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Tomorrow.
The doors were to open tomorrow and the kiddies to arrive.
I walked through the halls of the building that was going to be the classrooms for the upperclassmen. The sounds of my steps echoed through the halls, and I stared out the windows that lined the outer walls. I made sure a lot of light made it through on this floor. It was the top floor. There were also basements for those who had sunlight sensitivity to worry about. Their classes would be in the evenings and nights.
One of the doors were open, and I walked inside, looking around at all the desks, the wide teacher’s desk, bare walls, and clean board. There was a small device for the projector at the front to cast a hologram screen.
I tried to imagine it. The teacher at the front, droning on about their lesson. The students in the classroom, bad kids in the back, teacher’s pets in the front. Some of them listening intently while others fought against sleep or distracted each other with notes and text messages.
Smiling, I rounded onto a desk and slipped into the chair, feeling the cold wood against the palms of my hands. Young, impressionable minds were going to be sitting here, absorbing knowledge—hopefully—and growing into young adults.
“What are you doing in here?” Alto asked. I looked away from the front of the classroom to see Alto, Rophan, and Archon crowding the door.
“Hiding,” I said.
“Why?” he asked, coming further into the room.
“Because I can’t even go pee without someone hovering over my shoulder, let alone take a poop.”
Archon chuckled. “After that attack, we’re just being cautious.”
“Maybe.” Resigned, I leaned back in the chair, lifting the front two legs off the ground. “I just need a moment to breathe.”
“You’re worried,” Rophan said.
“I read somewhere about catastrophizing, where you picture the worst to happen,” I said. “I guess I’m doing that. Apparently, you shouldn’t do that, but I don’t understand why not. It’s calming to imagine the worst that can happen. It gives me ideas of what I should prepare for.”
“What are you picturing now?” Alto asked softly, moving closer and kneeling in front of the desk.
“The kids sitting here, working hard to better their lives, then the Purists coming through and shooting them all,” I said.
“What precautions do you have in place?” Rophan asked. “I know you have one set and Zen helped make it real.”
“Every door to this classroom is warded to keep out those who wish harm out of the classroom. The windows are warded to never break as well.”
“Good,” Archon said. He came forward, with Rophan right at his side. “It seems to me you have it all figured out.” He smirked and puffed out his chest. “And you hired the best to keep them safe. Don’t forget we are here, Mistress. We won’t ever let anything happen to the children. We want them safe too.”
“We’re with you,” Alto said.
“Anyone who tries to hurt you or anyone else here will be turned into dust,” Rophan said.
I smiled big. “That means more than you know,” I said. I blew out a slow breath and smiled again, looking out the window and across the training field outside. “Tomorrow our doors open.” My words were a soft whisper. “I never thought I’d get here.”
“You are a persistent person, Adeelah,” Alto said. “You’re full of determination and hope. You don’t see what we see when we look at you, but in our eyes, you look like a better future. And everyone on campus—us included—want to help you with this. We’re your allies.”
I smiled at them, hope and excitement flooding through me.
“This is going to be so much fun.”
“It’ll be hard,” Rophan said.
I rolled my eyes. “Exactly. Fun. Don’t be a party pooper.”
The others chuckled.
“Come on, let’s get back before your brother finds us and beats us for not telling him we found you.”
“He’s searching for me?” I asked.
“For the last hour.”
I groaned, prepared for another lecture from Gaerlan. “All right. Let’s head back. I need my beauty sleep anyway.” I lifted my arms and made a grabby hand motion. Alto laughed before pulling me to my feet.
Tomorrow.
I blew out a slow breath.
I could do this.
If Sath was here, he’d be so proud of me. This was his dream after all.
