“She will never learn,” Master Dorian said.
Lunella yanked her sword out of the floor and whirled on Master Dorian, pointing the weapon at him. “For your information, it was only when I was disengaged from her that I had any hope of actually getting in a spell to knock her back.”
Mistress Sona pursed her lips and nodded to the slice I had given her on the shoulder. “She’s right. Mistress Kimber is formidable with the sword.”
“It doesn’t mean a thing if the girl can’t wield her magic with it,” Master Dorian snapped as he walked out of the room.
Standing from a corner he, unknown to us, occupied, Vitas strode into the center of the room. “Ignore the damn old buzzard. He’s the oldest and the crankiest of all of us.”
I tried not to crack a smile, but I couldn’t help it.
“Mistress Neves, you know my magic is—”
“This is why we are here,” she snapped. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask Master Argo to challenge you on the sword. Until we have someone who can keep up with you, there’s no hope of you learning how to use your magic with the sword.”
My shoulders drooped. I was not on Master Argo’s good side.
Elex appeared standing over me and offered me a hand. “Kimber, you do realize that it’s a compliment that they have to bring Master Argo here.”
I grabbed the offered hand, and Elex hauled me off my ass.
“Master Argo and I don’t see eye to eye, Elex.”
He kissed my forehead and smiled. “I realize that. He doesn’t approve of us here at all, and I know that. But if he’s the only one who can teach you how to use the magic and the sword at the same time, then—”
“Ugh! Stop making sense,” I grumbled.
There was a bang on the door, and it slammed open.
One of the university fellows stood there, looking worse for wear. Elex took a step toward him before he even opened his mouth.
“Professor Everettson, sir. I was sent to fetch you. There has been a breakthrough at the laboratory.” The messenger was panting. “Please. Come quickly.”
Mistress Ophelia nodded, dismissing him.
Elex touched my cheek and ran for the messenger as they both disappeared down the hall. I looked after him a long moment, watching and enjoying the view of his retreating backside.
Lunella leaned into my view. “You really need to learn to control your libido, my dear. It’s important that we exercise restraint in such things.”
“But, his butt…” I stammered, sounding like an ass.
“Yes, I know. It is nice. I can see why you picked him. But we must appear in control of ourselves at all time.”
With a deep sigh, I turned back to the room—
—as the ground heaved below us.
A startled, permeating silence followed the heave.
When the ground rocked again, this time side to side in a great shaking buckle, it seemed everyone in S’Kir started screaming at the same time. The screams ran through the walls of the dorm and panic rained down on the group of us in the practice room.
The shaking didn’t stop. Glass cracked and tinkled as it broke, the beams of the building screamed, some buckling.
Grabbing one arm each, Mistresses Neves and Ophelia dragged me out from the middle of the room toward the doorways that were at the end.
The screaming grew louder in the doorway. It was all from the floors above.
And still, the shaking did not stop.
