But you have your own current assignments to do!”
That typically elicited a warning glare. “You’re not the only one who can wake up at wild hours to get everything done, Thirtyx.”
Honestly, her time concerned him less than her social standing. On more than one occasion, he’d overheard a gaggle of whispering girls just around a hallway corner or in an adjacent aisle at the library. “What is she trying to prove, really?”
“She’s got to be currying favor with the prince and princess. Maybe she wants a palace job after graduation, and being nice to Thirtyx is a way to boost her chances.”
Thirtyx gritted his teeth. Was that Nephrie? He’d thought she and Seerla were nearly as close as he and Benn—far too friendly to be throwing around such vicious gossip. But how much could Thirtyx fault her, really? It wasn’t like he hadn’t lain awake wondering the same thing. He’d let himself get a little extra hungry before meeting Seerla a couple times to suss out how genuine she was being. And while there was a twinge of something secretive there, it certainly wasn’t a blatant lie about her reasons for helping him.
He’d also hoped that, through the whole auction ordeal, he’d earned enough respect to be less toxic to Seerla’s reputation. But while most of the outright disdain had disappeared, the twins’ return had certainly knocked down his popularity a few pegs.
Some of Seerla’s Troll friends had a different reason for souring on her. Every term, Professor Dexerro selected a Troll student from the political science capstone to do some filing and administrative work for him as a test run for a prestigious law apprenticeship run by his husband in Corcoroll, the Troll state. A few days after Rhea and Benn’s return, Dexerro had selected Seerla.
Seerla was in a meeting with him one evening while Thirtyx, Benn, and Rhea holed themselves up for a study session in the boys’ room. “I’m just worried about you,” Rhea huffed, shattering the productive silence.
Thirtyx looked up from his reading. “It’s like… four more weeks. I’m not going to die of exhaustion in four weeks. You and Benn didn’t during your glowy golden term break shenanigans.” He waggled his fingers as if to make the Pfah magic seem more esoteric and mysterious.
Rhea rolled her eyes. “That isn’t what I meant. You know I hate to bring this up, but I have to make sure you realize… you know how much harder it’s going to be for you to find a law job than most people, right?”
Benn lowered his notebook with a heavy sigh. “Rhea—”
“He has to look at this practically! I’m not saying it should be this way, but future queen or not, I can’t make the world something it isn’t overnight.” She crossed her arms. “A lot of lawyers are already regarded as deceptive and slimy, but a Verith lawyer? You know how that’s going to look. How it’s going to impact your clients.”
“Verith lawyers exist in Everis, and they existed in the general population before they holed themselves up in protest of Grimmary,” Thirtyx said. “Besides, Veriths are actually really well suited for law. We can’t be deceptive and slimy—not in a courtroom with everyone picking apart every word. The ability to take me at face value might be a real asset to my clients. Surely someone will see that potential and hire me.”
He hoped.
“We’re supposed to be studying, not giving Thirtyx an existential crisis,” Benn grumbled. “Come on. Back to work.”
Rhea released a prolonged, high-pitched whine. “I understand why Thirtyx has to study so much, but I still don’t get why you’re so motivated. We’re going to be fine. You could be doing literally anything else with your time.”
Benn raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”
Thirtyx thought Benn’s eyes were sparkling with mischief until he realized they were sparkling with magic. He hadn’t even seen his roommate draw the sigil. Neither, apparently, had Rhea, because when her paper flew off the desk and into Benn’s hand, she shrieked in surprise.
Calley Jones 