Within minutes, I reached the office and knocked, but nobody answered. Was he late again? For somebody so disciplined, Isaac didn’t seem to pay much attention to his schedule. Or perhaps he felt no need to rush.
I didn’t want him to think he had to. I could wait, just not in the corridor, where the psychopath from last time might want revenge for making her jump at her blade like a clown.
The same bookshelf that caught my attention last time called to me again. My finger twitched as I ran it along the smooth, fragrant wood. One shelf had splintered, the lighter colour standing out. ‘Mathematics: Algebra 1’ stood out in its red leather, and I questioned Isaac’s choice in literature when I noticed at least three shelves filled with similar tomes.
‘Have you gone to university?’ he asked, entering suddenly.
Was he mistaking my interest in books for a thirst for knowledge? ‘I tried a few classes, but the students weren’t very receptive to having me there.’
‘Why?’ The question was sharp enough to echo in my head.
Going back to my late teens wasn’t a pleasant trip down memory lane; I would much rather not indulge him, but I didn’t want to come off as rude. ‘Because I was known as the fire breather among water wielders. The two kingdoms at war. As such, they considered me inferior.’
‘Ridiculous. You’re not.’ He stopped in his tracks and looked like I’d grown two heads. ‘So you enjoy studying then?’
‘There was a time when I spent most of my days in the library. Though that was mostly to avoid contact with anyone,’ I said with forced lightness.
‘Are you that introverted?’ Isaac smiled. ‘You’re quite talkative; you don’t fit the type.’
‘Erm.’ I coughed in an attempt to buy myself some time. ‘I am, but I mostly wanted to spend time on my own to avoid confrontations with the court dwellers who never took kindly to my fire.’
The colour drained from his face. ‘Your mother allowed people to antagonise you?’
‘She practically encouraged it, but I’m over it now.’ This conversation needed to end. As if he had reached the same conclusion, he cleared his throat and moved on.
‘What about the academy? Have you considered going back to university in more… accepting environments? Like here?’
Ridiculous. ‘I’m pretty sure if Alec couldn’t get it, I haven’t got a chance.’
‘Alec’s situation is more complex than yours. I’d back your application if you ever decided.’
Opening the cupboard to his left, Isaac grabbed a thin shiny book, and as I craned my neck and couldn’t help but chuckle at his persistence. It was a prospectus. ‘I’m not very violent, Isaac; a war academy wouldn’t be a great fit.’
Tapping against the book, he wouldn’t let up. ‘We have other programmes. History, literature. The name stayed after the Civil War, but it’s not just combat we teach.’
Trust the teachers to judge their establishments objectively.
‘If the rest of your students are as peacefully inclined as the girl in the portal chamber, I think it might be a bit too rough for me.' My words intended to shoot him down before he got any more ideas.
‘Any signs of aggression toward non-combat students are severely punished. It’s basically unheard of.’
Like a stubborn mule, he didn’t seem to get the gist of my mild rejection. The idea wasn’t terrible, but it definitely was a little out there. Perhaps his mind needed a little steering to let it go. ‘You mentioned a Civil War?’
‘What about it?’ Excitement flashed as his gaze locked onto mine. The kind of passion he held for warfare was equally fascinating and terrifying.
‘The Isles had a Civil War?’
Isaac’s brows raised a little before speaking, ‘Sorry, I keep forgetting you grew up not knowing about the Isles.’
‘No worries, I know I should study more, but I don’t have the—’
‘I’m not judging you, Ava. The War… The Isles aren’t immune to prejudice; dark fae can be just as horrible as the kind you grew up around.’
Oh, no. Not here. ‘Puritans?’
‘Not exactly.’ Isaac’s arms slackened at his sides, and the flash of a grimace on his face worried me. ‘You see, for along period of time, nightmare wielders had been perceived as demons.’
‘Demons?’ I asked, full of disbelief.
