Chapter 18
Talisa
One week later
I plodded up the stairs to the First-Year Student Affairs Office, each step making the icy lump of dread in my stomach feel larger and heavier.
Even Elio’s presence at my side couldn’t dispel the feeling of impending doom.
A note sealed with the academy’s official crest had been delivered to me at breakfast mail-call. My presence was requested immediately after the midday meal.
I’d known immediately it wouldn’t be good news.
A well-dressed couple waited nervously in front of the bronze door to the office. Elio hugged me, whispered, “Chin up,” and went to join them.
I paused before the door, took a deep breath that made my ribs ache, and pulled it open.
When I walked into the First-Year Assistant Chatelaine’s office, I saw Julissa sitting behind her desk, her silver-streaked hair pulled back in its usual severe style.
To her right sat Mage-Instructor Zaurus, his tall frame folded uncomfortably into a chair clearly designed for someone shorter. Both looked up as I entered.
Nadia was already seated in the other visitor’s chair. I guessed those must be her parents waiting outside in the corridor.
“Miss Bernswick,” Julissa said with a brisk nod. “Take a seat.”
I sat and exchanged a nervous look with Nadia. Then I folded my hands and tried not to fidget despite my nerves.
“We’ve concluded our investigation into the unfortunate laboratory incident,” Julissa began without preamble, tapping a slim folder on her desk. “After a thorough examination of the evidence, we have determined that the explosion resulted from student error.”
My stomach dropped. “Student error? But—” The sheer unfairness of it choked me.
“We didn’t do anything wrong!” Nadia said at the same time.
The assistant chatelaine raised her hand, cutting us off with a sharp gesture. “As first-year students, you and Miss Montoro were working with volatile materials without adequate preparation.”
“That’s not true,” I protested.
Nadia said, “Mage-Instructor Zaurus was supervising us. And we followed every instruction in the lab exercise exactly as written.”
Mage-Instructor Zaurus cleared his throat uncomfortably. “While I provided general supervision, this specific exercise called for independent work with minimal intervention.”
“The materials were tampered with,” I insisted, leaning forward. “Instead of channeling our magic, the crystals amplified it, creating a feedback loop. Someone switched them out.” I looked at our instructor. “Surely you must’ve notice something wrong during your investigation, Mage-Instructor!”
His gaze slid away from mine. Maybe it was only my imagination, but he looked momentarily ashamed. “There was nothing wrong with the crystals,” he insisted. “They were exactly the same as those used by the other students in the lab.”
Julissa sighed. “As I told you last time, there is no evidence to support your outrageous claim, Miss Bernswick.”
“But—”
“The investigation is closed,” she said firmly. “The official finding is student error with contributory negligence. I’ve already filed the final report with Chatelaine Lirelle’s office.”
“Contributory negligence?” Nadia asked. “What does that mean?”
“While the academy may bear some responsibility for inadequate supervision,” Julissa’s mouth twisted in distaste, “—the primary fault lies with the two of you for disregarding instructions and lab protocols.”
My mouth went dry. “What does this mean?”
Julissa opened the folder and slid a pair of documents across the desk. “It means the academy is fining you and Miss Montoro for the damages, cleanup, repairs, plus disciplinary infractions. Here are your copies of the incident report, plus the invoice listing your halves of the payment due.”
My eyes widened as I took the papers. I scanned the invoice. It contained an itemized list that made my heart pound with mingled outrage and terror:
· Structural damage to laboratory: 40 aurei
· Equipment replacement: 25 aurei
· Quicksilver hazard mitigation: 15 aurei
· Disciplinary fees: 30 aurei
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: 110 aurei
The numbers stole my breath. One hundred and ten aurei?
This sum was impossible—almost as much as a year’s tuition at the academy!
And I knew that Mama and Papa had spent all their savings on travel expenses, plus Mama had sold both of her “emergency fund” necklaces to cover the first-year’s tuition for Juno, Mira, and me when we learned that our imperial scholarship had been held up.
Another hundred and ten aurei was more than our family could afford, even before Mama’s death.
“This can’t be right,” I whispered, my body shaking despite my best efforts to stay calm. “I don’t have this kind of money. No one in my family does.”
“We don’t either,” Nadia said. She looked as if she were on the verge of tears.
