We were trudging through the Student’s Quarter together, groceries in hand. The late afternoon air had started to chilljustenough that I was regretting not grabbing a sweater before my friend had dragged me out to run errands.
“I mean, if you don’t pass these entry exams, you can just take them again next quarter, can you not? You’ve said it yourself, you’re not on any strict timeline here.”
She had a point. Unlike her—unlike most of our peers, really—I had no particular academic plan in place. I wasn’t beholden to any schedules, I had no filial obligations or expectations touphold here at the Arcane Studium. I had the freedom to do as I pleased, which made it difficult for me to explain the nerves.
I just really wanted to start Physical Arcana. It was like a compulsion at this point. Kieran had been training me for a few weeks now, and after nearly a month’s worth of daily exercises intended to up my physical endurance, I certainly felt stronger—but would it be enough? Kieran clearly had faith in me, commending my progress every chance he got, but the man was arguably biased.
“Arken? Hello?” Laurel said, jostling my arm. “Did you hear anything I just said? Gods, what is it that Vistarii calls you again? Tiny Conduit?”
Little Conduit.
“Oh, shut the Hel up,” I laughed, rolling my eyes.
The first time Laurel overheard Kieran calling me that, she wore a shit-eating grin for the rest of the day, and I wasn’t sure she was ever going to let me live it down.
“But no, I’m sorry. Got lost in my head there for a sec. What were you saying, Laur?”
“I wassaying, the obvious solution to those nerves of yours is to come out tonight. Get drunk. Get laid. Preferably both.”
I chuckled, pausing briefly by the baker’s stall and exchanging a few Lyra for a small boule of fresh bread as we continued our stroll down the cobblestone path.
“I swear to the Source, woman. That’s your solution for everything. Sex and wine.”
Laurel laughed out loud, turning a few heads as we made our way back towards the Student’s Quarter.
“I mean, Iama merchant’s daughter. The best business connections are built on things like sex and wine,” she informed me with a smirk.
“Ah, that explains why you cycle through your girlfriends on a semi-monthly basis, huh?” I joked. “Collecting all of thoseconnections.”
“Depends on who you ask,” Laurel said, fluffing her hair. She paid no mind to the folks who continued to stare after her outburst of laughter. To be fair, it probably happened to her often enough that it wasn’t worth noticing anymore. Everything about Laurel Ansari was infectious and entertaining.
“According to Cypress, it’s because I’m a high maintenance bitch with commitment issues.”
I grimaced. Knowing Cypress Glass, that was probably a direct quote.
“Remind me again why you’re still dating this one, Laur?”
Her current girlfriend was a piece of work. To phrase it kindly.
“Because she’s hot,” Laurel reminded me flippantly, as if it were obvious. “Besides, don’t act like you don’t like them a little mean, too. Kieran bullies the shit outta you.”
“Yeah, but I’m notdatingKieran.”
“Whatever you two need to tell yourselves,” she replied, smirking again. “Anyway, are you coming out with us tonight or not?”
I opened my mouth, only for Laurel to interrupt.
“That was a rhetorical question, Asher. I will show up at your studio and drag you out by the hair if I need to, which would be a shame because your hair looks gorgeous today. But come on.”
“I dunno, Laur,” I sighed. “I feel like I should probably rest up for the exams…”
It was a pathetic, half-truth of an excuse. Sure, I would benefit from a good night’s sleep before putting my arcana on display for the scholars tomorrow, but the more irresponsible side of me had been hoping to pester Kieran tonight instead.
“Rhetorical. Question. Asher,” Laurel repeated. “You’re coming out. At least give me an hour of reprieve from Cypress and her cronies.”
Though Laurel complained about her various acquaintances and friend circles, the truth was that she was one Hel of an extrovert—a veritable social butterfly who could charm in almost any setting, around any type of person. While I was decent enough at masking my own distaste or discomfort in social situations, Laurel put me to shame. She thrived in those murky waters of the political elite.
But I had spent nearly every night this week with Kieran and his lieutenants, and I knew that Laurel’s constant partying was just one of the ways she was managing to cope. We hadn’t talked about Amir much as of late, but I knew she was still hurting.