A Practical Guide to Sorcery (Books 1 & 2)

Chapter 79 - Connections (Part 3)

She wished she'd had someone to say the same thing to her when everything was going wrong. It was only by luck that Oliver and Katerin weren't worse, and that her deal with them was something she could stomach. She might have made much worse bargains out of desperation, were she in Newton's spot. "Though, to be clear, what I could connect you with probably wouldn't be as lucrative as the danger of accompanying her."

Newton's shoulders visibly loosened. He laughed. "Wow. If you would have told me I'd be having this conversation at the beginning of the term..." He shook his head ruefully. "I'm just a bookish commoner who's too stubborn to admit I don't belong here. I wasn't meant for these things."

Tanya paid the Administration worker for the paper bird messenger spell and moved to the stacks of special paper that she would write her letter on. She glanced over at them, and Sebastien gave her what she hoped was an unsuspicious smile.

Newton didn't even notice.

"We sometimes find ourselves in extraordinary situations," Sebastien said. "And then we discover that there are extraordinary depths of resourcefulness within us."

"How did you get involved in all this? Contacts in secret meetings, digging up corruption in the University, rubbing shoulders with the children of Crown families?"

Sebastien let out a breathy laugh. "I, too, never expected to find myself having this conversation. Truly. But life has a way of surprising you. Especially when you demand more out of it. The world twists in strange ways to keep up with you."

"I'm interested in these other opportunities to make some coin, but I think I'll do it. Go with her, I mean. As long as there's going to be backup there."

"In that case, let me be clear that I intend no one at that meeting any harm. You are not associated with Gilbrathan coppers or official law enforcement of any kind. You have no plans to discuss relevant information about the meeting to any non-members. You are there for your own mercenary benefit only."

He blinked at her.

"They will ask you," she said. "This way, you can answer honestly."

He gave her a slow, confused nod, but there wasn't time for more questions, because Tanya had finished sending her letter and was heading their way.

'She was most likely contacting Munchworth, or someone else here at the University. Even if the paper birds have a delivery beacon with one of the Morrows, I doubt she'd be so reckless as to contact them directly right now.'

Tanya dropped into the seat across from Sebastien with an irritated huff.

"Thanks, Newton," Sebastien said, pulling the textbook back over to herself. "That makes sense."

"No problem." He looked up to Tanya, and Sebastien was impressed with his composure, despite what he had just learned about the other girl. "Is everything okay?"

Tanya waved a dismissive hand. "Well, you know."

Sebastien wasn't sure they did know.

That must have shown on her face, because Tanya brought up a knee, tilting her chair away from the table to rock back and forth on its hind legs, and said, "I needed to ask one of the professors for instruction, but with everything going on I can't get hold of them. Had to send a bird."

"Is it worth it?" Sebastien asked. "The contribution points for being a student liaison?"

Tanya snorted. "Of course not. They make me do all kinds of shit that I don't want to do." She was grinding her teeth. She stopped talking to rub her jaw, then said, "There's a reason why you don't see a lot of high-class students working as student liaisons. We don't do this for the contribution points. I mean, the points don't hurt, but the whole point of getting a position like this is to put it on your resume once you're looking for employment. I don't want to be poor and insignificant my entire life. I have ambitions, Siverling."