The Thorn of Dentonhill (32 page)

Veranix finished dressing, put on his cap and headed out into the hallway. Rellings was at the top of the stairs, lining people up to walk over to Holtman.

“Morning, Rellings,” Veranix said with as big a smile as he could manage. “You know what they're serving today?”

“Don't know, Calbert,” Rellings said. “I do know you won't be joining us, though.” He looked far too smug as he pulled a note out of his pocket and handed it to Veranix. “Report to Professor Alimen's office at eight bells.”

Veranix opened the note up and read it, though it said nothing more than what Rellings just told him. “How much time does that give me?”

“Five minutes, more or less,” Rellings said. “Given your instructions, you are relieved from doing the Walk to breakfast.”

“Always the gentleman, Rellings,” Veranix said. He pointed to one of the underclassmen waiting in line. “Save something for me, you hear?” He dashed down the stairs, out the main door, and across the lawn as fast as his legs could naturally carry him.

The tower bells rang eight just as he reached the top steps of Bolingwood. Pausing for a moment to catch his breath, he knocked on the door to Professor Alimen's office.

“Come, Mister Calbert,” Alimen called from behind the door. Veranix went in to find the professor setting a breakfast table with two plates. He appeared to be in good spirits, despite the bruises on his face.

“Very punctual, Mister Calbert,” Alimen said with a slight smile. “I dare say our little talk yesterday has had a positive effect on you.”

“I did rest well last night,” Veranix said. “And you, sir? How are you feeling?”

“Why do you ask, Mister Calbert?” Alimen asked as he placed a steaming dish in the center of the table.

“You seem to have . . . something on your head, sir,” Veranix said, pointing at the bruise.

“Ah, yes,” Alimen said, chuckling. “I had a bit of an adventure last night, though I must confess, I'm not totally clear on what all occurred. Please sit.” Veranix sat down at the table. Alimen cut out a slice from the dish and put it on Veranix's plate.

“I wasn't expecting breakfast this morning, sir,” he said.

“Yes, but I'm sure you appreciate it, regardless,” Alimen said. “Pour yourself some tea.”

“What is this dish, sir?” Veranix asked as he served tea for himself and Alimen.

“This is the traditional breakfast from the Plenin region of the Archduchy of Patyma, where I grew up,” Alimen said. “You use old bread, cut into cubes, and you mix it with sausages and sheep's cheese, and then soak the whole thing in eggs and cream. Then you bake it and it's quite delicious.” Veranix took a bite, and he had to agree with the professor's assessment.

“There's a similar dish in Oblune,” he said. “But they use pork belly instead of sausages, and a sharper cow cheese.”

“Hmm, yes,” the professor said as he sat down. “I've had that before, and it's all wrong.” He took a few bites in silence. “Anyway, last night I was abducted by our friends from the Blue Hand Circle, as was Miss Nell. She was yet again the victim of circumstances, as I was having a word with her when they came.”

“Is she all right?” Veranix asked.

“She is quite well,” said the professor, “Though perhaps later you can go to her quarters and give her a kind word.”

“Her quarters?” Veranix asked. That was confusing. “I thought Master Jolen had kicked her out.”

“Well, let me continue,” Alimen said. He took a few more bites before he did so. “I'm not sure exactly what the Blue Hand Circle was trying to achieve, but it seems they were convinced that I was somehow instrumental in regaining their stolen property. Which was ludicrous, but I think they had become quite unhinged. That Circle had always had something of an obsession with the more obscure and arcane corners of magical studies. Some of those corners can truly disturb the mind, Mister Calbert. Be aware of that.”

“Yes, sir,” Veranix said. “No arcane corners.”

“Near as I can tell—as they knocked me out before they began whatever ritual they had planned—whatever they were doing went horribly wrong. Blew up in their collective faces. Miss Nell managed to get us loose and rescue me.”

“Did she?” Veranix said, doing his best to sound surprised.

“Carried me back to campus herself,” Alimen said. “Quite extraordinary girl, she is. Thus at sunrise this morning I went to Master Jolen and made it clear to him, in the light of such heroics, her employment at the University should not be terminated.”

“That . . . that's amazing, sir.” Veranix said. He shoved more of the food into his mouth to cover up his smile.

“Indeed, Mister Calbert, I had already checked into the school charters about the specific regulations, in regard to your fraternization with her. There is nothing in any rule preventing such liaisons between male students and female staff. In fact, somewhat disturbingly, the charter encourages the opposite in alarmingly specific detail.” He coughed uncomfortably. Taking another bite he added, “The charter was written some centuries ago, and I suppose certain standards were different in those days.”

