even the impertinent former farmer hang his head.
“I don’t appreciate her attitude either,” Fulgent said candidly. “However, that does not negate the fact that she lost a sister to the Trial, and it would do you well to remember that any one of you could have lost your life in the same manner.”
With a final long look at Baris, Master Casto stepped into the room and raised his arms for attention. It took a few moments for the apprentices scattered around the room to recognize the gesture and fall silent.
“Welcome, Apprentices. As many of you know, I am Master Fulgent Casto, and I will be your class advisor until you’ve ascended into the ranks of the journeymen. This means that we could potentially be together for many years, so I recommend that we try to make the best of our association.”
It wasn’t lost on Volinette that when Master Casto’s gaze swept the room, it lingered longest on Janessa, Baris, and herself. Though she’d made a friend in Fulgent from the time she’d entered the trial, Volinette knew that the kinship they’d shared would not extend to her instruction. He struck her as nothing if not eminently fair. That suited Volinette just fine. The less reason Janessa had to continue her crusade against her, the better.
“Tomorrow, we will begin our instruction in earnest. Today, you will receive the materials you need to begin your instruction in the arts and sciences of the Quintessential Sphere. I will also be dividing you into pairs for certain parts of your instruction. These pairings are permanent for the duration of your time spent here as apprentices.”
Please, Volinette begged inwardly. Please pair me with Baris. Please. Please. Please.
It took what seemed like hours for Master Casto to make his way around the instruction room, pairing the apprentices off. Volinette’s heart sank early on when Baris was paired with a girl named Syble. She’d been one of the three girls who’d been clustered with Janessa after her entrance into the classroom. Volinette caught his eye from across the room , and he pantomimed choking to death behind Syble’s back. She couldn’t really blame him, but Volinette had greater concerns. The pool of apprentices was dwindling and Janessa hadn’t been partnered with anyone yet.
“Volinette Terris,” Master Casto said, startling her out of her ruminations. “You’ll be partnered with Janessa Navita.”
Volinette felt as if she’d been thrown into a fire. Her skin burned from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. It took every bit of willpower she possessed to keep the tears that prickled the back of her eyes from slipping down onto her cheeks. Why had Fulgent done that to her? He was well aware of the animosity Janessa held for her. How could he do such a thing?
Neither Janessa nor Volinette said a word as Master Casto finished pairing off the apprentices and announcing the partnerships. Nearby, Halsie and Nixi, the other girls who had been clustered around Janessa , were huddled together, talking in whispers. Their continued glances at Volinette made it easy for her to guess what and whom they were talking about.
When Master Casto retired from the training room to retrieve some materials, the girls sidled over to Janessa, clucking conspiratorially.
“What are you going to do?” they asked Janessa, as if Volinette weren’t standing a few feet from where they gathered around their friend. “How can they expect you to work with that?”
Janessa smiled and Volinette was reminded of the predatory fish that patrolled the shallows along many of the beaches in the Imperium.
“Oh, I’m sure we can convince her that her talents are better suited elsewhere. After all, she’s just a show off. We know who has the real power here, don’t we?”
Syble had joined the other girls, forming a loose circle around Volinette. Halsie, Nixi, and Syble snickered at Volinette , and it wasn’t until a moment later that Volinette realized that Janessa
“I don’t appreciate her attitude either,” Fulgent said candidly. “However, that does not negate the fact that she lost a sister to the Trial, and it would do you well to remember that any one of you could have lost your life in the same manner.”
With a final long look at Baris, Master Casto stepped into the room and raised his arms for attention. It took a few moments for the apprentices scattered around the room to recognize the gesture and fall silent.
“Welcome, Apprentices. As many of you know, I am Master Fulgent Casto, and I will be your class advisor until you’ve ascended into the ranks of the journeymen. This means that we could potentially be together for many years, so I recommend that we try to make the best of our association.”
It wasn’t lost on Volinette that when Master Casto’s gaze swept the room, it lingered longest on Janessa, Baris, and herself. Though she’d made a friend in Fulgent from the time she’d entered the trial, Volinette knew that the kinship they’d shared would not extend to her instruction. He struck her as nothing if not eminently fair. That suited Volinette just fine. The less reason Janessa had to continue her crusade against her, the better.
“Tomorrow, we will begin our instruction in earnest. Today, you will receive the materials you need to begin your instruction in the arts and sciences of the Quintessential Sphere. I will also be dividing you into pairs for certain parts of your instruction. These pairings are permanent for the duration of your time spent here as apprentices.”
Please, Volinette begged inwardly. Please pair me with Baris. Please. Please. Please.
It took what seemed like hours for Master Casto to make his way around the instruction room, pairing the apprentices off. Volinette’s heart sank early on when Baris was paired with a girl named Syble. She’d been one of the three girls who’d been clustered with Janessa after her entrance into the classroom. Volinette caught his eye from across the room , and he pantomimed choking to death behind Syble’s back. She couldn’t really blame him, but Volinette had greater concerns. The pool of apprentices was dwindling and Janessa hadn’t been partnered with anyone yet.
“Volinette Terris,” Master Casto said, startling her out of her ruminations. “You’ll be partnered with Janessa Navita.”
Volinette felt as if she’d been thrown into a fire. Her skin burned from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. It took every bit of willpower she possessed to keep the tears that prickled the back of her eyes from slipping down onto her cheeks. Why had Fulgent done that to her? He was well aware of the animosity Janessa held for her. How could he do such a thing?
Neither Janessa nor Volinette said a word as Master Casto finished pairing off the apprentices and announcing the partnerships. Nearby, Halsie and Nixi, the other girls who had been clustered around Janessa , were huddled together, talking in whispers. Their continued glances at Volinette made it easy for her to guess what and whom they were talking about.
When Master Casto retired from the training room to retrieve some materials, the girls sidled over to Janessa, clucking conspiratorially.
“What are you going to do?” they asked Janessa, as if Volinette weren’t standing a few feet from where they gathered around their friend. “How can they expect you to work with that?”
Janessa smiled and Volinette was reminded of the predatory fish that patrolled the shallows along many of the beaches in the Imperium.
“Oh, I’m sure we can convince her that her talents are better suited elsewhere. After all, she’s just a show off. We know who has the real power here, don’t we?”
Syble had joined the other girls, forming a loose circle around Volinette. Halsie, Nixi, and Syble snickered at Volinette , and it wasn’t until a moment later that Volinette realized that Janessa
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