ONE HUNDRED FOUR: Hot Chocte


    104


    Alden got back to the dorms at eight PM. His feet were nearly numb from walking around in his cold, wet shoes for hours, and his messenger bag was stuffed full of paper airnes.


    Stuart had liked the activity.


    I just never know with that guy.


    Paper shaping was an art form on the Trs as well, which Alden probably should have guessed. If you had more than thirty billion people with fingers and ess to paper, someone was going toe up with the idea of folding it creatively.


    But Stuart hadnt tried it since he was a small child. And hed been able to justify it to himself as both art, cultural exchange, and enrichment for Other Alden.


    Flying paper toys were the best thing the ryeh-bt had ever seen. Stuart had been casting spells to clean up all the shredded nes when they finally cut off the call.


    Alden squelched his way up to the second floor of Garden Hall. Njerithe Water Shaper from his ss who hed met at the partywasing down the stairs from the third floor, her flip-flops pping against her heels.


    I was upstairs in Mehdis room, she said quickly. Pulling water out of the clothes he wore today. I owed him the favor from the drinking game.


    Alden hadnt been that curious, but maybe she felt like she had to exin why she was in the wrong building. I owe Helosa, he said. She hasnt called it in yet.


    Kon had divided the ss in half, tried to weight it by rank so it was fairer, and then sent everyone their victor assignments. Max had gotten stuck owing Mehdi. Alden didnt know if that was random, or if he needed to thank Kon the next time he saw him.


    Helosas my roommate, said Njeri. She wants to find a way to use all the favors on the same day so that its grander. Do you want me to dry your shoes?


    Five minutester, barefoot and with dry sneakers in hand, he stepped into the huntski lodge.


    It was surprisingly silent, considering all three of his roommates were in the living area. Haoyu was the only one obviously working. He had a tablet out and he was tapping his cheek with the end of a stylus.


    Lexi and Lute were just sitting there.


    Hey, Alden said, heading toward his room.


    [Lexi: Are you alone?]


    Alden nced over. All three of them were staring at him.


    Oh, Lute told you. Its just me.


    Lexi crossed his arms over his chest. You had a wizard watching your every move all day!


    Alden frowned. Yes.


    Why?!


    Because he wanted to hang out. And I did too.


    Lexi stared at him. Do you think thats normal? Is he watching us too? What?


    I was in the room for six seconds this morning. I literally sprinted out without speaking to any of you, said Alden. If youd tried to start a conversation or Id needed to do something in the shared area, I would have mentioned it. I told Lute even though we were just going to be in ss together.


    Its not a big deal, said Haoyu.


    It is! How often is the wizard watching you? Why is he watching you? Why the hell would you?


    I didnt tell you so you could interrogate him, said Lute. I just mentioned it because it wasa noteworthy thing about our roommate. And so that none of us would be sitting around saying or doing something embarrassing when Alden walked through the door.


    Alden was still trying to grasp what Lute actually considered embarrassing. Hed asked Stuart to trante the word dickwad, of all things. But he was shy about his job.


    I deliberately avoideding back to the room this afternoon so that I wouldnt make anyone feel like they were being observed by a stranger at home, said Alden.


    See? said Haoyu, looking back down at his tablet. Its fine. Leave him alone.


    Why are you two being so calm all of a sudden? Lute was entirely weirded out when he told us


    Not for the reason you seem to think, said Lute. I was weirded out about what the wizard spy might be telling Alden about me, not what Alden might be telling him.


    He turned around in his chair to see Alden better. Say nothing of what you have heard, he said dramatically. Or Ill do spooky Chainer things to you.


    Alden sighed. It really wasnt much except for what I already asked you about. After you kind of squeaked like that in ss, the wizard spy was worried hed upset you. He wanted me to offer youfort.


    You squeaked? What did you squeak about? Haoyu asked.


    I dont care what he squeaked about, Lexi said. I care about the fact that the globie is


    Haoyu pped his stylus down on the sofa beside him. Dont call him that.


    You guys dont fight about me, said Alden. Its fine. People call me that all the time.


    He wasnt saying it in a friendly way, said Haoyu.


    To be fair, Lexi doesnt say much in a friendly way, Alden replied.


