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I bit back my retort. Friend? I supposed that was what Tomus and I had been. I felt revulsion churning in my stomach—not for him, but for myself. I hadn’t known what a real friend was until I met Nedra; I had not realized how low I’d let myself sink for companionship.

“We’ve known each other since we were born,” Tomus continued. “She’s only been here a few months.” He spit the words out. “I didn’t know your loyalty was so weak.”

Nedra’s words echoed in my mind. “Ihavebeen loyal,” I said. “I’ve defended you while you’ve been nothing but a jerk.” I stared at him as if I were seeing him for the first time. “And trust me, it hasn’t been easy.”

“Defended me?” He rolled his eyes. “To her? Oh, thank you so much.”

“People aren’t worthless just because you can’t use them,” I said.

“Gods, you’reboring,” Tomus said again, an insult that used to make me do whatever it took to impress him.

My hands closed to fists, but I forced myself to take deep breaths. Tomus would never be my enemy, I knew that. My father was too important to his father’s work.

If I acted now, it would be Nedra whom Tomus would punish. His power was limited, but she didn’t deserve his attention. No one did.

“So this is how it is,” Tomus said, his eyes on my fists. I made my hands relax.

“Let’s go drinking,” I said, taking a step down the sidewalk in the direction the other students had gone.

“No.” Tomus’s voice was clear, no sign of slurring. I wondered if he’d sobered up while talking to me, or if the drunkenness had been faked. So much about Tomus was just a show to manipulate the way people saw him. I had known that for almost as long as I’d known him, but I never realized before that I had only ever seen him behind a mask as well.

“You want to get serious?” he continued. “Let’s get serious. You’re spending all your time with your slummer girlfriend, and you have yet to see what’s really important these days.”

“The plague?” I asked. “Because it seems to me that you are the one who’s ignoring that.”

“Plague.” Tomus rolled his eyes. “The docks needed purging anyway. This is Oryous’s version of rat poison. I’m not talking about that, Greggori,” he continued, speaking over me when I tried to interrupt. “I want to know when you’ll be ready torise up.” He spoke the last words as if they were significant, as if I should know what they meant.

The pieces clicked in my head too slowly. “Are you talking about rebellion?” I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper.

“Of course I am!” Tomus said, shouting at me and throwing his hands up. “Are you that blind? Has your little girlfriend made youthatoblivious?”

“Has the alcohol made you that dense?” I shot back. “Youaredrunk.”

Tomus looked more disappointed in me now than he had been when talking about Nedra. “Just wait, Astor,” he said, shaking his head at me. “Just you wait.”

“What do you know?”

“I know enough to keep clean.” Tomus tapped his nose. “I know enough to only talk to those who arereallyloyal.”

“Keep your secrets,” I said, exasperated. “Just leave me out of it. And Nedra.”

“All right, Astor.” Tomus leaned against the wall. I ducked my head, turning, and made my way back to the school. I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.

This wasn’t over.

SEVENTEEN

Nedra

I had intendedto seek out the school’s chapel for a moment of prayer to myself, but as soon as I passed through the gates into Yugen, I veered to the administration building. I wasn’t sure what I would do if he wasn’t there, but Master Ostrum was definitely in his office—along with someone else. My eyes darted between the door and the stairs, unsure if I should stay.

There was a bang from inside the room, and I jumped.

“—Now!” a deep voice from within said.

Heavy thuds, like books slamming on a table, reverberated through the glass-and-wood door. This sounded more like a fight than a scholarly debate.

The door swung open before I could make a run for the steps, and Master Ostrum stood in the entryway. He seemed surprised to see me at first, but then his arm swung out, gesturing to me. “As you can see,” he said to the other man inside, “I have a student waiting.”