Julissa’s expression remained implacable. “The academy understands the amount may present difficulties for students from, ah, humble backgrounds. Therefore, we decided to waive the usual infirmary charges and are giving you until the end of this academic year to make the payment.”
“And if we can’t pay?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Then the debt will be turned over to imperial debt collectors, and neither of you can return to the academy next year.”
The floor seemed to tilt beneath me. Expelled? I’d be trapped in Bernswick forever, my dreams of becoming a certified mage-healer like my parents crushed because of something that wasn’t even my fault.
“This is unfair.” I knew protesting would be useless, but I couldn’t just sit here and humbly accept this monstrous injustice! “We followed protocol and the written instructions exactly.”
Nadia added, “And we both cast our spells using the proper formulae. Something went wrong with the crystals. That’s not our fault!”
“Instead of trying to dodge your responsibility for this incident,” Julissa cut in, her voice cold, “you should both get on your knees and thank the Divine Mother that no one else was seriously injured. The academy is being lenient by giving you two the chance to make good on the damage you caused rather than expelling you on the spot.”
Lenient. The word burned in my ears. Is this what the academy considers leniency? Bankrupting my family under the threat of expulsion?
What would happen to Mira and Juno if I wasn’t allowed to return next year?
“Isn’t there another way I could handle this?” I asked desperately. “Maybe by letting me pay it in smaller installments over the next few years? I could find work as an infirmary cleaner or—”
Julissa’s gaze sharpened, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Miss Bernswick, we are already charging you far less than our actual costs to repair the damage you and Miss Montoro caused with your carelessness. I urge you not to try my patience with undignified bargaining.”
My hand trembled as I accepted the pen she thrust at me.
For a moment, I considered demanding a formal hearing with Chatelaine Lirelle instead of signing this damnable document.
But my previous attempt to seek the chatelaine’s help had shown me how futile it was to expect anything helpful from her.
“Sign both copies of the incident report,” Julissa said, sliding duplicate sheets over to Nadia and me. Her finger moved up to the paragraph listing the penalties for non-payment. “And initial here.”
The pen felt like a lead weight in my hand as I signed away my family’s financial security.
Tears splashed on Nadia’s copies, but I was dry-eyed with disbelieving horror.
“You are both dismissed,” Julissa said once we’d finished writing. “Remember, payment in full is due no later than the last day of the academic term.”
I stood on legs that felt like water, clutching my copies of the incident report and the invoice. “Thank you for your… leniency,” I managed, the words bitter on my tongue.
Nadia said nothing, just grabbed her paper off the desk before turning on her heel and bolting out of the office.
Mage-Instructor Zaurus avoided my eyes as I left. Whatever part he’d played in this travesty of justice, he clearly had no desire to acknowledge it.
I walked out of the office in a daze, the paper clutched in my hand like a death warrant. One hundred and ten aurei. Where can I possibly get that kind of money?
And how could I tell Papa? After everything—the promised imperial scholarship’s failure to materialize, Mama’s death, the cost of sending all three of us to the academy, the constant worry about money—how could I add to his burden?
When I emerged from the office, Nadia and her parents had vanished. I had a feeling she wouldn’t return.
Right now, I wanted to run away, too.
“Talisa! What happened?”
I looked up through blurry eyes to see Elio standing in front of me, his amber eyes wide with concern.
Without waiting for my reply, he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly.
The warmth of his body, the steady beat of his heart against my ear, grounded me when I felt like I might float away on a tide of panic.
“What did the assistant chatelaine say?” he asked after a long moment. His voice was low and urgent. “I saw Nadia show her parents some papers and heard them say it was impossible.”
“They ruled we were at fault for the explosion,” I whispered into his chest. “And they’re making us pay for the cleanup and repairs. One hundred and ten aurei. Each.”
His body went rigid against mine. “Vesta’s holy fire!”
I pulled back just enough to hand him the invoice and my copy of the report. My hand was shaking. “Damages, equipment replacement, disciplinary fees. They ruled it was student error with contributory negligence.”
Elio scanned the document, his expression darkening with each line. “This is ridiculous,” he said, his voice tight with anger. “There’s no way this was your fault.”
