“Explain yourself, Pai,” said Juel in a cold, intimidating tone that made the young mage recoil in terror.

“Magister Sharlou offered us a place in his college,” Milian answered in Pai’s stead. He had to crane his head to look the tall Faizul in the eye. Juel towered about him like a mountain, a furious, ready-to-explode mountain… “He said that we won’t even have to pass the exams.”

“And?” demanded Juel. He was looking at Pai now.

Pai, as red as a boiled lobster, was shaking under Juel’s gaze, unable to utter a single word.

“I refused,” Milian spoke up again. “Magic is not my thing.”

“And I… agreed…” squeaked Pai miserably.

“You’re coming with us,” Juel cut his pathetic explanation short.

There was nothing more to talk about. The brat’s rebellion was quenched. Good…

Juel was about to turn his back to Pai and tell the others to prepare for the jump when he heard a yell,

“No!!! I’m staying here! I want to be a mage!!! You won’t stop me!” Pai was hysterical now.

“I will stop you then,” sneered Irin at that. “Go on, try to run away. I swear I’ll find you wherever you go and kill you in the most painful way possible. My arrows will reach you before you even get a chance to learn your first battle spell!”

“Irin!” Bala tried to calm everyone down, as usual, but no one had even noticed him now.

“…Yeah, I’d love to kill a deserter,” continued Irin, a dark, carnivorous glee in his voice. “Go on, Pai, renounce your vows and run. Your Transvolo can buy you a couple of days but I’ll find you, oh I will…”

“What’s wrong with you, people!!!” exclaimed Milian, rushing forward. “Leave him alone! He’s been dreaming of magic his whole life! Magic IS his whole life! I…”

Juel reached Milian in one wide step, grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. The impact was strong enough to take young Raven’s breath away.

“Never,” growled Juel. “You hear me? Never stand between me and someone else. You don’t want to challenge me, whelp, oh, you don’t…”

That said, he released Milian’s shirt and let the terrified boy fall to the floor.

“Juel, stop it.” Orion’s voice, clear and calm, was like a ray of light in the darkness now. “Let me talk to Pai.”

Orion took the terrified young mage by the shoulder, led him out of the room, and closed the door behind him. With a loud sigh of relief, Pai leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor where he sat, a shivering kid in an oversized cloak, exhausted and miserable.

His saviour squatted next to him.

“Listen to me, Pai,” said Orion firmly. “You can’t win here and now, not against Juel, not in the middle of the mission. So do what I say. Tell your magister pal that you’re not refusing but postponing your decision. Colleges enrol new students only at the end of summer anyway, so you’re not losing anything. Don’t argue with Juel and, I beg you, stay away from Irin altogether: that kid is insane, mark my words… So here’s the plan: you’re completing the mission with us first, then you must take your plea to your master. Kangassk Vesperi is a clever, reasonable woman, she will listen to you and will help you. You can’t do anything in the Order without your master’s support, you understand?”

“But…” Pai sniffed and stifled a moan. “But it’s my only chance to be a mage. What if I miss it, what if…”

“Bah!” Orion chuckled. “It’s just a shitty provincial college, Pai. With your talent, any University would kill to have you! So don’t sell yourself short, kid.”

There was a faint smile on Pai’s trembling lips now and hope in his puffy, teary eyes.