Juliana had a grin on her face while Eva just had a nice smile.
Inside of the box, Shalise found a pen and a copper plate. Etched into the copper plate was a picture of her. Her wavy hair was much longer in the picture, but she had cut it down to her shoulders while she was gone. Still, it managed a good likeness.
The pen was thick and silver. Too thick for her liking, if she was truly honest. Still, it seemed like an expensive thing. It looked a lot like the one Eva used on occasion, except hers was black.
“Merry Christmas, even if it is a week late,” Eva said.
“I-I don’t know what to say. I didn’t get either of you anything.”
“Say thanks and don’t worry about it,” Juliana said, “we’re just glad you’re back and in one piece.”
“Thanks. But–”
“No buts.”
“Now,” Eva said, “on to your schooling.”
Shalise sighed. She’d find a way to pay them back.
Juliana set a glass of water on her desk just as Shalise pulled out her wand.
“So, what part are you having trouble with?” Eva pulled up her own chair to Shalise’s desk.
Shalise took a breath. “Okay,” she said. She concentrated, envisioning the water as a sphere. With a flick of her wand, she felt a burst of magic escape and mold the water into a sphere.
“I get it this far,” Shalise said. “Then–” She slowly drew her wand across the air, willing a single drop to escape the mass. It already had a spark of her will inside it, so it should be easy to manipulate.
That’s what the textbook said, in any case.
A small droplet laced out, just as Shalise intended. For a moment, it looked like it was working.
The sphere of water bubbled and collapsed. Water moving in the glass knocked it to the floor.
“I’ll grab a towel,” Eva said as she walked to the bathroom.
Shalise sighed. The sleeves of her shirt soaked up most of it. “Then that happens.”
Air was a much friendlier element. It wanted to dance and play. When she messed up, it didn’t soak her. Water seemed grumpy to Shalise. It fought her every time she tried to move it. Just getting the water into a sphere took hours and hours of practice.
If water was grumpy, she was glad she didn’t have to deal with earth.
“When I try manipulating water,” Juliana said as Eva returned with a towel, “it ends up the same way. Yuria said that water can’t be ordered around the same way as earth. Earth needs a firm hand and clear direction. Water flows. It needs an open mind.”
Shalise tried prodding the water out of her shirt with her wand. It didn’t seem to help much. She sighed and said, “what does that even mean?”
A slumping Juliana answered her, “like I said, it turns out the same way when I try.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it right now,” Eva said as she laid a comforting hand on Shalise’s shoulder.
A comforting claw.
Shalise flinched back before she could stop herself.
Eva pulled her claw back quickly.
“Sorry,” Shalise mumbled. A nasty feeling cropped up in her stomach.
“Don’t be,” Eva said with a small smile. “And don’t stress about water magic. We’re only being tested in our own element this year. Apparently we pick a second element next year to work on. If you can do this,” she started to gesture towards the glass with her claw, but pulled it behind her back, “I’m sure you’re ahead of the curve next year.”
Hiding her claws behind her back twisted the wrench further into Shalise’s stomach.
“How are you doing with air?”
Shalise smiled. “Better, I think.”
“Why don’t we take a look at that then.”
— — —
“As I am sure many of you are aware, I am the new dean, Martina Turner.”
Martina Turner scanned the audience. Her eyes paused briefly on Eva.
Not surprising, really. Despite her trying to cover it with her hair, Eva’s blindfold still made her stand out more than others.
“I am deeply honored to become the new dean of Brakket Magical Academy. I wish to say a word of respect towards my predecessor, Rebbecca Halsey, who has elected to retire after the events during Halloween and the following weeks. She has paved the way for me to take this position. I and the rest of the staff wish her a fond farewell and luck in her future endeavors.”
There was a pause as Martina Turner bowed her head slightly. The rest of the staff had mixed reactions. Some followed her lead, others exchanged glances with each other before also lowering their heads.
Eva noted that neither Wayne Lurcher nor Zoe Baxter bowed their heads.
“Brakket Academy was founded on the principle of readying the youth of tomorrow for the challenges that life has to offer. Sadly, it has failed in this with regard to the six students who lost their lives on Halloween night. I would like to take a moment of silence in remembrance for them.”
She bowed her head, deeper this time. None of the staff hesitated in their own bowing. Several students did as well. Eva heard at least one sob softly somewhere in the auditorium ahead of her.
“This is not acceptable,” Dean Turner broke the silence.