    Lexis cheeks colored.


    Alden didnt want to deal with this. He was pretty sure Lexi was overreacting, but he did feel bad about making the guy nervous about this kind of thing.


    Listen, my friends around our age. He just started wizard college. He doesnt have summoning rights, and wizards in training who havent earned them yet arent allowed to call Avowed without being monitored by a summoner. That sounds awkward to both of us, so when he goes home for the weekends, his older sister ces the call for him and connects it to a tablet. We usually talk for a few hours about things like pandas, marching bands, and the day when Avowed will grow strong enough to overpower the United Nations and take our rightful ce as the leaders of our species.


    Oh my goodness, said Haoyu, his eyes going round.


    Grandwitch would love to hear more about that one.


    Lexis face was stiff.


    Apparently theres like a whole process for it to make sure it happens peacefully. But we probably wont live to see it unless Earth gets a bunch more hyperboles with grand ambitions or we start making superbabies a lot faster, so dont get too excited about world domination.


    My dreams, said Lute. Destroyed the very moment they were born.


    Mostly, my friend just wanted to spend time together, said Alden. And see what human school was like. And ask me about my life purpose and tell me about cannibal parrots.


    Did you start the gokoratch thing? People were saying it in my afternoon sses, said Haoyu.


    Mine too, said Lute. Someone was trying to rhyme it with other words to make a music video.


    My point is that people talk to their friends through their interfaces all the time. Theres a girl in Intro to Other Worlds whose Swedish boyfriend stays on the phone with her for the entire ss, and everyone but the teacher knows it. I realize its umon that the person I was on the phone with was an Artonan, which is why I didnt hang around people having private conversations. I stayed in crowds or totally alone all day.


    He met Lexis eyes. Sorry if you felt spied on. He didnt even see you, and I never told him your name. He calls every couple of weeks. Ill remind you itsing up a day in advance next time, and Ill staypletely away from you again. Is that fine?


    Did you talk about me? Haoyu asked before Lexi could answer.


    He sounded curious, not upset, but Alden still felt nervous. I did tell him your name. And your ss. Is thatI hope thats okay?


    Haoyu blinked. Why wouldnt it be? Hes not even a summoner, and when he is, he can just look it up if he wants. Hes going to be a wizard and Im an Avowed. The System can send him information about me that I dont even know myself. I was just wondering what an alien my age thought of me.


    Lexi nced at Haoyu, then Lute. He sighed. Fine. Sorry I called you globie in an unfriendly way.


    Haoyu smiled and picked up his stylus.


    He did say something about the demon event on Matadero, Alden added after a moments hesitation. I was sitting in a restaurant teaching him to fold paper nes


    Okay, now hes making fun of us, said Lute. I totally buy an Artonan talking about politics, and I can imagine them being interested in endangered animals. But I refuse to believe the two of you were doing arts and crafts together.


    I dont believe you either, said Lexi. Youve just got a broken sense of humor like these two.


    Haoyu looked at Alden. What did he say about Matadero?


    Not much. We just overheard someone mention it, and he said he knew two wizards that are there right now with the battlegroup. He said they were well-respected and very talented. Its not like thats surprising, but I figured I should mention it in case you wanted to hear it.


    Thanks, said Haoyu. Its not a bad thing to hear. I do worry about Dad.


    He went back to his homework.


    Actually, Stuart had said more than that, but Alden wasnt sure how it would make Haoyu feel. The Artonan boy had been shockingly uninterested in whatever it was that happened on Matadero, and had instead wanted to tell Alden that the two knights who were there right now monitoring things and serving as backup were celebrating some kind of asion.


    Theyre going to be on Earth for their >, hed said. Its very special. If you happen to see them, you should congratte them.


    He seemed to be under the impression that they might all run into each other on the street one day.


    They decided to help fight a demon tomemorate their marriage? Alden had asked. Thats


    So Intensity Level 99.9 of them, was all he could think.


    Marriage? No. Theyre not married.


    Honeymoon is a bad trantion then.


    Stuart had stared off into space for a while, trying to find a better word before giving up. Theyve made an important decision. Its a happy one, and your is sofortablepared to most postings. Everyone else agreed to yield the position to them as a gift for the next few months.


