Chatoyant College Book 9: Sundered

Chapter 125: Predictions

Monday, December 8

The weekend was a bust for finding music teachers; the professors were all off-campus, and all the music students they talked to either dismissed them immediately or sounded enthusiastic at first but grew increasingly puzzled as Corrie or her friends tried to hint at the problem of faeries. (Corrie did find one senior who seemed intrigued at the prospect of teaching a pair of extremely mysterious students, but then swore at her and walked away when Corrie admitted they didn't know what instruments they wanted to learn.) Professor Lal couldn't recommend anyone. They eventually gave up to wait for Monday.

"We could ask the finder faerie," Dawn suggested during breakfast before they went to magic class. "Do you think she could find a music teacher, given the right parameters?"

Corrie sucked a piece of egg off her fork. "Maybe. We've never asked her to find something like that—not a specific person. I suppose we should suggest it to Professor Lal. She'll know if she can find that sort of thing, and anyway, I don't think we're allowed to talk to the finder anymore."

"True," said Dawn.

"I asked Troy and Link," said Roe. "Neither of them is musical."

"Did you tell them that the faeries know they're around?" Corrie asked. "I think I kind of screwed up there..."

"It's okay," said Roe. "The faeries do know they're here. At least, some of them do. And they seem to think that the court faeries will leave them alone no matter what."

Corrie nodded and gathered up her tray. "Well, if we can't find any music professors who can help out, I do have an idea."

"What is it?" Dawn asked.

Corrie pointed up at the sky as they left the dining hall—though even if the moon had been up they wouldn't have been able to see it due to the thick cloud cover. "It's a full moon tonight. The werewolves will be meeting in the woods. I'll go with Charlie and see if any of them want to teach music. They already know about the faeries, though I don't know how faeries and werewolves feel about each other."

"That could be a dangerous combination," said Roe. "But it's worth a try."

Corrie nodded. "And I did promise to do everything I could. I'm not going to break my promise, even if it is to Mardalan."

They took their seats as usual at the front of their magic classroom. Oddly, Professor Lal arrived before most of the class. She nodded to them as she sat at her desk. "Any luck?"

Corrie shook her head. "We'll try asking professors today, and maybe some other people. We'll talk to you about it later."

"What are you looking for?" asked Lin from the other side of the room.

"A music teacher," said Roe. "It's an unusual situation. Do you play music?"

Lin wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I try to keep away from all that kind of stuff. But good luck."

"Perhaps you'll be able to find one during today's practice," Professor Lal said mysteriously. She sat behind her desk with her hands resting lightly on its surface and closed her eyes. "Brian," she announced.

Corrie frowned and looked around the room. Brian wasn't here yet. But a moment later he walked through the door. She and Lin both jumped, and Brian's eyes widened as he looked around, startled. "What's going on?"

"Professor Lal just announced your name, and then you walked in the door," said Lin.

"Okay..." said Brian, looking at the professor nervously before taking his usual seat.

"Tricia," announced the professor a moment later. Corrie was less surprised to see Tricia walk in the door. Lin and Roe both giggled.

"What?" said Tricia, looking down as though she was afraid she had something on her shirt.

"I think Professor Lal just predicted you'd be the next one in," said Corrie.

"Oh," said Tricia, glancing at the professor, who was still sitting with her eyes closed. "Cool."

Suddenly suspicious, Corrie reached into her pocket to check her four-leaf clover. But even under her glamour, Professor Lal's eyes were closed. That would have been a good trick.

"We're doing psionics this week," Dawn whispered into Corrie's ear. "She must be demonstrating."

Of course Dawn had read the syllabus. Corrie grinned as Professor Lal announced the names of two other students and they entered in rapid succession. The whole class laughed when Professor Lal announced that Kira was going to be a minute late and in a bad mood. When Kira arrived, she didn't find it so funny.

As Kira took her seat, Professor Lal stood up smoothly and opened her eyes, smiling at the class. "I hope everyone enjoyed that demonstration. And now I'll teach you the basics of how to do it yourself."