章 42: Chapter Forty-Two
"You must be joking," Cross said as he held up the uncomfortable looking clothes that Servilia had supplied him. Stiff, starched collars and a very constricting looking necktie were among his chief concerns. "What the hell is this?"
"The Academy, due to a sudden change in the magical landscape of our world, is in desperate need of a professor with actual magical ability or experience. Luckily for them, I knew of a genuine Seer who is also an accredited professor. Quite a rarity, wouldn't you say?"
"You want me to be a professor?" Cross said with a disbelieving look. "And actually teach these girls something about magic? If you'd like, I can give you a fortune telling right now and tell you that isn't going to go well."
"I am quite aware of the fact that you have a sufficient enough understanding of your Clairvoyance to pass along the knowledge to others. That will be the focus of your class and of your lessons. Don't worry. I already took the liberty of having a full course outlined for your semester. You will, of course, have to write your own tests and handle all the grading."
"May I suggest you have Lexi do this instead?" Cross grumbled as he dropped the clothes with disgust. "She actually has an interest in the subject."
"I considered that, but then I thought the school uniform would look better on Alexis, and I'm not sure if the skirt comes in your size. Though really, if you dislike the clothes that much…"
"Yeah?"
Servilia gave him a mischievous smile. "Some of the older professors still wear the traditional garb. I'm sure you would quite enjoy wearing the robes. Shall I place an order for you?"
Cross sighed and Servilia giggled. "Then why not have Banksy do this? He's pretty on the ball with magic."
"Nathan has already been assigned to his own job as one of the academy's stewards. I doubt you will be able to achieve the same amount of success that he will have infiltrating areas of the Academy that may be off limits without his… unique talents. He also lacks sufficient public speaking abilities, though I suppose you are not considerably better in that department."
Cross stuck his tongue out her before running a hand through his hair, avoiding his throbbing temple. "You do realize this plan already has a glaring flaw, don't you?"
"How so?"
"Lexi and Makina can pass as students, and I doubt that anyone will have trouble believing Banksy is a steward either, once they see him in action. He's pretty good at fixing things." Cross pointed a finger at himself. "I'm never going to be able to pass as a professor. I'll give you that I know the subject well enough, but even you can't forge a document that's good enough to trick an academy like this. They're going to do a background check and the second they contact whatever school you said I went to they are going to know I'm a fraud. My cover will be blown immediately."
"I can see you've thought about this a lot." Servilia said, not disturbed in the least by Cross's point.
Cross glanced at the tie. He could practically feel it closing around his throat like a noose. "Actually, no. Just thought of that, if we're being honest."
Servilia gave her head a slight shake. "You are correct in your observation that a forged document, like the ones I prepared for Nathan, Alexis, and Makina, would be discovered quite quickly by the academy if a professor were to attempt to use them. You will, admittedly, be subject to a higher level of scrutiny as a member of the faculty. As is to be expected."
"Exactly," Cross said with a shrug. "So it's pointless for me to pretend."
"But Cross, you won't be pretending." Servilia gave him a smile. A predatory smile. "Don't you remember?"
Cross almost took a step back. "Remember what?"
Servilia tapped her delicate chin with a long, painted nail. "I believe it was three… maybe four years ago? At my request you took a rather intensive series of… tests. I'm sure you haven't forgotten."
Cross grit his teeth. No, he had not forgotten. Servilia, with full backing from Mistress Jiana, had put him on loan to a college in a neighboring city. They had welcomed him warmly the first day. He was supplied with a room and treated to a meal with the headmaster of the college. The old man explained to Cross that they were extremely interested in studying him.
More specifically, his Sight.
The next few days were extremely boring. Cross was given large packets filled with questions about his Sight that he was expected to fill out. When he had protested, they had shown him a signed order from the Mistress. Begrudgingly he had complied with order, taking solace in the fact that at least it wasn't particularly difficult work.
When he had finished all of the questionnaires, he had assumed this bland research experiment would be over.
He had been wrong.
Compared to the first few days, the next two weeks of Cross's life were extremely trying. A member of the research team would wake him up only hours after allowing him to fall asleep. Still half asleep, they would drag him into a room and force him to play what they called a 'game' and what Cross had more aptly named 'a massive waste of time'.
To play this game, a researcher would hold up a card with the back facing Cross. He or she would then ask Cross to tell him what the card depicted, with the promise he could go back to sleep, but only if could give the correct answer. Wrong answers would result in some sort of punishment. A punishment that was still a mystery to Cross, as even with his relatively weak powers, he had been able to pass each test without fail. In response, the researchers began to give him more and more complicated images to decipher; yet they were unable to find fault in him.
It was extremely tedious work.
That, however, was not nearly as bothersome as the final test had been. While most were convinced of Cross's abilities after the two week period, one rather shrewd young student proposed a final examination to truly test the extent of Cross's control over his Sight.
The test was rather simple. Cross was woken up, only hours after falling asleep, as usual, and dragged into a dark room. From that point, he was chained to a chair, with the chain held in place by a three number combination lock. Cross was then informed that he would have ten seconds to divine the combination. He was not, however, informed that after the ten seconds was up, an arrow would be fired at his chest.
