Despite myself, I almost smiled.
Rev’s shoulder brushed mine.
“I mean it, Astra. Be careful.”
That took the smile right out of me.
“I know. I will.”
“No. You know it like a person knows the stove is hot. I’m telling you the whole house could catch on fire.”
We reached the verse-study corridor.
“I’m sick of warnings,” I said.
Rev shrugged. “Just don’t be stupid, Astra.”
Then she left me at the door.
When I walked in, Cosima was already in her place, but blessedly she didn’t corner me for another pre-class chat. The other ten students came at five past, as expected. Astor arrived at ten past.
He set his book on the table and looked at Cosima instead of opening it.
“Verraine.”
Cosima lifted her head. “Yes?”
“The east tower at eight tonight. The customary group. Headmaster Quill has asked you to host the post-reading session. First-years who have been read clean are to be invited.”
Cosima nodded, and Astor began the lecture.
The lecture was on post-reading study. Apparently, students read in public attended a follow-up discussion in the east tower, hosted by the senior student of the year.
The tradition had a name: the small lens.
First-years who have been read clean are to be invited.
Not me, then. No one had read me.
A category could point without using a name.
The hour finished and I gathered my notes. I didn’t look at Cosima, and she didn’t look at me. We had both become better at ignoring each other since yesterday.
I skipped lunch and went back to my room.
For a while, I sat on the edge of the bed with my boots still on and thought about the room I hadn’t been invited into.
First-years who had been read clean would sit in a circle and learn what their Marks had done. Cosima would tell them whatmattered. Caspian would sit beside her with his face arranged into whatever Ashfords used instead of expressions.
They would talk about the basin. About the reading. About whatever came after a Mark behaved properly.
No one would talk about Delphine.
No one would talk about me.
A different tower had already taught me what happened when I went where I had been told not to go.
Cold wind. Green apple. Kieran’s mouth asking before his lips touched mine.
