Leen

And so, taking advantage of your new wallet on legs, you found yourself browsing fresh fruit at the heart of Sage Island’s marketplace, Jamil perusing to your left and Azul haggling with the vendor to your right. Your mouth had only just started to water at the thought of refilling Ramshakle’s consistently empty pantry when you heard a shrill voice cry out deafeningly behind you. It was calling Azul’s name.

There was a flash of red and teal, and then, a new shape was latched onto Azul’s back – a teenage boy. He must’ve been a student, but his uniform was unfamiliar and Azul looked less than elated by the sudden reunion, visibly fighting to keep his composure as the new boy all-but strangled him in a full body hug. “Azzy,” he cried, burying his face in Azul’s shoulder. If you hadn’t known better, you would’ve thought he was greeting a lover freshly back from some terrible war. “It’s been so, so, so long. You never write anymore, and I was so excited when I found out we’d be going to school on the same island, and—”

Next to you, Jamil snickered. You pursed your lips.

“Is this your fault?”

“This is just karma,” Jamil admitted. “Everyone deserves a visit from home, now and then.”

“Is that right, Viper?”

You turned your attention to yet another new face – a significantly taller boy. He wore a delicately braided headscarf and enough gold jewelry around his neck to pay your bills for the next decade. Hmm. Maybe you’d been summoned to the wrong school after all.

Immediately, Jamil’s grin fell into a grimace, only to be quickly replaced by a strained, sickeningly polite smile. He turned to you, gesturing to the newcomer. “(Y/n), this is—”

“Minajael. And the leech over there is Rielle.” He waved toward his red-headed companion. “I didn’t realize Jamil had such pretty friends.”

Jamil’s smile wavered. “We’re just classmates. (Y/n) is another student at—”

“Half a student,” you corrected. “Since I don’t have any magic.”

Minajael let out a breath of a laugh. “I didn’t know Night Raven was so accepting.”

“Oh, they aren’t. They kinda had to let me in – since I was summoned here from another dimension and don’t know anything about this world, so I would probably starve to death if they kicked me out. The headmade even made me work as a janitor for a while, too.” You paused to think. “That, or I have a really bad concussion. I did hit my head pretty hard when all the house-wardens attacked me during the opening ceremony.”

That was enough to catch Rielle’s attention, too. He looked away from Azul just long enough to ask, “Wait, so you don’t know anything about life here?Like, anything at all?”

Azul grunted. “We’ve taught them plenty.”

“That’s right,” you said, nodding wisely. “They taught me all about playing magift.”

“Among other things.”

“Oh, yeah. I learned how to cook and clean while working for Azul’s restaurant. That’s why he didn’t have pay to me.”

Again, Azul opened his mouth, but you shot him a look and he closed it just as quickly. It wasn’t as if the real explanation of your as-of-yet uncompensated labor was any less damning.

Minajael’s expression took on a concerned note. “But, they are taking care of you now, right? I didn’t take Kalim for the type to leave a member of his dorm—”

“Oh, no, I’m not in Scrabia.”

Rielle beamed. “Octavinelle, then?”

“Nope.” You took care to pop the ‘p’ appropriately. “I actually sleep in a dilapidated shack on campus. Not all alone, obviously. The ghosts keep me company. And the fire-breathing dire-beast who lives in my kitchen.”

Minajael’s eyes widened and Rielle audibly gasped. You were thankful you’d left Grim with Ace and Deuce, today. Your monster was more horrific in description than he was in reality.

“Not that we aren’t ecstatic to host,” Jamil added. It was almost impressive – how broad he could smile when he was trying to save face. “You just stayed with us over winter break, remember?”

“Ah, right. You guys were so happy to have me, you actually locked me in my room every night. With a bar across the door and everything.” You laughed, shaking your head. “I don’t know how that slipped my mind. Must be the concussion acting up again. Never did see anyone about that.”

Jamil moved to interject, but Minajael was faster – shoving past Jamil and taking your hands in his. When he spoke, his voice was delicate, lowered into a hush. As if anything louder would break you into pieces. “Do you want something to eat, sweetheart? Maybe a place to stay? We could even have a little chat with our headmage. Only if you wanted to, of course.”

Rielle was much more blunt. “Do you want us to call the police?”

You feigned shock. “There are cops in this world? Jamil said that no one would ever, ever come to save—”

You weren’t allowed to finish. Jamil was already grabbing your wrist and spouting off an excuse about an early curfew or festival preparations or some other trivial but urgent matter all of you had to attend to in next five minutes. Before you could protest, you were being dragged out of the marketplace and toward Night Raven, a flustered Azul trailing just a few steps behind.

“You,” he started, malice thick in his tone, “are a hazard to yourself and others.”

“Especially others,” Azul huffed.