    Maybe I should tell Haoyu? Finding out that babysitting an entire human battlegroup was a vacation for the two knights might be a little insultingbut it was more of a relief wasnt it?


    Alden felt better knowing it anyway.


    He pulled one of the airnes out of his bag, straightened its wings and tossed it toward Lute, who caught it with a startled look.


    I knew folding paper airnes was too specific to be a joke, he heard Haoyu say just before he closed his bedroom door behind him.


    ******


    Lexi and Alden didnt see much of each other for the rest of the week. Alden wasnt sure his roommate was avoiding him, but he was starting to suspect it was the case.


    He doesnt seriously think I have an Artonan watching me all the time, does he?


    Any Avowed could be on a System call with a wizard without other people knowing. It came with having your brain wired into thes magicalmunications array. Alden was starting to feel like he was being punished for being honest about it.


    At least its not the worst punishment, he thought as he sat in the sauna with Haoyu again on Friday, after theirst gym ss of the week.


    Ostensibly, they were doing their homework. In reality, Alden was doing his homework, and Haoyu was texting him pictures of sulent pork meat with crispy skin.


    You know Im vegan, he said during a brief period when they were the recovery saunas only users.


    But loook at it. Haoyus voice was filled with longing. Lechon is so beautiful. And they have stewed pork knuckle and deep fried belly and


    Are you trying to hurt me?


    Principal Saleh had swung by the gym as ss was wrapping up to check in on them and announce that shed be taking them all out to dinner next Friday night to wee them to the school. Shed asked the instructors to pick the sss top overall performer for the first week, and to a lot of peoples surprise, the faculty unanimously agreed it was Maricel Alcantara.


    Shed looked shocked at first, and then genuinely pleased as all the Shapers and ranged Meisters whod been in her group for gym congratted her.


    Her reward was selecting the restaurant for next week on the spot. The principal seemed to think that most eating establishments would need plenty of warning before she brought in more than forty starving hero students fresh from MagiPhys Ed to demolish their menu.


    Maricel had picked a Filipino ce at Rosa Grove Mall that was known for its pork dishes. Haoyu was a big fan of the choice.


    Im so d she won! I guess it wouldve been a little better if Id won, but since I didnt even know there was going to be a contest or a prize Im just happy its someone with great taste in food.


    You have your priorities in order, said Alden.


    He didnt think any of them had had much of a sense of who was doing particrly well in the gym until today. It was hard when they all had such different abilities. You could only catch brief glimpses of your ssmates in other groups in between running, climbing, hiding, andin Aldens casetrying out all the different supplies youd brought.


    He knew Maricel had gotten the hang ofpressing loose soil into floating tforms that were strong enough to hold her in the air. She could make flying dirt pancakes, and she could ride them up and down like an elevator. It was more advanced than throwing sandbags around, since she had to keep the dirt in a shape in addition to moving it through the air. Shed been practicing it in Rescue.


    You know, I was doing really well in Rescue before I tried to make that zip line work, said Alden. I was sure I could get it right, but so many sandbags hit the ground so hard that Kon asked me if I was actually getting a kick out of killing them.


    The distance was the problem. A stiff, too-short zip line was basically a vertical murder pole. And since theyd been told to work on managing their skill fatigue better, Alden couldnt make one long enough. One that ran the length of the whole gym would burn his skill right out.


    Distance being a problem for him had surprised him a little. A hundred feet of rope was a hundred feet of rope in his mind, and it shouldnt matter whether it was coiled around his waist our extended out to poke and block. But Fragment had offered some insight after asking him about what he was trying and why he thought it wasnt working.


    Its always hard to give advice on a skill I havent seen before, shed said, sitting on one of the sandbags and hovering at the edge of the scaffolding beside him. But this is a problem I know very well. Shaper works simrly. The first thing they taught me in school, and one of the first things Im teaching your ssmates, is that the strongest, most properly controlled shaping happens right here.


    She tucked her arms in and held her hands a few inches from her chest.


    This is where my telekinesis holds the most weight. Its where the shapes form perfectly. The farther away from here Im working, the sloppier I am and the weaker I am. Those two weakness dont seem to apply to your skill, but the distance seems to matter to us in the same way. Shaping techniques fatigue more quickly when Im farther away from the elemental ground I want to mold. I have to level my talents or get entirely new ones to keep expanding the distance.


