Chapter 23 Less Than Amiable
“Since you will be spending a great deal of time together, I drew up this assignment in order to speed up the evolution of your relationship,” Ambassador Westover said with a flourish.
“I should warn you that if you remain aloof with one another, you are likely to fail this class. To succeed you must get to know your partner on a deeper level. These essays will aid in your success if you let them.”
He turned to face the chalkboard and began writing on it.
Castien cut his eyes to Wren, who was staring straight ahead, her spine stiff as a stone pillar.
Her hands were tightly clasped atop the desk, and Castien noted a smudge of ink on her hand, where she likely rested it on the page she was writing.
He had an identical smudge on his hand that Finn joked was a birthmark, for it seemed a permanent fixture.
Wren did not look thrilled with their pairing.
Castien had yet to determine how he felt.
On one hand, this would be an excellent way to conduct his investigation of her in an inconspicuous manner.
But on the other, she would learn about him as well.
He preferred to deal in the shadows. For no one to be entirely certain about what he was capable of, especially his enemies.
Wren Kalyxi had yet to prove herself not his adversary, and the best defense against an opponent was confusion.
He’d lose that by being partnered with her.
“You will each write two essays. One, describing yourself. The other, your partner. If you try to simply write two slightly different papers about yourself to turn them in, I will know.” The ambassador turned around and pointed at the room with his piece of chalk. “And you will fail.”
Adalin raised her hand. She had been paired with someone not a part of the Order, which was unfortunate. The class assignments would have been the perfect cover to gauge her ability.
“Yes, Miss Zeldair?”
Adalin fidgeted under the ambassador’s stare, but asked her question. “How are our grades determined?”
A slow smile stretched Ambassador Westover’s mouth.
“I’m afraid those of you who are fond of rubrics will not like this assignment…
or this class very much. My grading is highly subjective, and based entirely on effort and passion.
Put forth all that you are able, and you will succeed.
Neglect to collaborate with your partner, and your marks will suffer. Simple as that.”
Adalin slouched in her seat. Castien was aware of the eccentricities of the ambassador now, but he recalled being annoyed with the lack of structure when he was a first year.
Unfortunately, Castien had to admit the unconventional style of teaching did produce growth in the use of his Gift last year.
He found himself more in tune with it than ever before and able to silence emotional responses with ease after diligent practice.
“Now, for the subjects you should seek to learn about, I would recommend inquiring about family history, their homeland, likes, dislikes, why they are at the academy, and of course, what their Gift is and how it affects their life.”
He paused, but no one asked any questions.
“Your essays will be due a week from today. You will use the remainder of your time, and your class later this week, to interview your partner and work on your essays. Feel free to do so at any location on the grounds. There is no need to be confined to this room.” The ambassador set the chalk down and clapped his hands together. “You are dismissed.”
At his words, several of the students scraped their chairs back and left the room. Castien turned toward Wren, who had not moved.
“Is there any place in particular you would like to conduct our interview?” he asked.
There was no sense in delaying the inevitable. He’d provide enough information to get a mark of excellence, but not so much that she knew anything of value. His Gift started writing in the air possible facts to provide and questions to ask her.
“I am not yet familiar with the grounds, so I will defer that decision to you,” she answered in a tight voice.
Most of Castien’s favorite spots on the island were ones he could not show her because the knowledge of them belonged to the Order, but there was one that he thought would lend itself to private conversation.
While he had no plans of disclosing anything significant to her, he would have to divulge more than he did to the average peer.
“How does the library suit you?”
“That’s fine.”
She stood and adjusted her bag on her shoulder before stepping back to make room for Castien to pass. Castien noted the ambassador’s curious gaze following their movements.
“I look forward to reading both of your essays,” Ambassador Westover said with a sly grin.
What could he mean by placing the two of them together? The man had the greatest weaknesses of every student at his fingertips, so it stood to reason he would use that knowledge while assigning partners. What was Wren’s weakness?
Castien looked over at her as they walked into the hall.
Pieces of her hair had fallen from the pins since he first saw her this morning.
They curled at the nape of her neck and around her temples.
She appeared everything a woman of proper upbringing was taught to be.
Demure, delicate, well-spoken, and well-dressed.
