Page 65 of House of Marionne

“I’m Felix. Class of ’23, Dragun, House of Perl.” His mouth tugs sideways in a self-assured grin.

My grip on the desk tightens.

House of Perl.

That’s Jordan’s House! I guessed it was some rogue group after me, not a leader in the Order. Someone in a position like Grandmom. Last night unfurls in my memory, and the hairs on my neck rise as I replay every exchange Jordan and I have had since I arrived here.

“I’m a complex Shifter.” Felix works his magic, pulls his hands apart wider until a woodsy pine scent fills the air. “I can sweeten the air you’re breathing or shift it to a toxic gas if I want.”

His mouth is moving as he roves around the room, but I’m too preoccupied with thoughts of Jordan. Is that why he keeps a close eye on me? For his House Headmistress? But if Jordan knew I had toushana, I’d already be dead. That I’m sure of. So either he and the Dragun after me don’t know each other, or he and his Headmistress aren’t close. Or she only has the one Dragun on my tail.

“My magic is more developed and easier to reach because of the enhancers I chose for honing. Whatever you fold into your blade affects your magic,” Felix goes on, rounding on my table, and I realize I’m behind on taking notes. He grabs a purple stone from Shelby’s and my pile.

“A Strength Enhancer is going to double the impact of your magic. I folded six of these into my dagger.”

“Six! Heavens,” Dexler says. “Headmistress Beaulah is quite militant, isn’t she?” She pulls at her blouse.

Beaulah. I know that name . . . Mom mentioned it when we parted ways.

“In manu exercitus tui merces legatorum.” He knocks his fists together, one on top of the other, then pounds them to his chest. “At the hand of an army legacies are formed.”

Dexler’s brows slash.

Felix plucks a few more stones, detailing which and how many he used with a lilt of arrogance that’s actually nauseating the more I listen. “A demonstration.” His eyes find my diadem. His lips part as he marvels, taking all of me in.

“That’s quite impressive,” he says. “Might I see your dagger, Miss . . . ?”

Once more, I search his face for some seed of recognition. Some slight tell that he knows my secret, but nothing even close simmers beneath his expression. Headmistress Beaulah hasn’t told him. He’s here for some other reason. Could she really only have the one Dragun after me? No one else seems to recognize me as if I’m on some shared hit list. But if that’s true, why would a headmistress keep that a secret? Why not run to the Dragunhead and turn my name in so everyone knows? The truth occurs to me so suddenly I have to steady myself on my chair. Because she isn’t absolutely sure I have toushana. A wrong accusation of that magnitude would not go over well.

I hand Felix my dagger.

Shelby fidgets under the table.

“Shelby?”

But she ignores me, picking at a scab over and over.

“Today’s your lucky day.” He takes the purple stone and sets it on the flat of my blade and glides his hand over it in one smooth motion. The purple stone melts like butter into the metal. He hands it back to me. “The stones can be stubborn. Some are just harder to fold in. But that’s the gist of it. Choose your enhancers carefully, a dagger can only hold so many.”

“Ah, Mister Felix forgets that in our House, the enhancers you’re given are a set list,” Dexler says.

“Right, forgot.” His eyebrows bounce. After a bit more fawning from Dexler, Felix takes a bow and winks at Shelby. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight.” He leaves, and Shelby exhales.

I almost ask her if she’s okay, but it’s obvious she isn’t and she doesn’t want to talk about it. Dexler parts a thick leather tome. “On page six hundred thirty-three is a list of what each enhancer does. You must memorize them all. And by tomorrow, the first three must be folded into your blade successfully. Understood?”

Heads nod.

“I laid out a few others for your observation only.”

I take out the speckled enhancer from Casey at the Tavern, trying to remember what he said it did.

“Any more Strength Enhancers?” someone asks.

“I’d like to see a Lumen one, you have any of those?” another says.

I gather the three stones first on the list plus the one from Casey and set my dagger on its side.

“I’m out, okay? Good luck with honing.” Shelby shoulders her bag before I can respond, and she’s gone. I should check on her later.