Professor Altschuler’s three other students were inside, spreadas far as possible from each other in the dozen seats. The professor hadn’t arrived yet, which was standard—none of us would dare be late for this class.
“Hi, guys.” I tried not to sound nervous. One would think since the four of us spent so much time together, we’d have formed a fast friendship. Instead, we were wary rivals. “This is Daziel. He’s visiting.”
All three glanced up. I was the only first-year of the bunch—Yael and Stefan were in their third year, Gidon in his second—and I wasn’t used to having their undivided attention. I looked first to Yael. Elegant and intimidating, she was the scion of a wealthy family and usually impossible to ruffle. Now, though, she looked astonished. Fine lines crumpled her brow, and she ran a hand through her short blond hair.
“Whoa.” Stefan examined Daziel with interest. He was the most sociable of our cohort, a partier when he wasn’t working on the scrolls, and I got the feeling he found the rest of us tediously boring. “I did not see this coming.”
Gidon, younger than the others and more timid, stayed silent, but his wide eyes proved he was equally as intrigued.
“Is he—” Yael said to me, then realized that was rude and addressed Daziel directly. “Are you going to be helping Naomi?”
Are you more competition?she meant.
“Daziel’s coming to all my classes.” Like always, I was torn between wanting to impress Yael and wanting to reassure her I wasn’t a threat for Professor Altschuler’s regard. Of all our cohort, she was the one I wanted to like me.
The door creaked and we all stiffened. The professor swept in, talking as he moved. “Today we will be discussing—”
He stopped abruptly, staring.
“This is Daziel.” Maybe if I acted totally normal, everything would proceed as usual.
“I’d heard you were keeping company with a demon,” Professor Altschuler said, “but I’d hoped it to be rumor.”
I hesitated. I’d only dealt with student reactions to Daziel so far. A few professors had lit incense, since demons were supposed to hate strong scents, and one brought in a potted kero masa tree, the shadow of which was supposed to harm demons. But no one had thrown a fit. You might as well yell at a cat or curse the strengthening winds. Besides, banishing a demon was probably above an academic’s pay grade.
“Not rumor,” I said. “He’s very real. I thought it’d be all right if he sat in today?”
“No.”
Taken aback by the professor’s sharpness, I added, “He won’t interfere—”
The professor ignored me, his gaze trained on Daziel’s. “You should leave.”
“I don’t want to,” Daziel said in a silk-smooth voice.
My stomach twisted, bile rising. I didn’t think my skills in handling my little sisters’ fights would help me manage this situation.
“If you don’t depart at my request,” Professor Altschuler said, voice like ice, “Bylaw 174 permits me to cast banishment—”
“Bylaw 174 permits suchafter‘reasonable attempts at discourse,’ which have not occurred,” Daziel interrupted.
Altschuler’s jaw twitched. “I have told you what I want—”
“And I’ve told you what I want.” Daziel moved sinuously closer to the professor. My brain said he must have stepped, but I wasn’tsure that was what I’d seen; it felt more like fog rolling over the hills, until he stood right in front of Professor Altschuler. “Perhaps we must compromise.”
The professor’s lips drew up in a sneer.
“Daziel.”I grabbed his arm and shot Professor Altschuler an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry. One second.” I pulled at Daziel’s arm. For a moment, I thought he might resist; tugging at him felt like trying to drag a heated pillar. Then he softened and followed me into the stairwell.
Where he drew to a stop, all ruffled pride. “You’re going to take that man’s side?”
“I’m not taking a side.” I pulled him down a bend in the spiral staircase so we weren’t so easy to overhear. “He’s my professor. He’s in charge.”
“You made me leave.”
“I need my scholarship. I can’t afford to piss him off.”
“You don’t mind pissingmeoff.”
