Chapter 19
Talisa
The next day
“Is it true that Talisa and Nadia both received huge fines for what happened in the Channeling lab?” someone shouted over the din of competing voices.
The Western Tower’s downstairs common room was packed to bursting.
Every chair and spots on the sofa were taken.
Students perched on chair arms, leaned against the walls, and sat cross-legged on the floor.
Everyone was talking over each other, their voices rising in waves as they vented about the latest outrages inflicted by the aristocratic students.
I moved around the room, pouring tea into the cups of our new members, feeling a little dazed by how quickly things had changed.
One day after being served with a fine that could bankrupt my family, I suddenly seemed to have become the leader of a movement that had swelled from a small study group to a coalition of first- and second-year commoner students.
“Everyone!” Elio called out, climbing up onto his chair to make himself seen. “Quiet! Let Talisa answer the question!”
The chatter died away. I put down my teapot and straightened my skirts, uncomfortably aware that were dozens of unfamiliar faces staring at me, some curious, some angry, some worried.
A week ago, there had been a dozen Circle of the Open Hand members in my dormitory suite. Now over fifty students filled the common room.
“Thank you all for coming,” I began, nervous about speaking in front of so many strangers.
“For those who don‘t know me, I’m Talisa of Bernswick. I guess most of you heard that yesterday, Assistant Chatelaine Julissa told my lab partner Nadia Montoro and me we’re at fault for the explosion in Mage-Instructor Zaurus’s Arcane Control and Channeling lab last week.
We’re being fined one hundred and ten aurei each for damages and disciplinary fees. ”
Murmurs of mingled anger and disbelief rippled through the crowd.
“Nadia isn’t here,” I continued, “because her parents are making her withdraw from this academy. She is transferring to the Imperial Academy for the Magical Arts in her home city of Lutèce. She left me a farewell note this morning.”
My throat tightened. I regretted not having the chance to say goodbye in person, but I hadn’t seen her again after our meeting in Julissa’s office yesterday afternoon. I would miss her careful attention to detail and her infectious laugh.
I couldn’t help feeling like I’d failed her somehow. Like maybe if I’d been faster or smarter, I would’ve noticed the problem with our crystals, and we wouldn’t have been in this situation.
“Before she left,” I said, “she wrote me a note.” I paused, fighting to keep my voice steady.
“She said, ‘It doesn’t matter if they tried to hurt us because we’re commoners, or because we’re getting organized, or just because they’re cruel.
What matters is that they’ll try to do it again.
The only way to protect ourselves is to stand together.
’ That’s why I’m so glad to see all of you here tonight. ”
Applause rose from the gathered students.
“Before we talk about my situation,” I resumed when the noise had died down.
“I’d like to tell you about the Circle of the Open Hand.
We’re primarily a study group for first-year students, and we’re here to help each other navigate the academy, both academically and socially.
Lately, we’ve also been organizing to protect ourselves from those here who want to make us feel unwelcome.
Everyone is welcome in our circle, commoner or noble. ”
Some of the new members rolled their eyes, and I heard several groans. I continued, “Elio Ferraro has come up with a lovely motto for us.”
On cue, Elio recited, “We promise to keep our hands open to help each other, never closed in fists.”
“And if someone wants to stand with us, we won’t exclude them, no matter who their parents are,” I added. “I’m sure we’ve all had enough of being excluded in this place.”
Scattered applause rose, though many of the newcomers wore doubtful expressions and remained silent.
“We need to talk about Talisa’s fine,” one of the second-year leaders called out. “That’s why most of us are here, isn’t it?”
A chorus of agreement rose, along with scattered shouts of “Outrageous!” “It’s so unfair!” and “Everyone knows who caused that explosion!”
I sighed, the now-familiar lump of dread returning to my stomach. “Yes. The academy is fining Nadia and me one hundred and ten aurei each, with payment in full due before the end of the academic year. If I can’t pay, I won’t be allowed to return next year.”
“One hundred and ten aurei?” a second-year boy exclaimed, sounding shocked. “Only nobles and rich people can afford that much!”
“I heard Lord Ormond and his cousin Montplaisir bragging in the dining hall that ‘Talisa of Bernswick has finally been put in her place,’” a female newcomer said. “I think they were the ones who caused the explosion.”