    Shes tapped the end of his paracord. My magic isnt like a loosed arrow that flies on its own after Ive shot. No matter how far away Im working, its still connected here. To me. And Im actively powering it.


    I like Fragment, Alden told Haoyu. Im really curious about what well be doing in her sessions next week.


    They were through with the scaffolding for now. New rescue problems had been promised.


    Jeffy wants it to be a burning house, said Haoyu.


    In the gym?


    I told him there was a special facility at Li Jean for that kind of thing, and it was too early for them to be taking us on a field trip to another hero programs campus. For some reason, hes doubled down and now he wants gym to be a footrace to Li Jean followed by a burning house scenario.


    Hes an Aqua Brute.


    I know.


    Maybe he has breathing magic that will help with smoke inhtion? Alden suggested.


    Youre so optimistic. Ive been working with him all week, and he just thinks walking through fire would be manly. Instructor Klein is starting to look like he needs a break every time Jeffy opens his mouth.


    Instructor Klein.


    Thest two offense sessions had gone much the same as the first, only Alden had failed to capture the Agility Brute using a wider variety of tools and methods.


    As hed surmised on the first day, Klein wasnt a bad teacher. He was just less enthusiastic about Alden than he was about most of the others.


    Almost everyone else got asional shes of warmth and humor from the man. The ones who didnt were a couple of whiny ckers by CNH standards. They would probably have been ssified as above average in a normal school, but here the average level of effort was overachiever. And then above that, there were the people who were propelled by talent, energy, or pure unyielding grit to keep trying again and again.


    Alden was beginning to see that quality in some unexpected ces. Astrid, for example, was hyper and a little silly sometimes. So it was easy to think she wasnt a serious person. But she had decided on that first day that she would never be able toy a finger on Klein unless she surprised him somehow, so shed fullymitted to the idea of beating him by anticipating his next move.


    She couldnt actually anticipate his next move, though. She just guessed as well as she could and tried to arrive in the right location in the most unexpected way possible. That was why everyone in the group was now subject to being tackled, leapfrogged, thrown, or tripped in her attempts to create distractions for the version of Klein she had imagined in hertest wheres-he-gonna-be-next scenario.


    She was acting within the rules Klein had given them by treating ssmates as environmental features rather than people. Alden wasnt Alden to her when she shoved him in front of another running student; he was a random object that might have inconvenienced the instructor for a second if everything had gone the way shed thought it would.


    Alden was fine with it. She was trying something. His own ns of attack were never so amazing that her randomly ruining them was a tragedy.


    Some people were getting pissed about it, though, and even those in other groups were starting to joke about how insane she looked, repeatedly flying through the air tond on nothing and throwing punches and kicks at ces where Instructor Klein wasnt.


    It had to hurt her feelings at least a little, but she kept going for it.


    I hope Astrid kicks him at least once before the end of the quarter, he murmured.


    Jeffy? Haoyu was wiping his face with a spare towel.


    No. Sorry. I went off on my own train of thought there.


    Maybe Klein thinks Im one of the whiny ckers? Or just a cker. Alden neverined about anything in gym, so being perceived as whiny seemed unlikely. It could be the fact that Im still figuring out my tools. I have to pause a little to think about how to use them. Maybe he doesnt like that and it makes him assume Im cking off?


    Hed try not pausing at all next time and see how it went.


    Did you decide on what your object is going to be for the rest of the course yet? Haoyu asked. I want to know so I can n how to beat you up when we finally get to duel.


    Tool selection was on the forefront of Aldens mind, too.


    There are some things that will obviously work really well for protecting my body. My ponchos are so convenient. Personal protection, fairly re-shapeable so that I can use them for carrying or shielding others


    I like those. You hunker down, and I punch you over and over again. Eventually we find out who wins.


    Alden looked over at him. Im pretty sure the faculty wont just let you hit a shielded poncho for half an hour and call it educational.


    But it would be educational. At least the first time.


    Ill let you hit one of my shields outside of the gym as much as you want.


    Really? Thats cool of you!


    Alden shrugged. I dont have to be standing behind it or anything. I can just hold it out to the side to make a target for you.


