58 - For Fun

Telip’s mouth hung open so wide that Arielle could see clumps of oats collected in the grooves of his teeth.
His pupils swung from her to the fourth-year table back to her. The people at the table weren’t talking either. Although conversation flowed in the rest of the dining hall, there was a strange, marked tension in the atmosphere that Arielle could not figure out.
She followed Telip’s gaze to Selena, who was still smiling, albeit more tightly than before.
Why did Telip look so apprehensive?
Why was everyone focused on Selena? Was she alright? Did something happen?
Arielle suddenly realized that she hadn’t bowed to her. Did that make Selena upset? But twice now, Selena had asked her not to bow, so that couldn’t be it. Or perhaps she only wanted her not to bow in private but to do so in public.
This was so frustrating.
Or was it something she had said? Perhaps she’d phrased something wrongly again. Was there subtext she’dmisunderstood?
Arielle was about to ask, but Telip got up and told Ari, “Follow me.”
As he charged away, Arielle promptly hurried to catch up with his rapid, long strides. Lyra caught her eye as she passed by and mouthed, What’s happening?
Arielle shrugged in response. She was hoping this meant that Telip was accepting her as a mentee or was at least going totell her what she could do to convince him.
But when they got to the empty main hall, he turned on her and said, “What is the matter with you?”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Do you not value your life? Why would you say that to Selena of all people?”
She cocked her head. “What did I say wrong?”
“You said you didn’t want her as a mentor.”
“Yes. I don’t.”
“You’re not supposed to tell her that.” He spoke slowly, through gritted teeth. “Now you’re probably on her list.”
“What list?”
“The list you should not be on.”
“That logic is circular. I’m not sure I understand the problem.”
He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, much like Elric did when he was getting frustrated with her. Usually, Arielle had some hint as to the source of his frustration, but this time she truly had no idea what the problem was.
Telip opened his mouth to say something else, but then a group of students started heading down the stairs, talking over each other. He snapped his fingers at her and directed her to the corner, where it was more private.
Even then, he waited for the students to enter the dining hall before he began speaking again.
“Selena Gregor is not like normal people,” he said. “She’s not someone you insult and get away scot-free. She’sdangerous.”
“But I didn’t insult her.”
“You might as well have. You rudely cast off her offer for mentorship and said you wanted me to mentor you instead.”
“Offer?” Arielle frowned. “She didn’t offer.”
“She did, in a subtle way. You denied her, in a very obvious way, and dragged me into this by saying you wanted me as your mentor. The last thing I need is more of her wrath.”
“Why? What did she do to you?”
“Nothing, yet. But I simply don’t want her, or anyone else, noticing me.”
“It’s very hard not to notice you,” she told him.
He frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
“You’re smart, you’re strong, and you’re kind. That will naturally draw attention.”
It was his turn to react with a startled blink.
“Kind?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the first person who’s ever called me that.”
“That’s strange.” Last time at CPR, he had spent an inordinate amount of time teaching a boy called Dalvin how to stabilize his cantrip with a rune. Telip’s tone had been terse, perhaps a little harsh, but he continued to explain the problem over and over again, rather than just ignoring Dalvin like everyone else was.
He spent most of the period doing it, and when Dalvin’s cantrip exploded again, he helped him rebuild it.
He also adjusted Yennefer’s potion when she wasn’t looking and shifted Lyra’s flowerpot so it would get more sunlight.
He always did it quickly before anyone could notice, but Arielle had been watching him, so she noticed. “I believe you’re probably very kind.”
Telip stared at her for some time and then stepped back and coughed into his fist, clearing his throat while he was at it. “If you’re saying that just because you think I will mentor you, then I should warn you that it won’t work.”
“I’m saying it because it’s the truth. I don’t lie often because I’m bad at it.”
“In any case, I can’t mentor you. I don’t have time.”
“Can you at least tell me where to find more information on the Church of the Wayward?”
“Once again, I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“It was in your notebook.”
“My what?”
That was a mistake. Arielle knew it the second it left her mouth, but it was too late to call back the words, and her brain struggled to think of a good cover-up.
Every ounce of goodwill she’d earned collapsed as he glared at her.
“You went through my notebook.”
“Erm, no, I didn’t–”
“You’re lying.”
She grimaced. “I told you I was bad at it.”
“How did you even–you know what? Never mind.“He shook his head and walked away.
Arielle had a sinking feeling that she’d just ruined everything.
She returned to the table with disappointment weighing down her shoulders.
“How did it go?” Lyra asked when she sat back down.
