Unusual Confidence 

After dinner with Marten to tell him the news—about which he was more excited than she—Mildred slept in her old room, finding comfort in the close walls and chilly air that smelled of fresh linen.

She woke to the sun streaming through her window, the covers warm. I need to get a head start on taxes. Stephan will want an early breakfast this morning. He’s been getting up so much earlier lately. Is his best suit laundered? With a stretch, she rubbed her sleep-crusted eyes and swung her short legs out of bed. The cold stone floor met her feet with a hearty dose of reality. Her eyes popped open, and she dropped firmly in the lap of her new life.

Council Member. Evelyn.

Her life had tilted again. “Right,” she muttered, squaring her shoulders. “Time to organize things.”

Mildred scrubbed her face with a bit of rose petal soap, cleaned up with a short bath, dressed herself in a soft gown the color of mustard, grabbed her bag, and left the room.

“Council Member!”

Lavinia approached from the end of the hall, waving. She had matured into a striking young woman in her early twenties. Her hair was swept into an elegant bun on top of her head, which made the sharp angles of her face seem older and more prismatic. Instead of lugging around a mop and broom, she wore the more fashionably tailored black uniform with red ribbon trim that signified an experienced maid responsible for the upper floors.

“I heard the news this morning,” Lavinia said with a smile. “Congratulations. If you’ll follow me, Council Member, I’ll take you to your new chambers upstairs.”

Mildred’s neck tightened imperceptibly. Council Member. How odd and distant it sounded coming from one of her students.

“Thank you, Lavinia.”

Lavinia stopped in the hallway. “Will this change anything?” she asked with imploring eyes, and Mildred understood right away. Classes. She smiled.

“No, it won’t.”

“Thank you,” she whispered with a grin, and continued walking. They came to an apartment on the fifth floor several minutes later. Mildred puffed her way up the stairs and stopped just behind Lavinia, breathless and wondering if she should exercise more.

“This is one of my favorite rooms,” Lavinia said, opening it with an aged skeleton key. “I had the mirror brought in here because it suits you so much.”

When she stepped into the apartment, Mildred first noticed an elegant mirror lined with ancient iron. The regal face of a lion sat on top of the mirror, and its mane traveled down the sides in curling locks.

To the right, she saw a small, windowless room with a wooden desk, several golden candle sconces, and a cupboard of thin slates meant to hold scrolls. She thought it looked like a miniature library swathed in shadows. Across from the entryway lay a small tea room with four cream chairs surrounding a tea table. A dark walnut four-poster bed dominated the sprawling bedroom, which was larger than her old family cottage. Carved, twisted rails spiraled into tree branches at the top. Velvety sapphire curtains hung from the sides, contrasting with a matching sky-blue divan next to the bed.

“Do you like it?” Lavinia asked. Mildred squirmed. She felt out of place.

“It’s beautiful, Lavinia,” Mildred said. “But I don’t really want it. Perhaps I could work out an arrangement with the Head of Housekeeping to stay down in the servants’ quarters?”

Lavinia cocked an eyebrow. “You can’t be serious, Council Member.”

“Quite serious.”

Lavinia glanced around the elegant room. “You don’t want to live here?”

“It’s nothing personal, of course. I just prefer my own room.”

“I-I suppose it wouldn’t be a big deal . . . but what will witches say?”

Mildred shrugged. “Who cares?”

“You should! You’re a Council Member now.”

“Well, I don’t. It’s a matter of comfort, Lavinia, that’s all, and I’d be more comfortable in my old room. They can say whatever they like. If you wouldn’t mind speaking with the Head of Housekeeping, I’d be very obliged. Tell her to stop by my office if she has any questions. I’ll see you in class tonight. I believe we’ll be discussing protective shields lasting longer than one minute.”

Lavinia’s mouth bobbed open and closed.

“Can I at least bring the mirror to your bedroom?”

Mildred glanced at it over her shoulder. “Yes, you may. I think I should like that very much.”