She was capable of banter–as he witnessed with Finn–yet she wasn’t a flirt. But that was all on the surface.
Wren squinted as they stepped outside. It was still as foggy as when class began, if not more so.
Castien could find his way around blind, though, so he didn’t mind the weather.
It was not as though there was much sunshine back on the Lucent Enclave where he grew up.
With all the buildings crowded together and built on top of one another, everyone lived in shadow.
He preferred it this way. It was easier to maneuver in secret when visibility was low.
“Dreadful island,” he heard Wren mutter under her breath as they descended the stairs.
“I take it you aren’t fond of the weather?” Castien inquired.
She let out a little huff. “How could anyone enjoy such a dreary state?”
He waited for her to move from the bottom of the stairs, but she seemed to be waiting on him. Finn had told Castien he had walked Wren to class, but Castien now discerned why. She did not know where she was going.
“You shouldn’t disparage an entire island simply because you don’t know your way around it.”
The barb was meant to see what she did when antagonized. He hoped the results would be intriguing.
“Suppose I did not know my way, a gentleman should offer to guide me to my destination, rather than insult me. Don’t you agree, Prince Valengard?”
“Perhaps,” Castien conceded. “But he could only do so if the lady was honest about her state and asked for assistance. Don’t you agree, Lady Kalyxi?”
Wren crossed her arms and tipped her head back to meet his gaze. Fog swirled around them both, but instead of dulling the blue color of her irises, the contrast only brightened them.
“Your cousin is much more amiable than you.”
Castien scoffed at her attempt at an insult. She didn’t know of Finn’s ability. Her confidence would falter when he informed her of the truth.
“Perhaps I could be as amiable as Finn if my Gift was charisma, too.”
He watched as his words sank in. Her shoulders drooped like a wilting flower.
“He is charming because of his Gift?” she questioned.
Castien nodded. “I suppose one can’t know where the Gift ends and Finn begins as it is so a part of him, but yes, he was Gifted with charm.”
Wren’s brow furrowed. Castien suspected she was reviewing her interactions with his cousin in her mind.
“Many women have been susceptible to his charm. It is nothing to be ashamed of if you garnered feelings for him. I should warn you that he has yet to find a woman to hold his interest for longer than a moon’s passing.”
Wren’s eyes flashed in anger. Castien found the change in demeanor riveting.
“I have no affection for Finn! Do you think me so shallow as to fall for a man I have only just met?”
Castien shrugged nonchalantly. “Why should I not? I do not know you.”
“That is precisely why not,” she said in an incredulous tone. “If you do not know me, then you cannot possibly know where my affections lie.”
“That is where you are incorrect. I can observe patterns and trends. Finn’s charm often leaves a trail of broken hearts behind him. I saw you smiling with him and you let him walk you to class. That fits with the pattern.”
Castien knew she did not truly fit in the typical paradigm.
Finn’s Gift could never be turned off, but he certainly knew how to increase it and had not done so around Wren.
He would have told Castien if he had. But the more Castien pushed, the more Wren pushed back.
That gave him something to observe outside of her careful demeanor.
Wren rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Castien noticed she wasn’t wearing a shawl or cloak to keep warm. If they stayed out here much longer, she might get Tidesick.
“I suppose because your Gift is strategy you believe that everything fits into patterns and puzzles,” Wren said as if her words were an accusation. “But that is where you are incorrect. Humanity is not a logic problem for you to solve. People have emotions and complex thoughts.”
All of which could be explained with patterns, Castien thought, but did not say.
It would do them no good to argue about such trivial nonsense.
He enjoyed sparring, but they needed to make progress on this assignment.
Though in a roundabout way, they managed to uncover a piece of how each of them viewed the world. He would count that as a small success.
“Let’s go to the library before you turn blue,” Castien said and started in the direction of the building.
“That’s it? You have no rebuttal?” Wren called after him.
“I am attempting to be a gentleman and guide you to your destination, Kalyxi. You can come along and we can work on the assignment, or you can wander about until you reach the Tides. Your choice.”
She caught up to him and shot him a glare.
“I am going to write that you are unpleasant to work with.”
A wry smile twisted his lips. “Then our essays shall be so similar we’ll be accused of plagiarism.”