    Still cool, said Haoyu. So youll probably use the poncho?


    Wellthe poncho is something I really like. He nned to keep one with him from now on. But Im thinking it might be a waste to go with something so easy to use for gym ss. If I just coat myself in magic so nothing can hit me, Im not learning much, am I? Same thing with the gloves. I know how hands work pretty well. You grab a thing, preserve the glove, and heavy items get carried.


    You could still be practicing with those for hand-to-handbat though. Learning how to protect your lower body and face in the poncho. Learning how to move your arms to soak hits with the gloves.


    Yeah, but lets be honest. If Im trading punches with you guys, Im mostly learning that I shouldnt be trading punches with you guys. Even if you didnt use Boxing Gloves and you just stood there smiling at meyouve probably got a lot of your Stamina points sub-allocated into the Formation stuff, right?


    Not just a lot of them. Most of them. He stretched his legs out in front of him. People sleep on Dura Brute. Nobody our age wants the Stamina subss at all because they think its boring. And then if youre going for durability with it, you pile most of your Stamina points into the Formation substat or the specific sub-substats. And doing that isnt as powerful as the protective skills or spells you can chooseto start with. Im slow. I dont do anything that looks exciting. And people dont always know this, but Formation is actually pretty heavy on the mind-body front, which means the System makes me grow into the points more slowly, a little like it does for more traditional Processing stuff.


    It works like that?


    My parents say its better to think of Formation as resistance to unwanted bodily deformation. So the unwanted bit of itits as if Im gradually getting a stronger mental handle on what my body is supposed to be. It feels good. But it takes forever. He paused. I think Im almost the opposite of a Morph Brute in some ways. I should ask Snake some questions about how fully developed Morph feels to him andpare it to how my parents talk about their powers.


    Thats awesome, Haoyu.


    Haoyu grinned. I think so. This is how you eventually get straight-up bulletproof without having to use spells or skills to do it. But it takes a lot of points to go that far. The A-rank is a little concerning for me, to be honest. My parents say Dura will still work great for me if I apply myself, so Im trusting them.


    You never wanted to be something else?


    Oh, I wanted to be every ss at some point. I grew into appreciating Dura when we started having more serious discussions about what would happen when I was chosen. My parents tried to be neutral about all the sses. A lot of people arent like that, so Im lucky. He smiled toward the tiny cauldron in front of them. And no. You wouldnt enjoy punching me. I might not be fast and shy, but your Rabbit fists would still break before my face did. Isnt that great?


    Aldenughed. Thats what I thought. To finish answering your question, Im probably going to choose something moreplicated than the poncho or the gloves for gym. I dont feel like the gloves give me enough chances to explore unusual skill uses, and if I have the poncho, Ill just dominate at self-defense until my magic conks out. And thats kind of self-exnatory, too. I want practice and faculty advice on a less intuitive tool, so itll probably be the paracord or some other kind of line or rope. If Im reasonable.


    Haoyu looked intrigued. What if youre unreasonable?


    A giant roll of wrapping paper, Alden said.


    Oooyou want to make stuff out of it?


    I totally do.


    Paper shield!


    Paper swords, said Alden. Paper armor. Paper stretchers. Paper bags. Paper bombs.


    Haoyu looked confused.


    Well, I havent actually figured out how to make a paper bomb, Alden confessed. But I can set things on fire and preserve them, and I need to y with it at some point.


    You should do it!


    Can you imagine Instructor Kleins face, though? If I just sat down on the floor every few minutes to cut or fold a new shape.the paracord is kind of that way already. I cant imagine what the faculty would say if I showed up with scissors and took a timeout between each session to make a new attachment for my wrapping paper weapon.


    ******


    An alien films club was having a cookout beside Garden Hall when they arrived. Folding chairs stood in rows in front of an intable screen, and everyone was walking around with grilled sausages on buns.


    I can watch alien films, said Haoyu, sniffing the air. I dont even care which aliens. Im not picky.


    Your slow cooker has beans in it.


    Sausages go with beans.


    Alden left him to be a temporary club member. As he was about to walk into the building, a delivery notification arrived for him. Confused, he turned his head to follow the directional indicator on his interface. Then he stepped over to the drone waiting by the doors.