“They don’t care,” I said, a bitter laugh escaping me. “Assistant Chatelaine Julissa said they’re being generous by giving me until the end of the academic year to pay. And that I should be grateful they’re not expelling me on the spot.”
He crumpled the papers in his fist, then seemed to think better of it and carefully smoothed it out. “I’m so sorry, Talisa,” he said, one hand coming up to cup my face. “If I had the money, I’d—”
“I know,” I interrupted him. “But even if you did, I couldn’t accept it.”
“I have some pocket money saved,” he offered. “Not much, but it might help.”
I shook my head firmly. “No. This is my problem, not yours.”
“I disagree,” he said, slinging his arm around my shoulders. “But I won’t argue with you about it now. Come on. Let’s get you back to your suite. You look like you’re about to collapse.”
We walked side by side across the quad, my arm around his narrow waist supporting more of my weight than I wanted to admit.
The late autumn sunshine seemed obscenely cheerful, given the black cloud hanging over my head. Around us, other students hurried to and from classes, laughing and chatting, completely unaware that my world had just shattered.
“The student account Mama set up has maybe twenty aurei in it,” I said numbly as we passed the library. “It’s supposed to last me the entire year, for books and supplies and emergencies.”
Elio squeezed my shoulders gently. “What about your sisters? Could you borrow from their accounts?”
I shook my head. “Even if I drained all three of our accounts completely, which I could never do, because it would leave them with nothing for the rest of the term, I’d still only have sixty aurei. And what happens if we need books or clothing, or anything else…” My voice trailed off.
“We’ll think of something,” Elio said, but the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him.
We arrived at the Western Tower.
“I have to write to Papa as soon as mail service resumes,” I said, the words spilling out as we climbed the stairs to my floor. “He’ll be crushed by this, especially after what happened to Mama. He might have to sell the business. And maybe our house, too. And then where will we be?”
We reached my door, and Elio turned to face me, his hands on my shoulders.
“Listen to me,” he said, his eyes fierce. “This is not your fault. Someone sabotaged that equipment—we both know it. Probably Lukhan or one of his friends.”
At the mention of Lukhan’s name, a fresh wave of anger washed through me. “He’s winning,” I whispered. “This fine will force me to leave the academy, and he’ll say it proves I don’t belong here.”
“Then we can’t let him—or the academy—win,” Elio said firmly. “I swear we’ll find a way to get the money without bankrupting your father.”
He hugged me again, and I slumped against his chest, suddenly exhausted.
“How? I’ve been going over every possibility since signing that paper.
Even if I could find work—which is nearly impossible with my class schedule—no one is going to pay a first-year student enough to make a dent in that fine. ”
“What about a loan?” he suggested. “My father has connections with several merchant banks in Baleares. He might be able to arrange something on favorable terms.” He patted my shoulder.
“We’ll think of something. Maybe someone in our tea circle can come up with a plan.
You’re not in this alone. And you shouldn’t give up. ”
But as I looked at his determined face, all I could think about was: what will happen to Mira and Juno if I can’t find the money? Will they have to leave the academy too? Will all Mama and Papa’s sacrifices to send us here be for nothing?
The thought hardened something inside me.
“You’re right. I’m not giving up,” I told him.
“I didn’t come all this way, work this hard, just to let Lukhan or Assistant Chatelaine Julissa or anyone else drive me out.
” I tilted my head back and met Elio’s eyes squarely.
“I’ll get that money, one way or another.
I have seven months left until the payment is due. ”
He grinned down at me. “That’s the Talisa I know,” he said, his hand coming up to brush a strand of hair from my face. “I have faith in you. And I’ll do everything I can to help you. Just tell me what you need.”
Something warm fluttered in my chest at his words and the way he was looking at me. When I was with him, everything seemed possible. For a moment, the weight of the fine seemed to lighten.
“I should go,” he said reluctantly. “I have Beginning Potions lab and you know how Mage-Instructor Varro is about tardiness.” He hesitated, then leaned down to press a quick kiss to my forehead. “We’ll figure this out together. I promise.”
After he’d gone, I stood in the corridor, his kiss still warm on my skin, the impossible sum squeezing my chest like a too-tight corset.
I will not let them win. I will not abandon my education. And I will not drag my family into poverty.
There had to be a way out of this catastrophe. And I would find it.