The Glass Magician (The Paper Magician Trilogy #2)(34)

Ceony released a long breath of air, offering silent thanks that she had been saved that embarrassment, at least.

She slumped in her chair, gaze dropping to the floor.

“Why do you do all of this for me, Ceony?”

“You know why.”

She swallowed hard, feeling like a stroke of paint on a canvas far too large for her to comprehend.

Mg. Aviosky said, “I think it’s in your best interest—and Magician Thane’s—if I transfer you.”

Ceony’s stomach sunk to her ankles.

“I’ve seen to the arrangements,” Mg. Aviosky continued. “Magician Howard’s apprentice isn’t expected to advance until the end of the summer, but she’s agreed to take on a second apprentice in order to boost our Folder numbers. I think you’ll find her to be very amicable, and—”

“I don’t want to transfer,” Ceony interrupted, her brow thoroughly knit now. “I told you before that I want to continue learning from Magician Thane.”

Mg. Aviosky frowned. “And as I’ve said, you two are far too familiar with each other. I see things you don’t think I see—”

“Like what?” Ceony blurted, standing.

“And as the administrator of apprenticeships,” she continued, “I am making the decision to transfer you, once I finalize the arrangements and speak to—”

“Of course I’m familiar with him!” Ceony said, raising her voice and cutting off Mg. Aviosky’s words clean at the preposition. “I live with him! I learn from him! I’ve walked through his heart, Aviosky! You know that!”

“Yes,” Mg. Aviosky said, stiff. “I recall. I also recall you were both incredibly vague about just what you experienced there, which only fuels my concern.”

Ceony shook her head. She felt hot, as if her own pulse were steadily bringing her blood to a boil. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is—”

“I will decide what does and doesn’t matter, Miss Twill!” Mg. Aviosky shot back.

“No!” she shouted, loud enough that Mg. Aviosky retreated a step. “You don’t understand what it was like in there. You can’t understand what happened! I know his heart better than my own, don’t you see?”

Mg. Aviosky didn’t respond.

“I feel like I’ve known him all my life,” Ceony continued, quieter now. “Like he was always meant to be a part of it. And Folding . . . I love Folding because he taught it to me, because he showed me the beauty in simple things. The beauty I have within myself.”

“Miss Twill—”

“I love him,” Ceony said, and Mg. Aviosky’s eyes widened almost to the size of polo balls. “And it’s as though I’ve always loved him. As though that feeble paper heart I gave him were my own . . .”

She paused, realizing she had said too much. She had stunned Mg. Aviosky into silence.

Ceony stood straighter and forced herself to speak calmly. “I haven’t broken any rules,” she said. “I’m well versed on them. I could recite them to you verbatim, if necessary. Until I break a rule, it’s unnecessary for you to take any action, especially as drastic as this. I believe that’s something on which we both can agree.”

Mg. Aviosky pursed her lips.

“For now,” Ceony said, her tone as formal as she could make it, “I would like to continue studying under Magician Thane.”

Ceony walked to the door, but before opening it, she said, “If it makes a difference, I’m sure Magician Thane would not give you a similar speech. I can assure you my infatuation is entirely one-sided.”

Ceony hurried back into the hallway, which felt significantly cooler than the lavatory. She pressed both hands to her cheeks, then her neck, urging her skin to cool. She pinched the front of her blouse and shook it to get some air. Her heels clicked loudly against the hallway’s tiled floor.

She blinked rapidly to avoid crying. How dare Mg. Aviosky stick her nose where it didn’t belong!

She sucked in a deep breath and held it for several steps.

Her shoulders remembered the weight of Emery’s arm around them, and she could feel the warm press of his lips against her forehead as she shivered in the black waters of the river by the cottage. She thought of how he often wore an inscrutable expression to conceal his thoughts, of the late nights he spent in contemplation. What did he conceal behind those mindful expressions, those unreadable glances?

Entirely one-sided. But was it?

She banished the thoughts from her mind and swallowed the small lump forming in her throat. Now was not the time for girlish ponderings.

Glancing over her shoulder, Ceony saw no sign of Mg. Aviosky, but she did catch Delilah’s eye. Ceony must have looked a wreck judging from the way Delilah’s face scrunched. Ceony managed a nod—they were safe, as far as Grath went—and turned away, fanning herself with both hands. Giving herself a moment to calm down.

Emery was waiting just outside Parliament’s east doors, standing by a buggy, apparently having a conversation with the driver. When he saw Ceony, his eyes narrowed.

The driver hurried around to his side of the car. Emery met Ceony halfway and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ceony shook her head and stepped past him. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Just Magician Aviosky being herself.”