19. Sax #2
Baron sits to my left, Teddy beside him, followed by Archer.
It’s no shock to see Francesca, the leader of the Fire Protectors, sitting as close to Archer as possible, the rest of the lead protectors following her around the table.
Silas and a few other students complete the row of current pupils, right up to Professor Viola at the top of the table.
She sits quietly in conversation with Professor Grogan beside her, the rest of the academy professors lined up after him until we reach former students who hold a role of importance beyond these walls.
Hugo starts them off, followed by a dozen more people who always have nothing to say, until the circle completes back at me.
Why are we here? Because we were chosen to make a difference.
Does it feel like that’s happening? Most of the time, no, but I’ve only been here for the past twelve months or so, and apparently progress has been made in the grand scheme of things; I’ve just yet to see it.
Professor Viola clears her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to the end of the table.
I spy Francesca pressing her hand against Archer’s shoulder as she tries to silently lean into him, but to my surprise, he grabs her wrist and places her hand back in her lap, unfazed by the disappointment etched into her facial features.
“Thank you for gathering, and thank you for playing an important part in rejuvenating our magic,” Viola starts, lacing her fingers together on the table as she takes the time to make eye contact with each of us.
It’s strange listening to her without her voice projecting loudly.
It plays as a reminder that what she’s saying is important and shouldn’t be ignored.
“I’m assuming the sudden power outage was due to other kingdoms draining us, taking what isn’t theirs again?” the girl beside Hugo asks, and Professor Grogan nods.
“Both Kingdom One and Three pushed the boundaries. Whether it was intentional for them both to hit us at once, we don’t know, but we’re hoping for some clarity in the next forty-eight hours,” he explains, earning a round of nods from everyone at the table.
“Are we assuming they were both harvesting for themselves?” Francesca asks, sitting taller in her seat, but instead of latching her gaze to Grogan, she glances out of the corner of her eye at Archer, silently pleading for attention from him.
Again, he pays her no mind.
I tilt my head curiously. He never gives her what she wants, but he’s usually much more mindful to give her at least enough to keep her civil. Her lips twist, her disappointment becoming more clear, but Viola clears her throat, distracting me.
“There’s no reason to assume anything. We all know both leaders are selfish, hellbent on claiming what’s not theirs and draining as much of our magic as possible.
They could achieve much more if they accomplished it together, but the possibility of the two of them working together feels…
presumptuous when they’ve never been good at being in the same room as one another. ”
“Is there a plan of action?” Baron asks, cutting to the chase now that he knows who is behind our issues, and Viola nods.
“There is, and at this time, it will fall mainly on those no longer at the academy,” she explains, earning a sigh from half of the room, but she pays no mind as she addresses Hugo and the others lined up beside him.
“It’s our job to not raise any suspicions to them.
We’ve always observed in secret, and that doesn’t change today,” she declares.
“We’ve completed perimeter checks throughout the grounds, and rotations have been increased, but nothing changes. We don’t reveal our hand too soon.”
“When is that going to be, exactly?” Teddy asks, his voice cutting through the air like a blade desperate to make contact.
Professor Viola plasters a smile on her face, but it doesn’t meet her eyes.
“When The Fates deem it so. How that will be is yet to be decided. Don’t waste my time asking questions we all know the answers to,” she grumbles, rising from her seat.
She curls her fingers around the back of her chair as her gaze collides with Hugo before dancing from me to Archer.
“The girl. The scales show she injected a lot of magic into our land tonight. A fresh boost. Did she seem to realize what she was doing?”
Archer shakes his head. “She was overheating,” he mumbles, and Viola nods in understanding.
“Do you think she could give more?”
“It’s possible, but I had to carry her back to the dorms because she was so exhausted,” he explains, and I glare at the side of his head, frustrated that he didn’t mention that small detail before.
Silas clears his throat. “Maybe I could?—”
“Maybe you could shut the fuck up and mind your own business,” Archer snaps, glowering at the guy in question, while Hugo hides a grin behind his hand.
He knew his sister would be our demise, and he’s going to take great pleasure in watching us fall.
“Has she come to you with any confirmation of her abilities yet, Francesca?” Grogan asks, ignoring both Silas’s and Archer’s outbursts, and Francesca shakes her head.
“Nothing yet.”
Viola sighs with disappointment. “Fingers crossed that changes because as it stands, she would fare well in this room with us. Her magic fed the kingdom better than most of us in this room.”