The Currents of Magic

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I knew it!" said Ander, sitting down with a plate of eggs and sausages.

"What?" said Meyer sleepily. He hadn't returned from Gray Pond until after midnight, and even then he had lay awake for hours, thinking about Jaeda.

"I knew you were out with Jaeda last night."

Cade raised an eyebrow.

Meyer continued spreading butter on his toast. "Who told you that," he said.

Ander raised a finger into the air. "A true detective never reveals his informants."

"That's not a saying," said Cade.

"Doesn't matter," said Ander, keeping his attention fixed on Meyer. "Out with the details!"

"We went to Gray Pond," said Meyer.

"As if I didn't already know that," said Ander.

"Give it a rest," said Cade.

"Fine," said Ander, but he had hardly taken two bites of his breakfast before he lifted his head, speaking through a mouthful of food. "Did you kiss her?"

Meyer sighed. "Yes," he said.

"I knew it," said Ander, thumping his chest. "You make me so proud—and the finest girl in the class!"

"Does this mean you'll finally ask Jaeda on a date?" said Cade.

But Meyer didn't answer. Ander, who was still gesticulating ritualistically, had just broken into a low chant. "Mey-er, Mey-er, Mey-er..."

"Really?" said Cade, but Ander was not to be derailed.

"Mey-er, Mey-er, Mey-er..."

Cade turned towards Meyer. "Believe it or not, he was even worse after finding out about my first kiss."

Meyer raised an eyebrow.

"He tried to give a toast to me during dinner," continued Cade. "Stood up on his chair and started banging on his glass. He had half the dining hall with their drinks in the air before Jebb put a stop to it."

"Mey-er, Mey-er, Mey-er..."

"Yeah, I suppose that's worse..."

"You don't know the half of it," said Cade. "He called me flower slayer for the next week."

"You kissed Rose?"

"It was a while ago."

Ander finally gave up his chant to continue eating, but by the time he finished his plate, he had returned to discussing Meyer's romantic life. Thankfully the dining hall bell rang, saving Meyer from a prolonged conversation.

"See you this evening," said Cade as Meyer pushed back his chair and lifted his empty plate.

"Where are we meeting?"

"Conjurer's Sept," said Cade. "Magical History with Tyndle."

Meyer turned toward the dish return, but even as he walked away he could hear Ander groaning behind him.

"Not Magical History with Tyndle... If I die tonight, tell my family it was death by boredom..."

But when Meyer arrived at the Conjurer's Sept that evening, Planar Tyndle was not to be found. He made his way to the back of the lecture hall, sliding into a chair next to Cade.

"Where's Tyndle?" he asked.

"Sick, apparently. There is a notice saying another Planar will be filling in, but it doesn't say whom."