Who is Lord Ormond? I wondered. And why would he want to hurt me when Lord Lukhan is the one with a grudge against me?
“It doesn’t matter what we think if we don’t have any evidence against them,” I said, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice.
“What about appealing to Chatelaine Lirelle?” one of the first-year girls suggested. “She seems nice.”
A chorus of bitter laughter and sarcastic comments arose from the other Circle members.
I waited until everyone quieted down again, and smiled at the first-year, who’d turned bright red and looked ready to cry.
“It wasn’t a bad idea,” I told her, “but I’ve already found out the hard way that the chatelaine isn’t on our side.
I went to see her a few weeks ago about another incident, and she not only refused to address the problem, but she also told me I needed to adjust my attitude to my station.
” A surge of bitterness rose at the memory.
I looked around the crowded common room.
“So, no, I don’t plan to petition the chatelaine for help. ”
“Then what are you going to do?” Elara asked, twisting one of her bright copper braids around her finger. “How can you possibly earn that much money between now and the end of the second semester?”
An older boy stood and waved his arms to attention. I recognized him from seeing him in my Fundamentals of Magecraft II lecture. He was a second-year student, tall, with coppery skin and sun-kissed brown hair, and a long, serious face.
“My name is Dante Santinus,” he said, his voice carrying easily throughout the common room. “And I have an idea.”
The room quieted at once.
“I’d love to hear your idea,” I said. “Right now, I need all the help I can get.”
“It’s a long shot… but how about competing in the Aurelian Trials?” he continued. “They’re scheduled to take place right after the Remembrance Day winter break.”
I’d heard of the Aurelian Trials, of course. They were one of those things that excited the upper-division students, but none of the first-years or second-years really cared about.
“Are first-years even allowed to compete?” I asked.
Dante nodded. “The Trials are strongly encouraged for fourth-years and above, but they allow first- and second-years to compete ‘for the experience.’” He paused. “I heard that this year’s grand prize will be two hundred and fifty gold aurei, split between the members of the winning team.”
My heart nearly stopped when he mentioned the sum. I could pay my fine and even have some money left over!
“But we know they’ll never let a commoner win,” a second-year boy called out from near the back.
Dante’s shoulders slumped. “That’s the catch,” he admitted. “The Aurelian Trials have a reputation for being rigged in favor of the nobly born. No commoner team has ever even made it to the quarter-finals.”
My soaring hopes crashed to earth like a dove pinned by a hunter’s arrow.
“Then what’s the point of entering at all?” Elio asked, his tone pure acid.
“Even if you don’t make the finals, there are cash prizes for winning each level,” Dante offered. “If Talisa can make through the first few rounds, she could earn something towards her fine.”
“And the Trials are also a chance to show the mage-instructors and the chatelaine what you can really do,” another second-year added. “If you make a good impression, they might decide to lessen or even waive your fine so that you can stay at the academy.”
“Or, if she does well, the aristos might blow up something else to make sure she can’t compete,” someone shouted from the back of the room.
The assembled students fell silent. I felt the blood drain from my face. Elio moved to my side and put his arm around my shoulders. “It’s up to all of us to protect each other from the bullies,” he declared. He looked at me. “I don’t like the idea of you exposing yourself to extra risk.”
“I know,” I said. “But if the grand prize is really that much, I’ll need to think about it.”
But I’d already made my decision. Winning the grand prize could change everything for me and my sisters.
And even if I only made it to the quarter-finals, Chatelaine Lirelle might consider a petition to modify my fine.
More importantly, I’d be showing Lukhan and his friends that they hadn’t managed to “put me in my place” at all.
∞∞∞
Elio
Two weeks later
The morning of my semester-end History of Magecraft and the Dominion exam started normally enough.
The mild weather had turned cold and rainy. I pulled my wool winter robes tighter against the biting chill as I followed a stream of students toward the dining hall for breakfast.
Ahead of me, three second-years suddenly slowed their pace, then stopped altogether because of a crowd blocking the path to the dining hall.
“They’ve gone too far this time,” someone said with disgust.
“Are they supposed to be that Open Hand girl and her friend?” someone else asked.
I pushed forward rudely. I had to see what was going on.
The sight that greeted me robbed the air from my lungs.