Zorian felt Benisek join them suddenly, simply popping up from behind a corner so he could walk beside them. Sometimes Zorian wondered if the chubby boy could smell gossip.
«I know what you mean,» Benisek said. «I always thought Zach was no good at anything. You know, like me?»
«Hah. Well there’s no way he got this good at everything over one summer break,» Zorian said. «I guess he was pulling the wool over our eyes all this time.»
«Man, that’s so stupid,» said Benisek. «If I were that good I’d make sure everyone knew it.»
«I don’t think he was faking lack of skill for two years straight,» Akoja huffed. «He would have slipped at least occasionally.»
«Well, what’s left then?» Zorian asked. He refrained from listing some of the more obscure ways such a rapid growth could be accomplished with magic, because most of them were criminal and he was sure the academy checked Zach to make sure he wasn’t a shapeshifting imposter or possessed by the ghost of a long-dead mage.
«Maybe he knows the answers in advance,» she suggested.
«Only if he’s an oracle,» Benisek said. «Boole gave him an oral exam last Tuesday when you went home early, and he was rattling off answers like he swallowed the textbook.»
The conversation died down as all three filed into the alchemy classroom, which was really more of a big alchemy workshop than a typical classroom. There were about 20 tables, each one full of various containers and other equipment. All ingredients for the day’s lesson were already set out in front of them, though some would require additional preparation before they could be used in whatever process they were learning about that day — he was pretty sure they weren’t going to be putting live cave crickets into the boiling solution, for instance.
Alchemy, like warding, was a complicated art, but their alchemy teacher knew her stuff and knew how to teach, so Zorian wasn’t having any issues with the class. Technically they had to work in groups of 2 or 3 students because there were not enough tables and equipment, but Zorian always paired up with Benisek which translated to working alone in practice. The only problem was getting Benisek to shut up and stop distracting him during class.
«Hey Zorian,» Benisek whispered to him not so quietly. «I never noticed it until now, but our teacher is kind of hot!»
Zorian gritted his teeth. The blasted idiot couldn’t keep his voice down if his life was on the line. There was no way she didn’t hear that.
«Benisek,» he whispered back to his partner. «I need good grades in alchemy to get my dream job when I graduate. If you screw this up for me I will never speak to you again.»
Benisek grumbled mutinously before returning to his ogling. Zorian refocused on grinding the borer wasp husks into a fine powder needed for the particular type of glue they were supposed to be making.
Admittedly, Azlyn Marivoski did look surprisingly good for a 50-year-old woman. Some kind of cosmetic treatment probably — she was their alchemy teacher, after all. Maybe even a true youth potion, though those were really rare and usually imperfect in some way.
«I don’t see why you like this class so much,» grumbled Benisek. «I’m not even sure I’d call it magical. You don’t need mana for it. It’s all searching for herbs this, cutting the roots the right way that… it’s like cooking. Hell, we’re making glue, of all things. You should leave that to girls.»
«Benisek…»
«It’s true!» he protested. «Even our teacher is a girl. A hot girl, but still. I read somewhere that alchemy traces its roots back to witches’ covens, with their potions and what not. Even now the best alchemical families are descended from witches. I bet you didn’t know that, huh?»
As a matter of fact, he did know that. He was, after all, tutored in alchemy by an honest-to-gods traditional witch before he went to the academy. She was so traditional, in fact, that she scoffed at the name ‘alchemy’ and referred to her skill strictly as ‘potion making’.
But that wasn’t the sort of stuff you wanted people to know, for a wide variety of reasons.
«If you don’t shut up right now I won’t let you partner with me anymore,» Zorian told him seriously.
«Hey!» protested Benisek. «Who’s going to help me with that stuff, then? I’m not good at this!»
«I don’t know,» said Zorian innocently. «Maybe you should find some girl to help you.»
Fortunately, the teacher was currently too busy fawning over Zach’s newest masterpiece to pay attention to Zorian’s table — somehow the boy managed to make some kind of enhancement potion out of the provided ingredients, and that was apparently very impressive. Azlyn didn’t appear to mind that Zach completely ignored the assignment to make magical glue and did his own thing.
Zorian shook his head and tried to concentrate on his own work. He wondered whether he would have gotten the same reaction if he did something like that, or if he would be accused of showing off. The few times Zorian tried to wow the teachers he was simply told to work on his basics and not to get cocky, because arrogance kills. Was it because Zach was the heir of Noble House Noveda? Or something else?
It was in moment like these that he understood exactly how Akoja felt about all this.
«And that concludes today’s lesson,» said Ilsa. «Before you leave, however, I have an announcement to make. As some of you know, the Academy traditionally organizes a dance on the eve of the summer festival. This year is no exception. The dance will take place in the entrance hall next Saturday. For those of you who are unaware, attendance is mandatory this year.»
Zorian groaned, slamming his forehead into the table in front of him, causing the rest of the class to snicker. Ilsa pointedly ignored his reaction.
«For those of you who don’t know how to dance, dance lessons will be held every day at eight in the evening in room six. Those of you who do know how to dance still have to come to at least one of these lessons to prove so — I will not have you embarrass me on the night of the dance. Dismissed. Miss Stroze, mister Kazinski, stay after class please.»
«Oh great,» Zorian mumbled. He probably should have restrained himself from reacting so strongly to the pronouncement. Truthfully, he intended to skip the dance, regardless of how mandatory it was. Did Ilsa realize that? No, he could detect no disapproval in posture, and he was pretty sure she’d be rather annoyed if she sensed his plans.
«Now then…» Ilsa began when he and Akoja were the only students left. «I assume you both know how to dance?»
«Sure,» said Zorian.
«Umm…» Akoja fidgeted. «I’m not very good at it.»
«No matter,» Ilsa said. «We’ll iron out any gaps you may have easily enough. The reason I told you to stay behind is that I want you to help me with the dance lessons.»
Zorian considered refusing outright — it wasn’t something he wanted to spend his time on — but he figured this could be a favor that would make Ilsa forgive him a transgression or two. Like, say, not showing up to the mandatory dance? Before he could express his tentative agreement, however, Akoja decided in his place.
«How can we help?» she said, clearly pleased they were chosen for this ‘honor’. Zorian raised an eyebrow at the way she presumed to speak for him, but let it slide for the moment.
«We only have five days to teach everyone how to dance,» Ilsa said. «That’s why we’re going to use magic to help.»
«Animation spells,» Zorian guessed.
«Yes,» Ilsa said, then quickly moved to explain for Akoja’s benefit. «There is a spell that will guide a person’s limbs and body through whatever dance it is designed for. It’s not really suitable as a substitute for dancing skill, but if you practice dancing while you’re under its effects, you will learn a lot faster than you would otherwise.»