Though he was successful in escaping his bonds and, to the amazement of those participating, able to catch the arrow before being impaled, Cross was not particularly pleased with being put into a death trap for the sake of an experiment that he did not actually sign up for. He never found out the rational for this experiment, but he did find the student that proposed the experiment.
It took three people to pull Cross off the unlucky student, and that was only after he had managed to knock out a handful of teeth.
"It's hard to forget when someone tries to shoot you," Cross growled. He briefly wondered why people were always trying, or preparing, to shoot him, and whether or not he should look more deeply into that issues and how it reflected on himself, and his choices, as a person.
He decided against it in the end.
"Most of them were actually against doing that," Servilia said serenely. "I assured them you would be fine. I was actually quite interested to see what you would do as well."
"Aren't you a dear?" Cross ran a hand over his face. He knew he should be angry, but he lacked the effort required.
"For your part, they gave you an honorary degree. With a little pressure, I was able to get that bumped up in the books. If anyone goes looking through your records, all they are going to find is the truth. You are, after all, a certified master in your field. Are you not?"
Cross opened and closed his mouth several times, looking for a proper response. To his chagrin, his brain failed to supply one.
"Right, then, wear the tie." Cross sighed as he picked up the tie with disdain. He barely even remembered how to tie the damn thing.
"Wear the tie," Servilia said with a small nod. "Don't worry Cross. It could be worse."
"I can't imagine how," Cross muttered.
xXx
"This is the worst!" Makina cried loudly as she threw down the intel packet Servilia had left for her. "I will not be roomed with common riffraff! A goddess down not share her room with commoners"
Lexi shrugged. Makina has been steaming since Servilia had informed them of the plan and dropped of their needed information and supplies. She had wisely chosen to wait until the last possible moment to inform Makina what a 'dormitory' was.
"And what of these outfits?" Makina snapped. "Are we sheep? Why must we all look alike?"
Lexi looked down at the clothing Servilia had supplied earlier. All students were required to wear matching uniforms composing of a white button-down shirt, red tie, black blazer, and blue skirt. Servilia had assured Lexi, without prompting, that she would be allowed to wear her scarf, but only around her neck. Lexi had given a curt nod in response.
"It lends to a sense of solidarity," Lexi said after a moment. "It puts all the students on an equal level."
"Well that is quite foolish. Obviously we are higher than the average student," Makina said briskly.
"Here." Lexi tossed her a bag. "You can pick whatever kind of socks or tights you like. As long as they are black or blue."
Makina stared down at the bag for a few moments before throwing it away with disgust.
"I can't believe that Miss Servilia is forcing me to pretend to be a humble commoner while Cross, a simple minded servant, is allowed to act as my superior. This is a rather backwards school, if you ask me."
"You could stay always here," Lexi said as she picked up and spun a small knife before nodding, pleased with its weight. "Romeo will probably need company."
Makina bristled. "I will not stay on the side lines with that buffoon. I am coming."
"Then you will have to cope," Lexi said flatly. She turned on Makina and caught the girl's gaze. Her large, dark eyes bored into Makina's. "This mission, you realize how important it is, don't you?"
Makina hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding.
"Are you going to be able to complete the mission without compromising your team?" Lexi asked, the words slow and deliberate. "Currently, I have faith in you, Maki, so I haven't brought this issue up with the others. You handled yourself well in Ash and you kept Cross alive when none of us could. But, as the Leader of this mission, I need you to tell me, right now, is there any reason why my faith should be questioned?"
Makina lifted her head and fully met Lexi's eye. "No, there is not."
Lexi's eyes softened and she turned back to her task. "I'm glad to hear that."
"However!" Makina thrust a finger into the air. "I still am not pleased with this 'dormitory' situation. How am I to sleep in such squalor?"
"It could be worse," Lexi said as she packed away her weapons.
"I can't imagine how." Makina stuck out her lower lip.
xXx
"This is the worst!" Romeo cried dramatically as dropped to his knees on the marble steps that led to the entrance to the college. He shook one fist to the heavens. "Damn my natural talent and ability!"
"You must be Mr. Lovejoy." A voice sighed behind him. "I was told you would be… something like this."
Still on his knees, Romeo craned his neck around. A girl with a disapproving look stared down at him through a thin pair of glasses. She had the pale skin of someone who spent far too much time inside matched by mousy hair and large, brown eyes. In essence, she was…
"Adorable," Romeo said. He stood up and suddenly found himself staring down at her. She was rather short. He flashed her a toothy smile. "Yes, I am a joy to love. Who might you be?"
"Eryn Whip," she answered, unmoved by his smile. "Pleasure."
It clearly was not a pleasure, but Romeo did not seem to notice.
"Eryn," Romeo repeated. His eyes traveled to her shoulder, noting the very thick and heavy looking pack she was carrying. No doubt crammed with very thick and heavy books. It made his heart drop a bit. "I take it your are my tutor?"
"I am your tutor," She affirmed.
"Well then," Romeo reached out and pulled the pack off her shoulder and on to his. "Shall we?"
Eryn stared at him for a long time before sighing and nodding her head. "Yes, I suppose we shall."
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