42 – Expulsion

Tatiana swallowed, but forced herself not to freeze up. Once had been embarrassing enough.

“I know of her. That’s it, my lady. Expulsions don’t happen often, you really have to do something horrible. Usually there’s a whole list of punishments they go through first. So when it does happen, people talk.”

“I see. And in this instance?”

Tatiana hesitated. “My little brother is a third-year, and he was talking about it, so this is secondhand information at best.”

“That’s fine. The public view is what I want.”

Why? Why had Vivisari Vexaria gone from talking about dimensional anomalies and potential Eighth Cataclysms to…Saffra, that beastkin second-year who’d been expelled eight or nine months ago? How could they possibly be related?

Tatiana was obviously in no position to question the likes of Vivisari, though, and Master Aeris was looking at her with curiosity, so she answered after a moment of dubious hesitation, “From how Xavier described it, the whole thing blew up because of Isabella Caldimore. She assaulted her.”

“She attacked Saffra?”

Tatiana blinked. “What? Um, no. The other way around. Isabella showed up to class one day with—bruises. Apparently it was pretty bad. She accused Saffra.”

Vivisari studied her, demeanor cold. “Is that it?”

Tatiana swallowed, nervous even if the undercurrent of anger wasn’t targeted at her. “They were…friends, before? Sort of? Xavier said they had a frenemy thing going.”

Both Vivisari and Master Aeris stared at her, and Tatiana realized she had just used the word ‘frenemy’ in front of two living legends. Two individuals who had reached the pinnacle of magehood, people who were known the world over as heroes of their Ages. In Vivisari’s case, a hero of all Ages.

A flush seared up her neck and onto her cheeks, the tips of her ears turning red. Why, again, was she explaining Institute drama to a woman who could erase cities with a wave of her staff?

“W-which is to say, they had a rivalry going on, definitely, but for all the bickering, they were always eating together, walking the halls, studying…everything. Everyone knew they were friends, just a weird sort. That’s what Xavier said, at least.” Tatiana bit her tongue, wondering whether she should elaborate. “He was there. Apparently Saffra was super caught off guard. He didn’t think she was acting. And afterward, a bunch of other accusations came out. Again, this is just what I heard, but all of them came from nobles. Mostly from people close to the Caldimores. Xavier thought there was something fishy about the whole thing, and it didn’t sit right with him, but what could he do? Or anyone? He said Saffra was a bit aggressive and opinionated, but the only times she got into real fights were against bullies. She had a reputation for that. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t questioned when she attacked Isabella? If she did,” she hastily corrected. “It wasn’t her first time getting in trouble, even if it was usually justified.”

“Lysander didn’t look into this?” Master Aeris asked, a deep frown pulling on his beard and mustache.

Tatiana shrugged helplessly. “It was twenty people’s word against one. Nobles against a commoner. And all hearsay, none in her favor. Duke Caldimore himself stepped in to insist on her expulsion. Said they were letting her off light.” She glanced at Vivisari. Her face remained calm, but there was a dangerous hint of anger that even Tatiana could pick up on. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why? You know Saffra?”

“I met her in Prismarche.”

Prismarche?! The girl had fled across the continent! She guessed that was reasonable, considering she’d drawn the ire of one of the five most important noble families in the Kingdoms. But still.

“And took her as my apprentice,” Vivisari finished.

Tatiana failed to parse the words.

Vivisari had taken…that random second-year involved with drama earlier…as her apprentice?

“Did you, now?” Master Aeris asked, turning in surprise to Vivisari.

“She demonstrated an exceptional strength of character, and asked for help with her spellwork. I can’t offer her a true apprenticeship, but I’ve been providing lessons and insight where I can.”

Master Aeris seemed strangely delighted. “It’s wonderfully fulfilling, fostering the youth. How amazing you’ve finally taken that step! My, though. This is concerning.” The pleasure turned to a grimace. “If there was a gross injustice in this tower, I’m ashamed for not having prevented it, Vivisari. I dare not make assumptions, but the Caldimores are a respectable family—why would they arrange such a thing? What has the girl herself said about it?”

“Nothing,” Vivisari said with a sigh. “She clearly wants to leave the debacle behind her, whatever it was. Which I would be fine with, but I’m looking into it in case it’s something I can’t ignore.”

“I see,” Master Aeris said slowly, seeming unhappy—probably at himself as much as the situation. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, that is true.”

“Is that all you know?” Vivisari asked.

Tatiana tried to dig up any more details, but couldn’t find any. “It was second-year drama. It made waves because expulsions are rare, and it was a commoner attacking a Caldimore, but no, everyone forgot about it a month later. I only know this much because of Xavier. He was one of their classmates and felt bad about it.”

“Lysander will have the details, surely,” Master Aeris said. “I would like to imagine that something more is going on, that a family like the Caldimores wouldn’t throw a promising young student from the Institute for…pettiness? Mere dislike?” He shook his head. “But it is not something I can discard out of hand. I’ve seen far worse behavior from far better men.”

That statement hung in the air, Vivisari frowning at him.

“I see,” she said, turning to Tatiana. “That’s it?”

“That’s all I know.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“I might need to speak with Lysander then,” Vivisari said. “Though I’d rather put that off. What do you know of him?”

“The Headmaster?” Master Aeris asked. “Quite a lot. He was there, during much of the Campaigns. If not yet Titled by that point. He rose to true prominence over the decades succeeding the Turning. Those monsters left scars on the world, lingering ghouls of the Regent, naga-hordes supping on the sunken corpse of the Kraken, a menagerie of other nightmares. I dealt with some, yes, but so did he. A prodigious boy, with a truly staggering talent for the arcane. He surpasses even me, relative to his age.”

He stroked his beard, thoughtful.

“I hope this description stays between us, Vivisari, but he is vain and arrogant to a fault. Many men of explosive success and undeniable talent are. He is not, however, a villain. Merely a difficult person to work with. I have excused myself from politics, but I would not have seen him named Headmaster if I thought him wicked or self-serving.”

Tatiana stirred in surprise. Master Aeris was always grumbling about Headmaster Lysander. She hadn’t known he thought highly of him, even with those condemning clarifiers.

Vivisari mulled over his response. “Perhaps I’ll visit. I’ll decide later.” She faced Tatiana. “Thank you for the information.”

“O-of course, Lady Vivisari.” She still found it surreal that she was even being addressed by this woman.

To Master Aeris, she said, “I have other tasks I need to see to, so I can’t stay. I wanted to give you that notebook, primarily, and ask about Saffra.” She made to stand, then paused. “Ah. Would you like to see the anomaly before I go? That might help your understanding, as a reference for what I have inside my notes.”

Master Aeris seemed confused for a moment—as was Tatiana—before understanding dawned, and he laughed.

“Ah, Vivisari. I forgot how humbling your mere existence is,” he said wryly. “Yes, please. That would indeed be helpful. You can make the return trip as well?”

Vivisari’s brow furrowed slightly, not quite understanding. But she answered the question. “Yes. It’s only eighteenth-tier magic.”