She shook her head. “He said that I said the wrong thing. And I shouldn’t have told Selena that I didn’t want her to be my mentor, and I wanted him instead.”
“You said that to Selena?” Louis’ eyes became wide as saucers, and they got even wider as Arielle narrated the entire situation again.
“Well, that explains why she’s looking over here like that,” Landon said.

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“Like what?” Selena was talking to her friends when Arielle looked up, but after some time, she glanced over and smiled.
Arielle smiled back, happy that she was no longer upset.
That was until she glanced at Lyra, who was pale.
“Oh no,” she said. “I think you might be done for.”

---

It was Lyra who finally explained to Arielle that, although Selena was really nice, she was also the most powerful of the fourth years and was not to be messed with.
She might have taken offense to the fact that Arielle so openly rejected what had been a subtle offer.
Telip had said practically the same thing, of course, but somehow Lyra’s breakdown was what made Arielle understand her faux pas… somehow.
“So do I apologize?” Arielle asked.
“Yes,” Lyra said. “As soon as possible. Tell her that you only chose Telip because you wanted to learn about runes, and that’s what he’s best at. And also because of his Vacu lean.”
“That’s not the only reason I chose Telip, though.”
“Yes, but it’s the apology that will best placate her.” Lyra rolled her neck as they walked to their next class. “What’s the other reason you chose Telip anyway?”
“Because I think he might be trying to save my life,” she said. She assumed that was why he’d told her to stop researching the Unmaker. He was trying to prevent Arielle from being targeted.
But then the issue was, why wasn’t he telling her the whole truth? Why did he not want to tell her about the Church of the Wayward? Would knowing be more detrimental to her, or less?
Arielle wasn’t going to give up until she got her answer.
Lyra didn’t get to ask more about that because they arrived at their class.
Later that afternoon, while she was in Leyline Studies, Arielle used Orion to search more of the building. Her aim was the professor’s office, but even when she was done with that, she kept creeping around, thinking maybe she would find another hint.
Once again, she divided it into quadrants, going section by section.
First quadrant. Clear. Second quadrant. Clear. Third quadrant–
“Arielle?’
Arielle’s head snapped up to find Professor Flintwick staring straight at her.
“Were you paying attention? You seem fixated on that notebook of yours.”
Ariele felt caught. “I was paying attention, Professor.”
“No, you weren’t.”
“No, I wasn’t,” Arielle admitted almost immediately, knowing her lie wouldn’t hold.
Several people giggled as Arielle looked around, unsure why she was singled out. Most of the class wasn’t paying attention. Riorke at the back was obviously asleep, even though he’d pasted badly drawn eyeballs on his eyelids.
Yet, Flintwick narrowed his eyes as he walked towards Arielle. “Let’s see what you’ve been so focused on.”
Alarm had her toes curling.
[Mirror Mirage], she thought as she quickly arranged the spell to reflect the empty page onto the page where she’d scribbled down the information. She completed it right as he picked up the notebook and turned it to face himself.
He frowned. “It’s blank.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You were staring at a blank page?”
“Perhaps, she was lost in thought.” Maus had been sitting next to her, and though he’d been dozing off too, he was wide awake now. “Pontificating because she was so fascinated by the lesson, sir.”
“Hmm,” Professor Flintwick said, giving her a suspicious look before he walked away.
Okay, lesson learned. No more Orion during class.
However, once class was over, she headed for her next priority target, which was going to be the Dean’s office.
She was going to do it standing in the hallway near his office, or at least in the main hall, so she wasted less energy and less essence because it was close by.
If he caught her, then she would pretend she was there to see him.
However, when she reached the main hall, she decided to stop by the duelling hall for a bit, because the fourth years should be finishing up class by now.
When she entered the atrium, she saw Telip and Selena duelling again, with the rest of the class observing.
Once again, Selena laid on a powerful series of attacks with her lightning whip, each strike landing with a loud crack that drove Telip backwards, and had him digging in his heels in preparation for the next attack.
Telip countered with his void sword and shield, or at least he attempted to.
The speed and power of Selena’s attacks did not leave room for much counter-offense.
This time, Arielle was smart enough to stay out of the duelling circles as she watched them.
She didn’t know if it was her imagination or if Selena was going at Telip harder now than before. She even moved faster, her feet barely touching the ground, her body shifting between stances fluidly, and her whip weaving around him with such energy that Telip couldn’t even dream of an escape and spent most of the battle blocking for all he was worth.
Even then, she eventually cut through his defense and sent her whip forward.
