The Currents of Magic

Chapter Thirty-Two

"You've missed the last two days of lessons," said Jebb.

"I wasn't feeling well," said Meyer, staring out the window. Tempests were scattered around on Hillside Green, enjoying the free afternoon leading up to the weekend, but if Meyer wanted to join them, it was only to escape Jebb's suffocating office. The self portrait seemed to be smiling in a particularly obnoxious fashion.

"Next time you should know that here in Eldrin's Dale we visit the healing ward when we are unwell," said Jebb. His tone was didactic if not slightly condescending, but his eyes were beady, a thin streak of color creeping up his neck.

Meyer repressed a sigh. He should never have been so bold as to meander into the dining hall after missing three lessons with Adryn, another two with Trant, and one with Landon, not to mention an Ajah practice session with Kellis. At the least, he should have prepared an excuse so he wouldn't have had to mutter at his feet when Jebb descended upon him...

"I should have gone to the healing ward," said Meyer submissively.

"Absolutely," said Jebb. "Falling ill is understandable, but disappearing for two days is unacceptable. Do you have anything else to say for yourself?"

Meyer tried to contrive a gushing apology, but the words escaped him. "Sorry," he said.

Jebb's eyes narrowed, the single word of atonement seemingly the equivalent of an insult. "Very well," he said. "I will determine the appropriate punishment."

Meyer bowed his head as he pushed back his chair.

"Excuse me," said Jebb. "In Eldrin's Dale we wait to leave until our seniors have dismissed us."

Meyer sat back down. The red color from Jebb's neck had spread to his face.

"This is not your punishment," continued Jebb, "but as a sign of respect, you will apologize to Planar Trant, Landon, and Adryn during your next lesson with them. Further—"

But Meyer had cut Jebb off, the words tumbling from his mouth before he could stop them. "I'm not going to Adryn's lessons anymore," he said.

Jebb's eyes widened, his breathing heavy as he spluttered several incoherent words. "What—you—"

"I'm not going," said Meyer, and his tone was final; he stared forward, thinking vaguely of Sarn.

Jebb stood up, his face red, but at a loss of words. Finally he found his voice. "That is no way to talk to a Planar!" he seethed, his finger pointed down, repeatedly gesturing at the desk. "There will be consequences for this!"

Meyer sat, unflinching. When Jebb said nothing, Meyer pushed back his chair, and started for the exit. As he closed the door to the office, he could hear Jebb yell behind him: "Dismissed!"

Yet despite the threat of future punishment, Meyer was in markedly higher spirits as he returned to the dormitories. He would pay for his insolence later, but for the moment, the knowledge that Jebb was fuming in his office seemed the best alternative to learning that Eschera was dead. Indeed, when Meyer recounted the story to Cade and Ander, the latter laughed so loudly that Reed poked his head into the room and told Ander to shut up. Even then Ander continued to chortle, and for the rest of the weekend his new favorite phrase was 'a Jebb meltdown' (which could be applied in contexts varying from a Nahd tempest crying upon discovering he had lost his talisman, to suffering an overwhelming loss in Bolo).

In fact, over the next two days, both Ander and Cade appeared to be particularly chipper. Cade still spent a few hours holed away with his latest memory charm book, and Ander got in a heated argument with Fedge about seating rights to the most comfortable chair in the common room, but on the whole, both Ander and Cade were highly attentive to Meyer's entertainment.