Chatoyant College, Book 13: The Teeth

Chapter 14: Threads of Magic

Professor Rook was looking over someone else's written assignment as Corrie approached, but when she reached his desk he looked up and nodded at her. "Corrie. I know this class has been frustrating for you, and I'm glad to see that you've had some success."

She couldn't help smiling. "I didn't think I was psychic at all, and it turned out I was just waiting for the last class."

He shook his head. "We still have mediumship to go, but that will be last. Very few have that ability, however, so do not be surprised if distance sight is, indeed, the only psionic ability you possess."

He held out his hand for her paper, but she didn't hand it over. Instead, she took a deep breath and said, "I do have a question for you. It's, uh, not something I wanted to ask in front of the rest of the class."

Professor Rook frowned, his eyebrows drawing together bushily in the middle of his forehead. "Is it not related to this class?"

"Not exactly," Corrie admitted. "But I'm sure you'll be able to answer it for me."

"I do not discuss matters outside of the academic with my students," he snapped. He took hold of the paper and tugged. Corrie had to let go so it wouldn't tear—she was sure he would be willing to let her fail the assignment if the paper was torn.

She considered trying to press the question, but he looked so fierce that she decided she'd rather just try someone else. She nodded to him and left, then decided to make a turn down the hallway where the magic professors' offices were to see if Professor Lal or Professor Strega were in.

There were two people standing in the hall outside Professor Strega's office. Of course, she must be teaching an Intro to Magic class this semester, so they were probably trying to get extra credit or more practice with specific types of magic.

"Do you know if Professor Lal is in?" she asked them. They shrugged, looking at each other, and shook their heads, so she just turned to Professor Lal's door and knocked.

She didn't hear a response, but after a few moments the door opened and Professor Lal looked out. She raised her eyebrows. "I wondered if I might be seeing you. Come in."

Corrie followed her nervously into the office. Her hand strayed to the four-leaf clover she always kept in her pocket, but she stopped herself. Seeing Professor Lal's true appearance would only make her more nervous.

A sudden fear shot through her like a spike of adrenaline. Professor Lal had long, sharp, terrifying teeth. Could they be the teeth from Roe's vision? Could she have killed Elrath?

The two could have nothing to do with each other. But she would have to check with Roe.

"Is it just you today?" Professor Lal asked Corrie, leaning against her desk.

"I came straight from class," Corrie said. "Dawn and Edie aren't taking Elementary Psionics."

Professor Lal nodded. "I suppose this is about Elrath. I must tell you, there isn't much I can say, largely because I do not know but also because what we are permitted to say to students is being strictly limited."

Corrie nodded and swallowed. "I don't really want to know details. I just wondered about his glamour. If it really is him, why do they think he's Christy Latham? Does a glamour last beyond death?"

"It can," the professor said slowly. "Glamours do not work the same way as any other type of magic. As you know, of course, only faeries can create and control them. And while your elemental magic may depend on your own strength and ability, glamour does so only partly. The threads of magic that make up glamour... they exist separately from the person who creates the glamour. A glamour that is practiced enough is, in a way, stored, and may be accessible to another person. That is how your friend Derwen was able to take on the glamour of Sarah so easily."

Corrie raised her eyebrows. She hadn't thought about the connection, but now that Professor Lal had explained it, it made sense. She nodded. "So Elrath used his Christy glamour so much that it stuck? It was always there even when he wasn't putting energy into it."

"Correct. He would have had to put energy into dismissing it."

And he probably hadn't had time, or hadn't wanted to, before he died. "So it's definitely him, and he's definitely dead." She couldn't help a shiver.

"Correct. Does that frighten you?"

"Well, yeah. He was kind of a big, scary guy. If something could kill him, what will it do to the rest of us?"

Professor Lal smiled. "I cannot argue with that logic. However, without giving you too much information, I will tell you that I personally do not think you, or any human on this campus, needs to fear."

Corrie felt her shoulders relax. "That actually helps a lot. Thanks, Professor Lal."

"You are welcome, Corrie."

Professor Lal showed Corrie out of her office. Corrie was glad to head back toward Gilkey, but she had to stop and glance back once.

Professor Lal had said that humans on campus had nothing to fear. She'd said nothing about the faeries.