It crackled as it grazed the side of his face, which led Graham to call out, “Alright, first blood has been drawn. Battle over.”
“We’re fourth years,” Selena said as she stopped and banished her lightning whip. She was only a little winded while Telip collapsed on the ground. “I thought we were supposed to be simulating real battle and not stopping by first blood like third years.”
“Yes, but something tells me you’re in a mood today.”
“Why? I’m perfectly fine.”
“No, she’s not.” One of the fourth-year boys finally caught sight of Ariele and grinned. “Telip, your little fan is here.”
Telip glanced over and frowned. So did Selena.
Graham, on the other hand, winked.
“You’ll have to wait a bit, Arielle. I need Telip’s help with something. If he can manage not to pass out.”
“I’m fine,” Telip wheezed as he straightened. He used a healing spell on his wound.
“Good. Then you can help me. Arielle, can you wait?”
“Yes,” she said as she stood there, even as Telip gave her a dark look.
But as they left the room, Arielle thought this might be a good time to extend the apology to Selena.
She approached tentatively while Selena was wiping her hands, chatting with her friends.
The conversation stilled at her approach, and she bowed. Lyra had told her to do so before her apology.
“May I discuss with you for a moment, Master Selena?”
“Of course,” Selena said, then looked at her friends. “You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Sure.” They streamed around her to the doors, throwing looks over their shoulders.
“What do you need?” Selena asked.
“I wanted to apologize to you for what I said earlier today,” Arielle said. “I didn’t mean to imply that you were inferior to Telip. I simply needed Telip more for his rune-making skills and because of his Vacu-dominant lean.”
“I see,” she said. “What lean are you?”
“I’m trying to attain Vacu-Calor.”
“Ah, I noticed that you do use a lot of Vacu spells. I’m a Calor-Vacu lean myself.”
Arielle nodded, but she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with that information.
Selena rose from her spot and went back to the duelling circle.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. But if you’re really sorry, I would like a favor.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve been trying to practice my stealth attacks more. Telip makes a good practice partner thanks to his keen detection, but lately he hasn’t been as sharp as I would like. Perhaps you can help me, too.”
Arielle hesitated. “In what way?”
“In the way that I will come toward you and you’ll try to catch me before I decapitate you.”
The words were vaguely threatening, but perhaps she misunderstood. “You want a duel?”
“No,” Selena laughed. “A duel between us would not be allowed, because the difference in our stats is so large it would be ridiculous and dangerous to engage in such a thing, even if it’s a friendly duel.”
“Right.”
“This isn’t a duel. I will not be attacking you, and you will not be attacking me. I will charge at you, and you will simply point in the direction you think I’m coming from. Understood?”
“Yes, I think I do.”
“Good. Get in the circle.”
Arielle obeyed, walking into the opposite side of the duelling circle.
“I only want to test myself,” Selena said. “And perhaps, you can test yourself as well. It’s just for fun.”
“Alright,” she said, although a part of her recalled Telip’s warning.
She’s not someone you insult and get away scot-free. She’s dangerous.
But Selena didn’t look dangerous now. She looked friendly, and her eyes glittered with excitement for their little exercise.
Perhaps, Telip was paranoid.
“Okay. Three, two, one.”
Selena disappeared.
Arielle wasn’t sure how she did it because she didn’t cast a spell. Her body simply moved in a blur, the shift so quick that it took Arielle two blinks to notice.
Arielle could not see where Selena was with her naked eye. Neither could she tell where she was coming from.
Until she focused on the shifting trail of Calor.
Thanks to the movement of the essence particles, she anticipated getting closer.
Ari knew when Selena arrived in front of her, simply because of the Calor particles drawing close in that area.
And so right before she appeared, Arielle pointed, and it was right at Selena’s nose. “There.”
Selena’s eyes sparked in surprise, but she caught herself, and she smiled again. “Wow, you’re good.”
“Thank you.”
“Let’s try again.” Two powerful jumps took Selena to the other end of the circle again, and once again, she became a blur.
She was faster this time, and Arielle only barely had a breath before she pointed, and Selena appeared.
Her heart beat faster, and she grinned when she got it right.
Selena grinned, too.
This was fun. She sensed that Selena was still holding back, but this was the first time on campus that she felt she was against a worthy target.
All her other duels in combat class had gotten remarkably dull.
And then she met Selena’s gaze.
The heat in Selena’s eyes had grown. Her grin showed off sharp teeth now.
She’s probably having a good time, just like I am.
“Okay,” she said. “How about we take it up a notch? Just for fun.”
Arielle nodded. “Okay. For fun.”