Two days later, they learned that all of the students in the officer’s class had been taken to off-site training. It didn’t seem likely it was connected to the prank, but either way, it meant that Gandash was gone for the time being.

Time continued to pass. The more familiar Xerxes got with the special spell formations provided by the school, the easier it became to meditate and stockpile energy. In fact, he beat all of his friends to the next Flush by a matter of days.

As for Katayoun, his searing desire to be alone with her had cooled slightly. He’d given up on trying to force an interaction and instead contented himself to look at her hair in class and glance at her from across the dining hall. And he still had the choker. He usually kept it on his person, just in case he somehow found a chance to give it to her without coming across as a weirdo.

The right time will present itself, he thought.

Weeks began to pass, and his progress sped up. Eventually, he was heading toward his seventh Flush, which meant he had passed the halfway mark to becoming a High Seer.

However, when Jad and Enusat’s punishment period ended, that progress slowed, as they finally were able to explore the city again.

On Sixthdays, the mandatory meditation slots were assigned randomly. Luckily, the entire Swordsmasters crew were scheduled for the morning, and that meant they were free to go to the bazaar in the afternoon. They nearly missed the curfew, and rushed back into campus literally as the doors were being closed. The following day they also spent outside, and had such a good time that, during the following morning’s lecture, Mystic Rabya made numerous sarcastic jokes about them being hungover.

At some point during the weeks that passed, he noticed that something had changed with Katayoun. At first, he wasn’t sure what was going on, but then he became certain she was toying with him. He was sure that she was avoiding his gaze, while simultaneously looking at him.

Two can play that game, he thought. And he tried to stare at her until she turned in his direction, whereupon he would look away. But joining the supposed game didn’t seem to do anything except make him question himself. Maybe I’m imagining it all. What if she thinks it's creepy that I’m always looking at her?

He resolved to stop looking at Katayoun, even when she was in front of him in class. And he stuck to the resolution. For a while.

The following Sixthday, the Swordmasters’ assigned meditation slots lined up again, allowing for another Gula Bazaar run in the afternoon. Except for Xerxes’ slot. Granted, it was theoretically possible to blow off a single session by claiming to be ill. But Xerxes had been bitten by the bug of progress. When he first arrived, Katayoun’s brilliant red hair had been a shock to his system that shoved out thoughts of the Abhorrent invasion, or of repaying Purattu’s loan. And it had been a relief to get out of the school the previous week, after being cooped up for so long.

But his head was on straight and he knew he needed to make some serious advancements. So he decided to stay on campus instead of joining his friends.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Just go without me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jad said. “You can just skip the session. Submit an application and say you pulled a muscle or something.”

“I love you guys,” Xerxes replied, “but I want that spell formation time. You heard about the rewards they’re going to give to the first twenty who reach High Seer.”

“He’s got a point,” Kashtiliash said.

Though the announcement hadn’t been explained in full detail, everyone knew that the first batch of Seers who reached a breakthrough point with their chamber of energy would receive something. Some said it was a reward of gold shekels. Others believed it would be in the form of medicinal pills or mastercraft weapons. Still others theorized that the new High Seers would get to live off-campus.

“Come on,” Enusat drawled, “there’s no way any of us will get into the top twenty.”

“Not necessarily,” Teucer said. “Xerk’s almost got eight Flushes.”

“Wait, what?” Enusat said.

Feigning indignance, Xerxes said, “It was last week. Weren’t you paying attention?”

Enusat grinned and rubbed his cheek absentmindedly. “Guess I was distracted.”

Jad elbowed him. “Thinking about her, huh?”

Enusat was the first of the entire group to actually win the attention of a girl. A friend of Arwia from their class, his new girlfriend had thick eyebrows and a lot of piercings even compared to the rest of her Sin-Masu compatriots.

“Guilty as charged,” Enusat said. “I swear to the Pontifarch I’m going to sneak over to the girl dorms soon just to see ‘er.”

“Don’t,” Kashtiliash grunted.

“He’s right,” Teucer chimed in. “You get caught, it’ll be your second time as far as they’re concerned. You’ll get in big trouble. Maybe even kicked out.”

Jad nodded. “If you do go, Enusat, you’ll have to plan it out perfectly. No mistakes. In any case, if Xerk-man wants to spend the afternoon meditating, then let’s let him. Hell, if he gets into the top twenty and gets a room outside the campus, then we’ll have the perfect place to relax!”

“Oh yeah, didn’t think of that,” Enusat said.

Xerxes spent the afternoon meditating, and the evening studying. He was making progress with the Asgagu Sebum rune as well. Unlike progress with the chamber, rune progress wasn’t as clear-cut. Much of it had to do with personal understanding, and couldn’t be quantified. However, Xerxes was confident that it wouldn’t be long after his breakthrough that he could at least make an attempt at casting Minor Augmentation.

The next day, Restday, Xerxes wanted to go for another round of meditation, but in the end, gave in to the Swordsmasters’ urgings to join them. They took him to a gambling hall where Jad, Enusat, and Teucer all lost a handful of minas, while Kashtiliash and Xerxes came out ahead by a few.

“Lucky bastard,” Enusat grumbled. “You’re treating us to lunch.”

The gambling earnings did indeed pay for a noon meal.

After, they prowled a part of the bazaar they’d never been to up to this point. Most of the stalls sold art such as paintings, tapestries, and the like. However, nestled here and there were interesting shops, such as one that sold decorative knives, and another that peddled items made from feathers.

Enusat seemed particularly interested in feathers, but Xerxes wasn’t, so he waited outside, leaning against the wall and thinking. A moment later, Kashtiliash came out and joined him.

“Feathers?” the bearded mage said. “I’ll pass.”

Xerxes chuckled.

They stood in silence for a few minutes, until Kashtiliash tilted his head at an odd angle.

“See something?” Xerxes asked, following his gaze.

“Maybe. Someone in a mask. I swear I saw him earlier.”

Xerxes looked back in that direction but saw nothing.

After another hour of exploring, they headed back toward the school. About halfway there, when going through the central part of the bazaar, they entered a section with timepieces and other quasi-mechanical wares. Xerxes, thinking it would be funny to startle the other Swordmasters, tried to go around a section of vendor tables to get ahead of his friends, where he would then jump out when they weren’t expecting it. However, on the other side, he realized the aisle veered in a different direction. By the time he circled back around, the others were gone. And standing across the way was a cloaked man in a bronze mask.

Is he looking at me? Xerxes thought.

Feeling odd, he turned and went in the opposite direction, making some random turns at intersections.

About five minutes later, he looked over his shoulder. The masked figure was there.

Shit, he thought. He really is following me. Who the hell is he?

The nearest intersection was at least thirty feet away. And though it wasn’t packed with people, it wasn’t empty either. As he considered whether or not to run, he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

“Seer Xerxes, fancy running into you here.”