My stomach growled as I trooped down the hall. I was among the last to leave the first years’ tower, and wishing that I’d been faster so stopping by the kitchens could have been an option. With all the magical training and exercise, my metabolism was burning througheverythingI ate at an astounding rate. But even though I was starving, I hadn’t been willing to arrive half made up or late. If there was something I was never willing to rush, it was a first impression.
“Here we are,” Eva said, turning a corner and passing through a door labeled‘Ursula Shipton Solarium’.
The solarium was, as expected, made of glass. Sunlight streamed in to dance upon many exotic leafy plants and Moroccan-style lounge areas at both ends of the rectangular solarium. The space was brighter than any other room I’d seen at the academy. In fact, the only part of the solarium that seemed to mesh with the rest of Spellcasters was the long, dark wood table that ran down the center of the room.
And while the room was beautiful, it was the twelve men in tailored suits sitting at the table chatting that told me spending a few extra minutes getting ready had been the right choice. A man conversing with Alex and a giggling Diana noticed our arrival, excused himself, and stood. He was older, perhaps forty, fit, and still handsome in a rugged yet distinguished way.
“Welcome, ladies. I take it this is the rest of the first years? Headmistress Wake informed us that this year had only thirty-one students.”
Diana nodded from her spot next to Alex, who I noticed she was sitting particularly close to. “This is everyone.”
“Splendid. I’m David Chena, a non-magical spymaster for the Paranormal Intelligence Agency.”
A thrill ran through me, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Alex’s mouth drop open. Apparently, he hadn’t known the high rank of his conversation partner. An ignorance my mother would argue was a folly worse than death.
Mr. Chena plowed on. “We were just chatting before everyone arrived. Why don’t we settle into groups of three or four so we can all chat?”
Chat? About what? Where is this going?I stepped forward. During my week at Spellcasters, I’d learned enough to grasp what I didn’t know—which was practically everything. But I did know one thing. When meeting high-powered, well-connected people for the first time, I liked to have an idea of what to expect.
“If I might ask, Mr. Chena, no one told us what we’d find down here.” I smiled so I didn't seem pushy. “What is this workshop about?”
Mr. Chena grinned. “Extracting information already. Your classmates have been here ten minutes, and none of them had the guts to ask, well, anything of note. In each conversation I’ve had, I’ve been the one doing all the prying.”
The other men in suits nodded in agreement.
Mr. Chena turned to me. “That’s a good sign, Miss—?”
“Dane,” I replied. “Odette Dane.”
The spymaster’s eyes lit up. “Daughter of the famed Joseph and beguiling Lauren. Please, Miss Dane, join me.” He gestured to the empty chair on the other side of him.
Unable to help myself, I arched an eyebrow. Mr. Chena burst out laughing. Just behind him, I noticed Diana scowl, while Alex’s lips pressed together in annoyance.
“I can see I won’t slip one by you,” the spymaster said. “To answer your earlier question, my colleagues and I would like to see how your class might fit into the PIA after graduation.”
I nodded and made my way over to the table. Diana and Alex could be mad at me all they wanted, but I was taking Spymaster Chena up on his offer. If there was one thing I learned from my parents, it was that it’s all about who you know. And even if I didn’t want to talk to either Diana or Alex, David Chena was definitely someone worth knowing.
Mr. Chena, or David as he’d requested I call him, poured me another refill of coffee.
I leaned back in my chair, sated and happy. We’d been in the solarium for over an hour when I suggested that conversation always flowed more naturally around a bountiful table. David had agreed, saying that food was an excellent tactic to making people feel welcome, and breakfast was served. Now I was happy to stay here all day, networking and socializing.
Finally, something I do better than the rest of my classmates.
I didn’t think it was cocky to think that, it just seemed like a fact. David had actually commented on it, leading Diana to excuse herself from our group and find a new one. But as soon as he mentioned it, I saw that he was right. The vast majority of my peers appeared uncomfortable around the spy mentor they’d been grouped with. Tabitha Goode looked more uneasy than I’d ever seen her, red-faced and tight-lipped.
I couldn’t understand why others were having such a hard time. Extracting information, as David liked to call it, was just questioning your conversation partner about themselves. It wasn’t as difficult as magic.
“Now that you’ve learned all I can tell you about my position at the PIA, I’m wondering how you’re finding Spellcasters, Odette?”
I refrained from sighing. “To be honest, I’m finding my transition a bit of a struggle,” I replied.
“Really?” David leaned forward, blocking Alex from our conversation for the fifth time.
My classmate huffed, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest. I almost felt sorry for the guy. Until I remembered how much of a jerk he’d been all week.
Karma sucks, buddy.
“And why are you finding the transition a struggle?” David prodded. “Your parents are both witches and were stellar spies. I’d just started with the service when they left, but it devastated the PIA to lose them.”
