Becoming Magical [2]

C H A P T E R - 2 1

A mentor at the door directed Grady and Edaline to their seats in the stadium and sent Sophie down to the floor level with the other performers. Sandor tried to follow, but the Mentor insisted the rehearsal area was for prodigies and faculty only.

"I'll keep an eye on her," a familiar voice volunteered.

Sophie grinned as she spun to face a tall Mentor with olive skin and light blond hair. "Sir Tiergan!"

"Just Tiergan," he corrected—true to form. "You seem surprised to see me. Have you been hoping they'd find you a Mentor who could actually match your incredible abilities?"

"Actually, I already have that."

"You're very kind. But we both know I can never match you."

 Sandor protested as Tiergan led Sophie away, but Tiergan reminded him that only Mentors and prodigies were allowed where Sophie was going, and that he'd be much more useful to her by keeping an eye on the audience, where any real threat would be hiding. Sandor didn't look happy about it, but he stalked off to catch up with Grady and Edaline.

"I take it you've seen the change with your telepathy session this year," Tiergan said as he brought Sophie down the stairs to the cold silver room that served as the preparation area. Costumed prodigies shouted over each other and groups of Mentors struggled to line them up by grade level. "I hope you don't mind having Fitz and Meredith in there with you."

"No, Mer's great. I like Fitz—I mean, I don't like him—we're friends, not anything . . . It's fine," she finished, feeling her face burn.

Well, it wasn't my first choice," Tiergan mumbled, fidgeting with the topaz-encrusted F pinning his bright orange cloak. "Meredith could block you and now she can get must your mental blocking. But if he can get past your blocking, I suppose it'll be worth investigating. Even if he is a . . ."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Sophie had a feeling she knew what he meant. Tiergan might've been the only elf—besides Dex—who didn't admire the Vackers. Especially Alden. Tiergan had been close friends with Prentice and had pleaded for mercy on his friend's behalf after he'd been arrested. But Alden had gone forward with the Tribunal and the memory break anyway, and Tiergan had never forgiven him.

It had to be even harder for him now that the Council was working to join forces with the Black Swan. Especially since Tiergan had adopted Prentice's son and personally lived with the devastation of Alden and the Council's decision. But now that she thought about it, she couldn't help wondering what had made him so sure of Prentice's innocence.

Did he know something about the Black Swan?

The question was on the tip of her tongue when Tiergan told her, "I need to take my place for the Ceremonies. Will you be okay if I leave you here?" He pointed to the line of Level Threes.

"Of course."

"See you Tuesday, then." He'd vanished into the crowd before Sophie realized she'd forgotten to tell him about Silveny's transmitting. She'd have to wait for their first session.

She tried to imagine how it would be having her, Mer and Fitz, and Tiergan alone in a small, plain telepathy room, working so closely together. Just the thought made her heart feel fluttery. She scanned the crowd to distract herself, shouting for Dex when she finally spotted him among the chaos. He shoved his way toward her, dragging three Level Ones with him. Two boys and a girl, all with wild strawberry blond hair sticking out around their gremlin ears.

"Hey," Dex said, tugging on Sophie's mastodon trunk and making a trumpeting sound. "Been looking everywhere for you."

"I know—it's crazy here. I thought I'd never find you. Are these the triplets?"