Jyx sat at the back of the class and held open his incantations textbook, hoping that Professor Tourney wouldn’t notice the slim volume of Pithman’s Advanced Geomagicae resting inside. At the front of the class, Reetha Edstow recited her incantations in a dull monotone. Jyx snorted. He didn’t know what outcome Reetha had intended, but if she’d been trying to bore the entire class to death, then she was doing something right. Missa sat near the front of the class. Judging by the tilt of her head, she’d fallen asleep.
The earth magick book demanded his wandering attention once more. He found the language a little dry, but his experiments always worked. He smiled when he flicked past the sigil to separate salt and sand. Later this afternoon, he would start the chapter on earth divination. Perhaps he could make a little extra money for his mother down at the market. Living in the Underground City bred desperation, and its inhabitants were always looking for some form of comfort, even from fortune-tellers.
“Pssst.”
Markus Prady wanted his attention. Markus always wanted his attention. Jyx didn’t necessarily want to dislike Markus, as he was one of the few students who didn’t trip him up, manifest mud in his satchel or try to turn his hair green, but Markus lacked many of the social skills that might otherwise make him a good friend.
“Jyx. Hey, Jyx.”
Jyx put a finger to his lips and glanced sideways at Markus. The last thing he needed was Professor Tourney coming to the back of the class to ask why they weren’t paying attention. Advanced earth magick wasn’t exactly on the syllabus for the term.
“Pssst.”
Markus wiggled his fingers at him. Jyx scrawled Prof T will hear across a scrap scroll and underlined the phrase twice. Markus’s stupid gaze travelled from Jyx’s spiky handwriting to Professor Tourney and finally to Jyx himself. A spark of understanding flickered and died in Markus’s eyes.
The shrivelled mage glanced in Jyx’s direction. Jyx sat staring dead ahead, pasting a look of total immersion on his face. The professor looked away again. Jyx let out the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.
“Jyx. Pssst. What’s that?”
The tip of Markus’s feather quill tickled the edge of Jyx’s vision. He snorted, knowing to turn any further would bring the professor back there, asking why he wasn’t listening to Reetha.
“It’s none of your concern,” Jyx hissed through his teeth.
“That’s advanced stuff.”
Jyx turned and glared at Markus. The older boy fell silent and turned away, apparently keen to avoid the heat of Jyx’s gaze.
The book bore the brunt of his glare instead. Jyx flicked to the final chapter, labelled Homunculi. Jyx broke into a grin, swiftly hidden behind the book to avoid detection, as he came across an illustration of men made of clay. In the drawing, some held tools while others followed their human masters, loaded with heavy burdens. There was definitely a market for homunculi in the Underground City, and if he could figure out how to make one…
He turned the page and stifled an exclamation of annoyance. Two jagged strips of paper nestled in the crease between the last page and the next. The list of ingredients was present on the back of the illustrated page, but the pages containing the necessary sigils and incantations were missing. Jyx cursed under his breath. If he had his way, it would become a capital offence to deface a library book.
Muted applause broke at that moment and Jyx looked up. Reetha returned to her seat, her face red. Professor Tourney peered after her, his papery face as impassive as ever. Jyx always thought the old mage looked like an eagle forced into a man suit, with his hooked nose and feathery hair.
“Very well done, Ms Edstow. Your phrasing is impeccable. Although perhaps next time you could focus upon incantations that provide a measurable result?”
Reetha flushed again and bent her head down. Her curtain of silvery blond hair swept forward to obscure her face and embarrassment from view. Jyx fought the urge to snort. Her phrasing was substandard and she’d copied the incantation structure from Fforde’s Guide to Manifestation.
“Well, class. On the whole, you produced some solid work. Very good foundations for this semester,” Professor Tourney said. “However, at least three of you need to work very hard. I am disturbed by the outcomes of your incantations.”
He hauled himself to his feet, gripping the handle of his cane with claw-like hands. Three students stared at their desks, trying to ignore the multi-coloured frogs hopping around the floor—frogs which, in a perfect world, would have been robins. They had got it wrong but at least they made something happen, unlike Reetha, thought Jyx as he glared at the back of Reetha’s head.
“I recommend that you each study chapters two and three of Fforde’s, although it is advisable that you do not copy his incantations exactly. It is important that you read and understand what you see. Do not skip the important phrases, but you must also include your personal clauses. This is what will ensure success.”
The professor waved his hands around as he talked, punctuating each sentence with a finger poke aimed at the ceiling. Jyx smirked. At least the professor had noticed what Reetha had done.
“What about your book, professor?” Reetha asked.
“I would also recommend that you study my book, yes. This is not mindless self-promotion. This is simple fact. I am not a professor of incantations for nothing, no? While you are discussing these things over lunch, you may wish to speak to Jyximus Faire. He clearly has a head for this subject.”
Jyx started at the mention of his name, but his surprise spread across his face as a smile. Professor Tourney never complimented anyone. If he didn’t find the class too basic for his abilities, he would have been proud.
The professor hauled the door open and swept out of the classroom. The students erupted into chatter as they gathered their books. Several shot envious looks in Jyx’s direction. He ignored them. The highborn students would never confront him openly, not a scholarship student from the Underground City. Markus ignored their contempt and hung back with Jyx.
“Jyx, why are you reading about earth magick?”
“Because I can.” Jyx swept the two books into his satchel. He’d need to take back the earth magick book, but he couldn’t decide if he should notify the librarian about the missing pages. He wasn’t authorised to take the book out until next year, but if another student reported the damage, the librarian might run one of her charms and find out Jyx was the last person to read it.
“But it’s not on this year’s syllabus.”
“So? I understand it now. Why should I wait until next year to study it?” Jyx looked past Markus, trying to spot Missa. She threw an apologetic glance over her shoulder as her friends swept her out of the room.
“But where did you get it?” Markus asked.
“It’s amazing what you can find in the library. You should try it some time.”
Jyx hurried away from Markus, heading into the corridor. A stream of students clattered past the classroom, and Jyx tagged along with the crowd. Yes, it truly was amazing what you could find in the library, and he knew exactly what to look for that night.