Operation: Kat Walk had hit a snag. A major snag.

As the guards rounded the corner, Xerxes heard the doorknob in front of him turning.

“Hey!” a guard yelled. “Identify yourself.”

He looked at the door as it cracked open. Beyond, it was dark. He made out the glint of an eye, but nothing else.

“I said, identify yourself!” Both guards were now walking in his direction.

He stepped back. The door shut.

He turned and ran.

“Stop!”

A bell clanged.

While rounding the corner he nearly knocked over Kashtiliash.

“Go!”

The two Seers sped back the way they’d come. Of course, Seers were capable of speeds that surpassed anything Unsighted were capable of. But going around each corner required deceleration, meaning that they could only move so quickly.

One corner. Two corners. Upon turning the final corner, they crashed into a pair of guards. All four of them fell into a tangled pile.

“The ‘ell?” a guard blurted.

“Fuck!” Xerxes shouted, shoving one of the guards away and jumping to his feet. He grabbed Kashtiliash’s arm and pulled him up.

“Stop right there!” the other guard yelled, scrambling to get to his feet.

He bounded the last paces to the exit door and shoved it. It didn’t open.

“Move,” Kashtiliash said, then grabbed the handle, pulled the self-latching bar back, and pushed the door open with a loud squeak.

They ran out into the open.

There were no more guards on the way back to their room. However, the alarm had been raised. More bells rang, and even as Xerxes and Kashtiliash burst into dorm 372 and tore off their ‘mission uniforms,’ they heard yelling in the halls. Doors slamming.

Kashtiliash was already under the covers, but Xerxes was having trouble with one of his boots. He kicked his foot desperately.

“Fuck,” he muttered. Finally, he got it off, jumped over, and locked the door. The guards had keys, of course. He flew up the ladder, and dove under the covers.

There was more yelling and slamming of doors.

Then their door opened, and the light of a handheld lantern spilled in.

“What’s going on?” Jad said.

“Who’s in here?” a guard barked, stamping into the room. “Show your faces. Now.”

As the four Swordmasters peered out of their bunks, the guards checked behind and under the beds.

“372’s accounted for,” one of them said, and they tromped out. The door slammed shut behind them.

The Seers said nothing. In darkness, they listened to the guards go through the rooms one by one. Xerxes held the choker tightly in his hand.

Then everything went silent.

Eventually, he heard snoring and heavy breathing.

That was close, he thought. I wonder if she saw me, though.

But how could he know who had opened the door? And even if it had been Katayoun, could she have even seen his facial features in the darkness of the hood?

Slipping the choker under his pillow, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

The following morning, they finally felt comfortable speaking about the previous night, though they did so in hushed tones. Xerxes related what had played out, and went through a play-by-play of the entire event.

“You did everything you could ‘ave done,” Enusat said.

Jad, pulling on his mage robe, nodded. “Agreed. Luck wasn’t with you. That’s all.”

However, at morning assembly, it quickly became apparent that the incident was far from over.

High Archon Kingallu himself presided. “Last night, there was an incursion,” he said. “I know all of you are from lower starisles, so you aren’t familiar with our customs here on Sin-Amuhhu. For centuries, this institute has operated on trust, respect, and obedience. Gone are the days when we used spell formations to keep students locked in the dorms. Granted, we have physical locks, but they’re more for custom than anything else. It would be a true shame if the actions of a few unruly students forced us to enact stricter policies. After all….”

The High Archon prattled on for minutes on end before arriving at his main point. “Whoever violated the rules last night has an opportunity to step forward right now. You’ll be punished. You’ll lose the privilege of leaving the school on Restday. For two months. Instead, you’ll spend your rest days in meditation. You’ll also lose your stipend during that time. Besides that, nothing will happen. Nothing on your permanent record. No other marks against you.”

Other than complete humiliation, Xerxes thought, fingering the choker in his pocket. His chest felt tight. How had things gone this wrong? Losing the stipend would be bad, but he had Purattu’s loan money to make up for the difference. Two months with no outside time would be disappointing, but he’d be fine. It wouldn’t stop him from longsword practice, nor would it prevent him from trying to get his face time with Katayoun in some other way. Then again, if he didn’t say anything, who would be the wiser?

“Furthermore,” the High Archon continued, “if the perpetrator doesn’t step forward, then the entire student body will suffer consequences.”

Murmurs of discontent rippled through the assembled students as the High Archon intentionally let them stew in silence for a moment.

Finally, Kingallu said, “Free time outside the campus will be curtailed. We will install spell formations in all of the main doors in the dorms. We’ll even consider reducing stipends.”

Xerxes’ chest tightened even further. This isn’t fair, he thought.

The buzz of conversation grew louder among the students, until Kingallu raised his voice and said, “Quiet. Believe me, the faculty here has no wish to punish innocents. But if the guilty party doesn’t step forward now, we’ll have no choice.”

Xerxes closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The sick feeling in his stomach didn’t go away. I don’t see any other option, dammit. I’ve got to fess up.

He opened his mouth and prepared to give voice to his guiltiness. Except, someone else beat him to the punch.

“It was me!” someone said loudly.