“So she has her job back?” Veranix asked.

“Indeed she does,” Professor Alimen said. He took a sip of tea. “That being said, Mister Calbert, do not think that means you should feel free to go sneaking off out of your quarters in the middle of the night. No matter how tempting or important the reasons might seem to you.” He said this last part quite pointedly. “Am I clear?”

“Quite,” Veranix said. “So, Professor, why exactly did you have me come for breakfast?”

“Ah, well,” Professor Alimen said. “As I told you yesterday, it is clear to me you are in desperate need of greater academic discipline. Therefore, on lecture days, you will meet me here at eight bells to help me prepare the lesson. Every lecture day.”

“That's not fair—” Veranix started. On the professor's withering look, he bit back the sentence and tried again. “That's not fair to Delmin, is it? He'll think I'm being groomed as a favorite.”

“Well, that's the other part of my plan for you, Mister Calbert,” Alimen said. “You will now also have double practicals. One with me, and one with me and Mister Sarren. I think he would benefit from working directly with you in those aspects. I'm also developing a plan on having the two of you work in a more hands-on manner with the first- and second-year magic students.”

“You really intend to keep me busy, don't you, Professor?” Veranix asked, finishing the last bite of his breakfast.

“Whatever it takes to keep you out of trouble, Mister Calbert,” the professor said. He cut another piece out of the pan and gave it to Veranix. “I plan to make you be the best you can be. Are you ready for that?”

“I'm ready for whatever comes,” Veranix said, cutting into the second helping.

“Good,” Alimen said, smiling warmly. “Now, first, perhaps you can help me find my sample of dalmatium. It does not seem to be anywhere.”

It was nearly nine bells when Veranix came out of the tower, carrying a case full of gems and crystals for that day's lecture. Alimen walked ahead of him, humming tunelessly as he went. Veranix was of the opinion that the professor was enjoying himself a bit too much, but if this new arrangement meant regular breakfasts like that, he wasn't going to complain. Not too much, at any rate.

Just outside the lecture hall, Kaiana was pruning one of the fruit trees along the walkway. The spring blossoms were now in full bloom, so she was surrounded in a sea of deep pink, which accented her dark skin in a way that Veranix found surprisingly beautiful.

“Have a quick word,” Alimen said. “But hurry in.” He clapped Veranix on the shoulder and went into the lecture hall. Veranix approached the tree as Kaiana jumped down to the ground.

“So I hear you're the big hero,” Veranix said.

“Best story I could come up with,” she said with a shrug. “I am getting a bit tired of coming up with stories, though.”

“I think you're done for a bit,” Veranix said. “The professor has a plan to keep me very busy for a while.” He looked down at the ground uncomfortably. “You really were, though. A hero, I mean. You did great last night.”

“I just ran,” she said.

“Ran like blazes,” he said, laughing. “With Alimen over your shoulder, even. That's amazing.”

She smiled warmly. “You were brilliant.”

“Yeah, well,” Veranix said, grinning back at her. “That's just what I had to be.”

“Oh, shut it,” she said. She bit her lip for a moment. She reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. “These are all over the place outside the campus wall. Hundreds. I've never seen anything like it. What does it mean?” He took the paper from her. It showed a drawing of a canal—a waterpath—and both sides of it were lined with vines. Vines covered in thorns. A few crude sketches of men were on one side, getting stuck in the thorns and vines.

“Now that's a paper job,” Veranix whispered. “Colin and the other Rose Street Princes are letting Fenmere know, anyone crosses Waterpath, then they'll get the Thorn.”

“What does that mean for you?”

“It means,” Veranix said, pocketing the paper, “that the idea of me should be enough to keep him at bay.”

“So, is that it, though? You're not going after Fenmere at all?”

“Not yet,” Veranix said. “I'll let him stew for a bit, at least until Professor Alimen grows tired of keeping the watch over me.”

“But you will go after him,” she said. It wasn't a question.

“Like fire and blazes,” Veranix whispered, hotter and angrier than he expected. “As long as he's poisoning the streets.”

“Good. I'll keep a lamp on for you when you do.”

“Wouldn't have it any other way,” he said. The bells started to ring. “I'll come see you later, but I've got to get in there.”

“Go,” she said, and went back to her trees.

Veranix picked up the case and went into the lecture hall. Today was going to be a long day, and he had plenty still to learn.

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