immigrated to the U.S. shortly after.
Devon quietly cleared his throat. “Don’t get caught up in the past. You have your entire life in front of you. When you get inked, you’ll be here, at Guilder, surrounded by people who care about you.” He reached out and wiped away a tear trickling down her cheek.
“I’m sorry.” She pushed his hands away as she stood up, angry at herself for crying in front of him, a stranger. “A lot of stuff I never realized suddenly makes sense now. My dad wasn’t such a great guy.” It was no wonder her uncle had taken her to America -- away from this society of gifted people, away so the memories became dreams instead of reality, away to pretend that none of it was real. But then why did he send me back here? Is he afraid of me? Afraid of what I might become?
Devon stood up. He reached out as if to hold her, but then stuffed his hands into his pockets. He waited a few moments as Rae composed herself before he started talking again. “Hey, everything’s going to be fine. I’m sorry I said too much tonight. I should’ve just let Headmaster Lanford tell you everything. I feel like an idiot opening my stupid mouth.”
Rae turned, and walked to where Devon stood. She gave him a quick hug and instantly let go, slightly embarrassed. “Don’t apologize. It’s okay. It just shows me how much of a friend you’re going to be. You hardly know me. Yet you know all about my past and never, for one moment, judged me the way the other students have.”
Devon stared down at the ground for a moment, like he didn’t want to see the look on her face. “There’s more stuff you’re gonna hear, and you might not like it. The truth doesn’t always feel good, but it’s the truth, and it’s better than being misled. You’ll handle it.”
Rae thought about her uncle. He’d totally lied to her by not saying anything. Realizing she’d been lost in her own thoughts, she almost missed the rest of what Devon was saying.
“… Enjoy the next few months of learning, and when the day does come, you’ll be ready. It’s the best day in the entire world.”
“My birthday?” She zoned into the conversation with Dumbo ears. Rae started pacing in front of the bench. “What’s it like? Do you just wake up with some miraculous change and then start being all gifted and stuff?”
Devon laughed. “It doesn’t quite work like that. Look, I’ve talked enough tonight. We can discuss more during one of our tutoring sessions, and you’ll learn more in your classes. It’s getting close to ten and the dorms get locked then. I don’t think Madame Elpis would appreciate it if Rae Kerrigan’s late.”
Rae looked up to the night sky and heaved a sigh. “Great! I need to act like an angel or everyone’s going to believe I’m some sort of demon.” Devil’s spawn from her father was what she wanted to say. “I’m going to have to be on my best behavior for the next three months.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you still have fun. If I haven’t mentioned it, I have some great connections to some very gifted people. Come on, I’ll walk you back to your dorm. Why don’t we plan on starting your tutoring next week? We can meet in the library at Aumbry House. Then you won’t have to worry about getting in trouble with curfew.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me. It’s Molly’s birthday tomorrow. I feel a little guilty. I didn’t go out and buy her a gift, even something little. She is my roommate after all.”
“She’s already getting the best present anyone at sixteen could ever wish for.” Devon laughed. “I can pull some strings in the kitchen for you. I’m sure I can get Sally, our chef, to make a cake at breakfast tomorrow. Molly might get a kick out of that.”
“Awesome. I’ll owe you big time.” Despite the darkness, Rae still looked away so Devon couldn’t see her blush. She was seriously developing a huge crush on him.
“Let’s see what your tatù is. I might take
Devon quietly cleared his throat. “Don’t get caught up in the past. You have your entire life in front of you. When you get inked, you’ll be here, at Guilder, surrounded by people who care about you.” He reached out and wiped away a tear trickling down her cheek.
“I’m sorry.” She pushed his hands away as she stood up, angry at herself for crying in front of him, a stranger. “A lot of stuff I never realized suddenly makes sense now. My dad wasn’t such a great guy.” It was no wonder her uncle had taken her to America -- away from this society of gifted people, away so the memories became dreams instead of reality, away to pretend that none of it was real. But then why did he send me back here? Is he afraid of me? Afraid of what I might become?
Devon stood up. He reached out as if to hold her, but then stuffed his hands into his pockets. He waited a few moments as Rae composed herself before he started talking again. “Hey, everything’s going to be fine. I’m sorry I said too much tonight. I should’ve just let Headmaster Lanford tell you everything. I feel like an idiot opening my stupid mouth.”
Rae turned, and walked to where Devon stood. She gave him a quick hug and instantly let go, slightly embarrassed. “Don’t apologize. It’s okay. It just shows me how much of a friend you’re going to be. You hardly know me. Yet you know all about my past and never, for one moment, judged me the way the other students have.”
Devon stared down at the ground for a moment, like he didn’t want to see the look on her face. “There’s more stuff you’re gonna hear, and you might not like it. The truth doesn’t always feel good, but it’s the truth, and it’s better than being misled. You’ll handle it.”
Rae thought about her uncle. He’d totally lied to her by not saying anything. Realizing she’d been lost in her own thoughts, she almost missed the rest of what Devon was saying.
“… Enjoy the next few months of learning, and when the day does come, you’ll be ready. It’s the best day in the entire world.”
“My birthday?” She zoned into the conversation with Dumbo ears. Rae started pacing in front of the bench. “What’s it like? Do you just wake up with some miraculous change and then start being all gifted and stuff?”
Devon laughed. “It doesn’t quite work like that. Look, I’ve talked enough tonight. We can discuss more during one of our tutoring sessions, and you’ll learn more in your classes. It’s getting close to ten and the dorms get locked then. I don’t think Madame Elpis would appreciate it if Rae Kerrigan’s late.”
Rae looked up to the night sky and heaved a sigh. “Great! I need to act like an angel or everyone’s going to believe I’m some sort of demon.” Devil’s spawn from her father was what she wanted to say. “I’m going to have to be on my best behavior for the next three months.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you still have fun. If I haven’t mentioned it, I have some great connections to some very gifted people. Come on, I’ll walk you back to your dorm. Why don’t we plan on starting your tutoring next week? We can meet in the library at Aumbry House. Then you won’t have to worry about getting in trouble with curfew.”
“Sounds like a good idea to me. It’s Molly’s birthday tomorrow. I feel a little guilty. I didn’t go out and buy her a gift, even something little. She is my roommate after all.”
“She’s already getting the best present anyone at sixteen could ever wish for.” Devon laughed. “I can pull some strings in the kitchen for you. I’m sure I can get Sally, our chef, to make a cake at breakfast tomorrow. Molly might get a kick out of that.”
“Awesome. I’ll owe you big time.” Despite the darkness, Rae still looked away so Devon couldn’t see her blush. She was seriously developing a huge crush on him.
“Let’s see what your tatù is. I might take
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