Ties

Ch. 4 Hero's Square

For the first time in I don't know how many days, or weeks, I sit in Korma's class, turning a pencil over my knuckles. It's a series of small intricate movements, and I don't allow the pencil to hit my desk as I move it around my fingers and pass it from hand to hand. Not only does it pass the time, but it's perfect practice for my knife handling, and since the enforcer's dagger that Teacher let me borrow a few months ago has been confiscated, I need these skills to be fine-tuned to use anything I can get my hands on.

"If you're going to bother with showing up to class, you might as well pay attention, Prodigy," Korma says and follows with a ruler slam against my desk.

I sit back and stare at the board. Last time I was here it was Gaelic scribbles that covered the board, today we're back to Latin. I look closely. The words look slightly familiar, and I find the word for 'pot' somewhere in the middle.

"Is it a recipe?" I ask.

Korma raises an eyebrow at me and returns to her desk. I don't know why I bothered asking. Professors around here don't answer questions, and they hardly ever provide feedback. It's all a waste of time. But if anyone managed to pass a class, how would the council rationalize never having any students graduate?

Of course, Teacher says I ask too many questions, and maybe I do, but that doesn't mean I don't deserve an answer every once in a while. Class continues, but I don't learn anything that I haven't had to teach myself. It's the same story in my next two classes in the art cluster.

Clay and straw are stuck to my sneakers as I head toward the dining hall. I hear the fast tap of footfalls behind me and turn around.

"Hey Squirt, going to lunch?"

"Yep."

"Cool, I'll go with you."

I nod and we walk side by side through campus. Having lunch with Hercules is one of the high points of my day. Of the few friends I have, he's probably my favorite. He's terrifying, and funny, and kind, and did I mention terrifying?

"So, how's your day been?" he asks.

"Same as always, how were your morning classes?"

"Boring. None of those kids manage to stay alive like you can."

I look at him sideways. "Are you trying to tell me it's going to be another tough day in class?"

He smirks. I groan.

The dining hall comes into view as well as the other students heading that way. A wide grin spreads over Hercules' face.

"Looks like you're gonna have to have lunch on your own."

I follow his line of sight to the white uniforms heading into the dining hall. The gold lapels of the Spark facilitator uniform reflect the sunlight back at us. Theron. The jerk who tried on too many occasions to rape me and told the entire campus I didn't have a strain. The council might not have punished him, but Hercules does every time he sees him.

"Damn, left my knife back on the field."

"Guess you'll have to skip your assassination for today."

"Puh. I still got these," he says, cracking his knuckles. "Yo Theron!"

The facilitator takes off running and Hercules laughs while in pursuit.

Terrifying.

I steel myself as I go through the doors. This is the most hazardous time of day for me. Most of the student body is here, there are no regulations on where to sit, and lunch is served buffet-style. It's an organized free-for-all, but with all the white uniforms, I'm clear to see in the chaos.