Chapter 7
Afeeling of warmthand comfort greeted me as I woke the next morning. I savored the feeling of softness against my bare skin, the scent of lavender that surrounded me. Then, I remembered where I was and opened my eyes, a feeling of mild panic gripping me.
The events of last night flashed through my mind, and I felt joy and…apprehension. Suddenly all of the worries that I hadn't allowed myself to explore surged to the front of my mind. Before this was real, worrying about what people would say or how the other professors would treat me if I had a serious relationship with their colleague seemed ridiculous—it wouldn't happen anyway, I'd convinced myself.
Now, it felt…exciting and overwhelming all at once. I cared a lot about being at the Academy, and now I cared a lot about Benedict, too. I needed to think.
I slowly sat up and looked around, only to see Benedict asleep peacefully next to me in the soft light of early morning. He was so beautiful.
I didn't want to wake him, so I slipped out of the bed as quietly as possible, and realized that I was absolutely naked. I stepped softly over to my discarded dress and slipped it back on, fastening the back as quickly as I could. In just a few moments, I was stepping out into the hall carrying my shoes and hurrying down the stairs.
I opened the front door, gingerly turning the handle, praying that the heavy door didn't make any horrible groans or squeaks. It wasmercifully quiet, and I was silently celebrating my escape when I turned around and nearly ran straight into my alchemy professor from the Academy.
"Professor Tonsetter! I am so sorry, I didn't see you there!" I said, startled.
"Adept Letum, whatever are you…" the older woman trailed off as she took in my disheveled appearance. I realized too late that my hair was likely in an absolutely wild state after falling asleep with it wet.
I laughed nervously, trying to find words to explain what I was doing here. I opened my mouth to speak, but she held a hand up, giving me a disdainful look.
"No need to explain, I understand. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am here to meet with Professor Excidium." She brushed past me and rapped her delicate hand on the door.
If I wasn't fully panicking before, I was now. I didn't wait to witness Benedict's interaction with Professor Tonsetter. I set off on my walk to the Academy without a second thought, and the streets of the Dead City did little to comfort me this time.
Chapter 8
Iwould visit myfriend, Ava, in Illithir. We'd only met once at a botched summoning ritual, but we'd been exchanging letters ever since. Ava was a shade, and I wasn't entirely sure where she lived, but…her last letter had mentioned she'd found her mate, who was a human, so I could only hope they had some sort of corporeal dwelling. And that they'd have room for me. I would figure it out.
The journey was…far. I just wanted to get out of here to think about all of this. My encounter with Professor Tonsetter had brought all my new fears to life. Even if our relationship was real, no one else would treat it that way. They'd assume yet another professor was dallying with some student with loose morals. I doubted my own age would earn me much grace. It was a lot to process for me, and I'd never been good at just sitting with my worries. My instinct was to take off—clearly.
I had packed my bag, written a quick note to send ahead of me to Ava via messenger pigeon, and was heading out the front gates of the Academy to catch a cab, when I saw him striding up the walkway toward me.
"Iris, my dear, you had me so worried this morning when I woke to find you gone. What an unpleasant surprise it was to be woken by Professor Tonsetter banging on my door instead…" he trailed off as he came to a stop in front of me. I knew the look on my face must be stricken—I was barely holding back my tears.
"My dear, what's wrong?" He asked, a note of alarm in his voice.
He looked at the bag in my hand and back at me. "Oh good, are you coming to spend the rest of the recess with me?"
I burst into tears.
"Oh my love," he said, pulling me into his arms. "Tell me, whatever is the matter." He stroked my hair gently and I tried to catch my breath enough to speak.
"What will people say, Benedict? She was so horrid about it this morning, I ran into her while I was leaving, and I am just afraid this will mess up my life and your life, but I want to be with you so badly, I think I'm in love with you!" All of it came pouring out, barely making any sense.
"You're in love with me, too?" he asked.
"Out of everything I just said, that's what you heard?"
"It is all that truly matters to me, my darling. Everything else we can figure out together," he said, with such certainty I startedto believe him—and to feel a bit silly for how I'd been about to run away.
"How, though? You know what people will think," I said.
"My dear, I've been meaning to take a sabbatical for years now. I'll take one now, for the next two years while you finish your program here. It won't give anyone opportunities to talk unless they go poking around in our business."
Such a simple solution, I almost didn't believe it.
"You'd do that just to be with me?"
"Love, I'd go to the very ends of Domhan na Rùin to be with you. This is a small thing, one I will do without a second thought."
