that Professor Kraimaster was headed straight toward him. Falcon moved behind a group of giggling girls, hoping the professor wouldn’t see him.
“Hello, Mr. Hyatt.”
Falcon cursed silently.
The professor gazed at him. “I take it you were not zuzpended.” He flashed his bare teeth. “Pity the council takez Grandmazter Zoen’z word over mine.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” said Falcon, annoyed at the professor’s way of talking. Kraimaster had a tendency to drag on every S, making him sound like a hissing snake.
“Don’t be arrogant, Mr. Hyatt. You were fortunate that Grandmazter Zoen came to your aid thiz time, but he can only protect you for zo long. Zooner the Rohad council will realize juzt what a nuizance you are. I’ll zhall rejoice when you pack your bagz.”
The professor walked away. His usual stoic expression was plastered across his face.
Falcon looked after him, silently wondering what he had done to Kraimaster to garner such hate from him.
“Hey, Hyatt,” came a voice from behind. He didn’t have to turn to see who it was. Sheridan was the only person he knew who called people by their last name. “I see Professor Kraimaster and you are still getting along famously.”
“Yeah, were the best of friends,” said Falcon sarcastically. He eyed Sheridan. He had on his trademark black coat that reached to his knees. The tattoo over his right eye stood out from his pale skin. “Anyhow, what have you been up to?”
“Not much. Just hanging out here as I await my next mission. I think it might be in either Belwebb or Missea. I’m hoping it’s Belwebb. I hear that capital city has the most beautiful women. Not that any of them have a chance. My heart belongs to Hiromy, after all.”
Falcon laughed. “I don’t think the emperor will be too happy with you dating his daughter.”
“I don’t care about her father,” said Sheridan, shrugging his shoulders.
“Have you even talked to her? Back when we spoke in Asturia, you didn’t know anything about her.”
“Well, we did speak a bit between classes the other day. I told her the weather was nice and she said ‘yeah’.” Sheridan’s eyes were dreamy as he spoke.
“That’s not very much.”
He held up his hands. “But don’t you worry. I plan to ask her to the upcoming dance. Once she sees how well I dance, she won’t be able to resist me.”
Oh, yes, the dance. With all that had been going on, he had forgotten all about it.
Sheridan’s expression suddenly turned rigid. “Listen, Hyatt. About what happened back in Asturia. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you. If I could take it back, I would.”
“It’s fine, Sheridan. Your family sacrificed a lot to put you through Rohad. When Professor Kraimaster ordered you to leave us, you had no choice but to follow orders.”
“I still feel really guilty. Nakatomi stayed behind with you and I didn’t. But don’t worry. The next time, I got your back. That’s a bona fide Calhoun promise.”
Falcon grinned. “Sure thing, Sheridan.”
“What do we have here?” said a sudden husky voice. Falcon’s childhood enemy, Laars, stepped up to him. Behind Laars stood his usual gang of cronies: Delita, Putin, Drusilla, and Elvira. “The brother of the traitor is back.”
“But where is your best friend, Lao?” asked Drusilla. The skinny girl flashed her yellow teeth as she grinned widely. She turned to her sister. “What do you think, Elvira?”
The neckless girl looked up at the roof as if lost in thought. “I think the rumors we heard were true. Lao betrayed his best friend and now he’s dead.”
“What do you expect from a peasant?” added Delita, rubbing his bald head.
“Shut up!” said Falcon, anger in his voice.
Laars looked back at his gang as he cackled out loud. “See how angry he gets? It must mean it’s true.” He turned back to Falcon. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you two turned traitors.”
“I said shut up!” Falcon knew that
“Hello, Mr. Hyatt.”
Falcon cursed silently.
The professor gazed at him. “I take it you were not zuzpended.” He flashed his bare teeth. “Pity the council takez Grandmazter Zoen’z word over mine.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” said Falcon, annoyed at the professor’s way of talking. Kraimaster had a tendency to drag on every S, making him sound like a hissing snake.
“Don’t be arrogant, Mr. Hyatt. You were fortunate that Grandmazter Zoen came to your aid thiz time, but he can only protect you for zo long. Zooner the Rohad council will realize juzt what a nuizance you are. I’ll zhall rejoice when you pack your bagz.”
The professor walked away. His usual stoic expression was plastered across his face.
Falcon looked after him, silently wondering what he had done to Kraimaster to garner such hate from him.
“Hey, Hyatt,” came a voice from behind. He didn’t have to turn to see who it was. Sheridan was the only person he knew who called people by their last name. “I see Professor Kraimaster and you are still getting along famously.”
“Yeah, were the best of friends,” said Falcon sarcastically. He eyed Sheridan. He had on his trademark black coat that reached to his knees. The tattoo over his right eye stood out from his pale skin. “Anyhow, what have you been up to?”
“Not much. Just hanging out here as I await my next mission. I think it might be in either Belwebb or Missea. I’m hoping it’s Belwebb. I hear that capital city has the most beautiful women. Not that any of them have a chance. My heart belongs to Hiromy, after all.”
Falcon laughed. “I don’t think the emperor will be too happy with you dating his daughter.”
“I don’t care about her father,” said Sheridan, shrugging his shoulders.
“Have you even talked to her? Back when we spoke in Asturia, you didn’t know anything about her.”
“Well, we did speak a bit between classes the other day. I told her the weather was nice and she said ‘yeah’.” Sheridan’s eyes were dreamy as he spoke.
“That’s not very much.”
He held up his hands. “But don’t you worry. I plan to ask her to the upcoming dance. Once she sees how well I dance, she won’t be able to resist me.”
Oh, yes, the dance. With all that had been going on, he had forgotten all about it.
Sheridan’s expression suddenly turned rigid. “Listen, Hyatt. About what happened back in Asturia. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you. If I could take it back, I would.”
“It’s fine, Sheridan. Your family sacrificed a lot to put you through Rohad. When Professor Kraimaster ordered you to leave us, you had no choice but to follow orders.”
“I still feel really guilty. Nakatomi stayed behind with you and I didn’t. But don’t worry. The next time, I got your back. That’s a bona fide Calhoun promise.”
Falcon grinned. “Sure thing, Sheridan.”
“What do we have here?” said a sudden husky voice. Falcon’s childhood enemy, Laars, stepped up to him. Behind Laars stood his usual gang of cronies: Delita, Putin, Drusilla, and Elvira. “The brother of the traitor is back.”
“But where is your best friend, Lao?” asked Drusilla. The skinny girl flashed her yellow teeth as she grinned widely. She turned to her sister. “What do you think, Elvira?”
The neckless girl looked up at the roof as if lost in thought. “I think the rumors we heard were true. Lao betrayed his best friend and now he’s dead.”
“What do you expect from a peasant?” added Delita, rubbing his bald head.
“Shut up!” said Falcon, anger in his voice.
Laars looked back at his gang as he cackled out loud. “See how angry he gets? It must mean it’s true.” He turned back to Falcon. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you two turned traitors.”
“I said shut up!” Falcon knew that
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