    He leaned down to look at the name on the lid disy. It said it was for him.


    I didnt order anything.


    The lid popped open. Inside, there was arge paper cup from the student coffee shop. As if to confirm thered been no mistake, his name was scrawled on the side in ck marker.


    He pried it open carefully and found hot chocte. Coconut milk hot chocte. He knew for a fact it would be delicious because hed had one before. It was drinkable dessert.


    Haoyu? Probably an apology for all the food pics when he was trying to do his homework.


    Alden was already on the second floor and enjoying his third happy gulp when he suddenly wondered if it wasnt from Haoyu.


    This could be poisoned. Or potioned. It could be full of nanotrackers or something.


    He looked down into the cup. He couldnt imagine any reason for someone to go to all that trouble when there were easier ways.


    He typed a message to his roommates.


    [Alden: Did any of you guys send me a hot chocte from the campus coffee shop?]


    [Haoyu: No.]


    [Lute: No. Should I?]


    [Lexi: No.]


    He shrugged and headed for their room. If I die, tell the police it was poisoned mystery cocoa delivered by a drone, he said as he walked in. Im halfway through and its good, so Im just going to finish it off.


    People sending you anonymous drinks? Lute asked. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, eating something that was probably Haoyus bean stew out of a mug.


    Alden nodded. Yeah, it was downstairs with my name on it, but I didnt order it.


    Lexi was in the corner of the living room, emptying the bin on the robot vacuum. Alden had bought it for his rugs and so he would know if Gorgon might like one after all.


    I wondered why the bin was always empty.


    He should have suspected Lexi.


    Haoyu and Lute were both much nicer, and they would help with things if you asked. But they didnt seem to be natural chore doers unless the chore was rted to slow cookers or musical instruments. And they both thought trashcans were containers that could hold an unlimited quantity if you just kept smashing the garbage down.


    Thanks for emptying it, he said.


    Lexi grunted.


    Lute looked over to Lexi. It needs emptying?


    How did you think it worked? Alden asked.


    like an incinerator? Lute said. Maybe a girl sent you the drink!


    A girl?


    Natalie! Or Hadiza!


    As the weekend approached, Lute seemed to be working himself up to ask Alden to ask the Rabbit girls if they wanted a tour guide again. Thats what Alden thought was going on anyway. Their names had been popping up unusually often over the past couple of days.


    I dont think it was them, Alden said slowly. Natalie wouldve made it herself. And why would any of them send it anonymously? That doesntwait, is it a thing?


    Is what a thing? Lute asked.


    Does sending someone an anonymous drink by drone mean something?


    Why would it?


    I dont know! Alden eximed. Maybe it goes with your ind mocktail habits? I just have to check. The other day I realized that Id made some dude on the bus angry because I didnt offer my seat to his son.


    Youre going to manners hell, said Lute, scraping at the bottom of his mug with his spoon.


    He couldnt possibly have been younger than thirteen, said Alden. He couldve been my age. Why would it ur to me to offer another healthy teenager my seat? He was as tall as me!


    What does that have to do with anything?


    You know how in old movies people say strapping young men? This kid was strapping.


    > Lexi muttered in Russian. Did he have the non-Avowed tag?


    Yes. And I looked it up after I realized Id pissed off his scary father, and I finally found something about seating priority on Anesidora transport. But its not like its a rule or aw. And there arent signs on the buses. So how are people supposed to know that itspletely different here from everywhere else?


    Lexi pped the vacuum bin back down and stalked off. A secondter, they heard his door m.


    So, I guess hes still mad at me, Alden said into the silence.


    Lute set aside his cup. Hes so pissy about so many things, man. I really wouldnt worry about it if I were you.


    Alden sighed. Im not. He cant dim my free hot chocte and post-spa glow too much. I just wish I hadnt screwed up with him. I was actively trying not to.


    Well said Lute. Heres something that made my day confusing but that I think will brighten yours. I called my boss


    Yes, Alden said immediately. He had nearly mastered all of the signs for the wordchain, ording to Lute, and now they just needed permission for the verbal part. Did you set up the meeting? I will be so polite on the call. I promise. Ill double-double check trantions for my formal Artonan greetings and everything


    Slow down,nguage nerd. My boss Lute tilted his head. He lowered his voice. At first, the call was normal. Then I told him about you, and he gave me an impassioned speech about the importance of choosing my beholden ones wisely. But that was still normal for him.


