Page 148 of Architecti
“Here,” I say and traipse my way over, but I leave my stomach where I was sat.Bile licks at my throat as I slip into the testing room and close the door behind me.
The archdemon Chancellor Arcadius sits at a long table with Alistair and a couple of the teaching assistants and a professor I recognise but can’t remember their name, T something, I think.
“Don’t be perturbed by the audience, they’re mostly assessing me for my conduct and organisation of the exam.Professor Taplin is making sure you don’t cheat.But that’s it,” Alistair breathes in my ear.
“Okay,” I say.
“There are three assessments,” Alistair begins.“I will make rapid cuts of the Veil, and you are to stitch them as effectively, neatly and as rapidly as you can.For the second assessment, you’ll need to cut a hole large enough for the Chancellor himself to step through, seal him in and then unseal and release him.And last, the most dangerous test.We will strip you of your campus magic.You will need to draw on your own stores and emotions to weave a thread of magic strong enough to cut the Veil.You will enter, seal yourself in and then cut your way out, closing the Veil behind you.All without Finis magic.”
I try to process everything he says.I didn’t realise we were having to step inside the Veil without anyone to protect us.We’ve not done that before.Thank fuck I took additional defence lessons.And for the first time in a decade, I’m quietly pleased I’m a reaper.Knowing my scythe is strapped to my hip gives me a little—but not much—relief.
I’ve already forgotten the first assessment, but thankfully Alistair takes me through it again before moving me inside a salt circle and placing himself on the other side.
“Ready?”he asks.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
“Good luck, Midnight.Omnia mors aequat.”
I call the campus magic to me, opening my hands and connecting to that piece of my soul that’s buried inside the Tower somewhere.Buried, I realise, with Architecti.
Dark ribbons fire off the walls in quick succession until my hands are smothered in pulsing magic.
“Ready.”
Alistair smiles, perhaps a little too widely.But this is our favourite game, and I am the best in class.He winks and then he fires magic out in a lightning-fast explosion.
His hands move left and right, up, down, behind me, in front.He’s fucking quick.
The air fills with Veil rips, little glimmers of the other side floating wherever his magic cuts.
But I am just as good as him.And I fling magic at the tears in rapid succession.My fingers move so fast I surprise myself.My mind switches off, my body moving on autopilot.
Sweat trickles down my neck, but I remain focused, predicting Alistair’s movements and coming in milliseconds after him to stitch where he’s cut.
His eyes widen as I speed up, stitching every cut he made until I’m right behind him.I grin as he grows tired, and I continue to match him stitch for cut.
Finally, he staggers back, sweat running down his temples, breathing hard.
“I’m out,” he says.“Bravo, Midnight.That was excellent.”
My lips twitch, I try not to appear too smug, especially with Chancellor Arcadius and the other professors taking notes behind their desks.
Alistair passes me a bottle of water as he glugs from another then wipes his brow and resets the room.
“Chancellor Arcadius, if you please,” Alistair says.
Arcadius pushes his chair back, the feet scraping along the floor, and makes his way to the circle.His nose turns up when he crosses the threshold.I mean, fair.I don’t know any demon who’s a fan of salt.It’s usually pretty harmless to them once they’re a devil like Arcadius and Ignatius, but I guess old habits die hard.
“Midnight,” he says and inclines his head at me.
“Ready?”Alistair says.
I nod.
“Begin.”
Honestly, this test feels easier than the first.While it’s a large cut, the practice I’ve done means that cutting the Veil is as easy as using my scythe.I feel for a notch and swipe my hands up; the only difficulty is making a cut larger than my arm span.