    Alden raised an eyebrow at him. Im beholden to you?


    Yes. Dont forget you are from now on. Lute snorted. Then he looked you up to see if you were worthywhich I know for a fact Ive got family members whove taught things to the sketchiest people in the world, so I wasnt concerned aboutand he got real odd. And then really excited. And all of the sudden it was like, Oh, my dear young Lute, I was so concerned you were being taken advantage of by a scoundrel. But how your budding wisdom begins to flower! Truly, you have exceeded the limitations of youth and ignorance and allied yourself


    Alden stared. Lute was doing an impression and everything. His hands were pping around excitedly.


    allied yourself with a heart whose luminous purity has beenid bare before the Mother herself!


    No, thats not


    Tell him I shall inscribe his name on both my consciousnesses.


    Your boss is nuts!


    Naturally, you may teach the bare luminous heart anything you desire! Lute continued in dramatic voice. Give him cookies. The Mothers favored daughter hath seen his bare heart light! Let him have all of your time and give him my number!


    Okay were not really quoting anymore Alden could feel himself blushing.


    It was themendation. It had to be. But Lutes boss was clearly an over-reactor.


    Lute started snickering.


    So tell me, Alden, did the Artonans install the million megawatt spotlight in your heart? Or were you born with it?


    He looked so delighted.


    Oh,e on! I was so much nicer about your weird thing!


    Please let me! Ive got one more! Who is the Mothers favored daughter? Why did you bare your spotlight heart to her?


    Aldens hot chocte was getting cold. That was fine. He could reheat it with his face.


    And does your light gently bathe the people you shine it on? Or is it more of a purifying fire that burns sinners to death?


    Hold still, said Alden. Ill shine it on you, and well see if you get scorched.


    Still grinning, Lute walked over to him. Sorry. It was just so funny. And it was aplete repeat of you getting unexpected information about me from your wizard.


    He stopped giving me info when you asked him to, Alden said.


    I do feel kind of guilty because I was going to use the chat with Parethat-uur to slip you info about Chainer. Lute shrugged. But now he seems sure that vetting you would be some kind of an insult? So you can ask your wizard about me, after all. Just tell me everything he says so that I can un-embarrass myself. Dont think I knew about all thestuffbefore I took the ss.


    The prostration?


    Shhhhhh. Lute cringed.


    A secondter, though, he was staring at Alden curiously again. I cant imagine what would make my boss act like that.


    Its not a big deal.


    He changed his tune within five seconds of looking up your name, so its a big deal to him. Admittedly it might not be to other people. Hes abnormal. But you being sh-approved like that was abnormally abnormal. And saying I wanted to tutor you made me look really good. I dont care too much about that, butits not a bad thing for sure. He directly ordered me to instruct you properly on the rules for


    Im so sorry. You dont have to do


    No, its cool, Lute said. I was going to tutor you anyway, and I expected this order to go along with it even before he decided you had glowing organs. What I meant was, direct orders from Parethat-uur take precedence over my ass tattoo. Aulia cant make the family brand overwrite our actual ss duties no matter how much shed like to. Cant stiff the big C Contract with a littler contract, you know? And you just became a duty. So, well grab a privacy booth somewhere and bill my boss for it. I can teach you the whole wordchain there and then I can teach you why wordchains arent freely avable in the first ce.


    Alden blinked. That would beying a small but annoying mystery to rest for good.


    What about this weekend? Lute asked. Are you busy?


    No. Tomorrow morning Ive got an appointment with my trainer, but Ill be done at ten.


    Then Ill schedule it and let you know. Andon Sunday do you think maybe your intake friends might want to go somewhere? Like we didst Sunday?


    I was actually right. Not that Lute hadnt been pretty obvious.


    Where?


    I can find something!


    ******


    Haoyu came back to the room with tes full of sausage dogs and a story about a girl whod been called to the Trs for an acting role in a television show. The bean stew was vegan, and to top it off, Alden had pulled all of his containers of misceneous cafeteria leftovers out of the fridge.


    Lexi was pried from his room by Haoyu and the smell of food. A momentter, they were all sitting down at the kitchen table to eat everything in sight.


    You guys are like animals after your hero ss, Lute observed.


    Alden was too busy chewing to disagree or point out that Lute ate like an animal himself ny percent of the time.


    The exercise they were getting was one thing, but the pricey recovery potion he and Haoyu had been inhaling seemed to elerate appetite on top of it. Alden had been so hungry on Wednesday night it had woken him up. Hed actually gotten out of bed, ordered groceries, and made a pile of burritos for himself downstairs in themunity kitchen so that he wouldnt bother his roommates.


    Thest burrito was on the table now, in fact, waiting to be consumed.


    Ive grown three centimeters this year, said Haoyu. Im trying for at least one more. Lexi, pass me Aldens spicy Chicago pickles.


    Giardiniera was made for sausage dogs, Alden said after hed swallowed. You should try it, too, Lexi.


    Lexi nced at him then took a cauliflower chunk.


    Baby steps.


    Haoyu was piling giardiniera on top of his second bun. Hey, why dont you ever y for us?


    Lute didnt seem to realize the question was for him until nobody else answered.


    You want me to y the harp for you?


    The big one. We moved it for you. You only ever practice on the electric one with the headphones.


    Thats so that I dont bother you all, said Lute. I only y louder pieces on Ang when youre out.


    I havent heard you y since that talent show at school.


    That was two years ago. Lute looked ufortable suddenly.


    Haoyus own face was unreadable. After you were selected, everyone was saying youd probably stop,he said. When I heard you came to the music program instead, I thought it was good that you werent going to quit.


    Lute stared down at his te for a second then looked back up. Yeah. Ill y for you. If Lexi doesnt mind.


    Why would I mind?


    You want the apartment to be silent ny percent of the time.


    Lexi grunted. I knew you were a harpist when I asked you to stay here. My parents are dancers. I was a dancer until I quit to spend more time with Writher. I like music.


    Okay then. Lute stood. Ang has been in the mood for rock and rolltely.


    ******


    Alden had always been an enjoyer of music but not a connoisseur. Hed heard Lute y at the funeral and hed thought, That sounds really nice. And hes so snobby hes using magic to make the other yers better. Hes probably good.


    Hed been mistaken. Lute Velra was extraordinary.


    Alden didnt have to be a connoisseur of harpists to see that Lutes fingers moved like they owned the strings. He was as fast or delicate or passionate as the piece needed him to be. He yed arrangements of popr songs, ssical pieces, and folk music like they were all equally exciting.


    Sitting in a dorm room infy clothes, stuffing your face while an Avowed performed a private concert on an instrument that cost more than most cars was an awesome way to end a week.


    And then, of course, they all had to fool around on the harp themselves. You couldnt see Lute having some kind of chemical reaction with it and not want to touch it, too. Aldens fingers had been itching to pluck it even before Haoyu asked if it was all right for them to.


    He tried to find the notes for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and felt childishly pleased with himself when he did.


    Later, as he was reading his spell book in bed and trying to make himself recall the meanings of the logograms before they were re-defined for him by the sh card style trantions on his interface, his nightly text from Jeremy came in.


    It was a picture of Victors nose and the word cat.


    Thest few updates had been simr. Alden was assuming that some day very soon there would be a picture of Boes left earlobe and the word boy or jerkface.


    [Thanks for looking after him, Jeremy,] he texted.


    [:)]


    Next time he came to the ind for a visit, Alden was going to n a ridiculously Anesidoran activity for them to do so that Jeremy could have fun telling people back home about it. Maybe a superhuman sporting event of some kind. He hadnt seen one yet, himself, but there were supposed to be some really wild ones.


    He went to sleep after midnight, and thest thought he had before he closed his eyes was that he was lucky to be here.


    Anesidora. Apex. Celena North.


    Earth.


    Lucky to be safe. Lucky to have found some people whosepany he enjoyed.


    I think I can make all of this work.


    The boy stood in front of a white door.


    He didnt know how long hed been standing there, or where he hade from, or what he was supposed to do nex


    No, thought Alden.


    He ran.


    *