Russel and his father were already there when Mom and I arrived. There was a giddiness to her as she waved to them both. "Shakir!"

"Lucinda," Mr. Kingsley still looked wary of Mom.

Russel gave a small wave, "Hello. I'm Russel."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. You know, I was a little worried that Serafina wouldn't find anyone else who would understand her but she has you and I'm very glad."

Russel looked at me.

I shrugged at him.

"Anne and Shakir's wedding was so lovely. There wasn't a lot of us, but I think that made it feel warmer. Suddenly finding yourself responsible for another person is challenging, but if Serafina's stories are anything to go by they've done well. And just between us Anne's always been the most maternal."

Mr. Kingsley relaxed a little, he reached over and messed with his sons' hair. "Russel has always been a good kid. And Anne's been good."

"That's wonderful to hear. I just wish her and Victor were here."

"You'd be too distracted by him to get anything done."

Mom sighed dreamily, like he was off on some long voyage never to return and not a single call away and that she'd see him tomorrow after she went home.

Then she snapped to me, "Did I ever tell you what Shakir did to land himself in detention that fateful day?"

"Russel," Mr. Kingsley interrupted whatever Mom was up to now, "Did you have any other friends in this class?"

"No, I don't hang out with Pixies," Russel then turned to Mom. "What detention?"

Shakir scratched the back of his head. "There might have been a skeletal hound chewing on the shoe of another student."

Mom laughed, "And that might have led to your father meeting the rest of us troublemakers."

"Oh that's where Russel gets it from," I blurted out without thinking.

Russel scoffed and looked somewhere between offended and delighted.

My filter failing hasn't ruined our friendship. Win.

Mom's smile was genuine. This wasn't an act.

But the moment was interrupted by Professor Dellik.

"Lucinda, it's good to see you doing well after all this time."

"Dellik, it's been ages. How's my little spitfire been treating you?"

"Serafina's been wonderful. Some of the Pixie students miss having her in our Tower."

Did Dellik just lie or had I been living in a different reality?

"She's a sweet girl, just shy and takes time to warm up to people. Pixie might not have been her fate, but I know pink is still in her soul."

Hadn't Mom told me pretty clearly that Pixie was a bad fit for me? She was probably just trying to play nice with my teacher. Which given the options, this was probably for the best.

"I admit, when I saw your name as her guardian I was a little surprised. I don't think any of us here expected to see you again."

Mom glanced at me and for a moment her polite expression turned soft and sad, "Yes, well sometimes the Fates' plan and our plans don't align."

What?

"But more importantly, she speaks fondly of this class. I'm sure you're part of that. So thank you, and for being a good Tower Head too."

Now I wanted to crawl under something. If this wasn't a room full of people and Dellik was already moving on to another parent I would have tried to shove her out of the room.

Were everyone's parents this embarrassing?

I had also forgotten about Russel and his father.

Who was back to looking at my mother like she was some kind of poisonous snake. "You're not here to discuss your daughter's grades with her professors," he said it carefully. A statement and accusation at the same time.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"If you remember correctly, I am a very efficient multitasker." She wasn't denying it. Looking every bit mischievous and up to something as Celica's mother had accused her of being.

Russel looked at me confused, I shrugged helplessly at him. Then held onto my cursed wrist as I considered why Mom had come, if not just for meeting my professors and friends.

(*********)

It was still bugging me as I led her to alchemy. Whatever it was, there was nothing I could do about it now. And it wasn't like she had the power to do much here.

The worst thing she could do was pull me from the school and I had no reason to think she was considering it.

"This is the class you share with Celica Fel'Graces, isn't it?" She was grinning again.

"Please don't get strangled again."

"Gorgon wasn't in our year I think. But he was in Larae's Tower. You think he remembers us?"

"Yes. Please behave."

"I've been on my best behavior this whole time."

"Please stay that way."

"You worry too much Serafina." She pinched my cheek while she spoke.

I protested and tried to swat her hand away.

The Banshees weren't there. But the Krakens were. And so were Celica and her mother, her father wasn't though.

"Harmor must be with the boys," Mom whispered to me.

"Oh gods." Somehow, hearing Celica's mother complain was more reassuring than if she had been happy to see us.

I blamed Celica's abrasiveness.

Mom practically skipped over to the chair right behind where I usually sat. Celica and I usually had a pair of Banshees behind us, which meant the spots were empty for our mothers.

This was going to be a disaster.

I sat down in my normal seat and silently prayed nothing bad was about to happen.

"Your mother isn't what I was expecting," Celica said after a look over her shoulder.

Larae Owlcourt looked irritated as Mom couldn't look more excited and pleased.

"I get that a lot."

"You talked about her, and still I wasn't sure what to expect. You do have a habit of surprising me."

"Thanks? I think."

"Mother told me they were best friends," Celica whispered. I wasn't sure if they could hear us.

"Mom did mention a 'best friend' once or twice, which is more than she mentioned having a sister. That must mean something."

"She really didn't tell you much, did she?"

"About the Exterreri? Bits and pieces. Other things? Basically nothing. And between you and me I don't think she's been fully honest with me about the things she has told me."

Celica glanced backwards at my mother while trying to not physically move. I guess she didn't want to get caught. Though I doubted she was truly sneaky enough to fool Mom.

"Mother is convinced she's here for some other reason, any insight?"

"Between you and me?" I asked and then tapped the inside of my left wrist. Where the curse mark was.

I saw the pieces connect behind her eyes. "Ah. Of course."

"But she hasn't told me anything about being here for another reason. It's just a guess."

"And she does seem to have a habit of not telling you everything."

"I don't think she tells anyone everything."

Maybe Dad. But even then it was hard to be sure.

Professor Gorgon was starting to speak. "Luckily I have nothing of note to report about your children's performance. No one here has managed to disappoint me. Though the Dragons have somehow remained top of this class."

Celica was smug while I tried to not look like I wanted to duck under the desk.

The parents didn't look interested, beyond one or two casual glances. That was for the best.

Professor Gorgon had a different kind of look on his face. The cold detachment was a bit warmer, but as he looked around the room his eyes avoided both Mom and Larae Owlcourt sitting behind us.

Frankly, I didn't blame him.

Gorgon talked about his plans for our future and what he hoped to see. Celica had her elbows on the desk and her head rested on folded hands. The picture of icy boredom.

There was impatient but excited tapping behind me the entire time. Mom probably wanted to talk to Gorgon about something but had to wait.

She was the worst at waiting.

All patience I had came from Dad.

"In a few weeks your children can pick some new classes, they've stayed in this class this long. Nothing we offer will offer the same challenge, so they should thrive. If you want me to offer suggestions, I would be happy to discuss one on one."

It was probably the closest to nice I had ever heard him be.

But talking to someone you had power over and someone you were equals with were pretty different.

Gorgon was done. Some students and their parents were shuffling out. "We'll see both of you later," Larae Owlcourt said as she tugged Celica away.

Mom stayed in her seat and hung back, waiting for the few Kraken families to talk with Gorgon first.

"Is this where you usually sit?" Mom asked.

"Every day. Celica picked the spot and demanded I sit next to her. It's worked out for both of us so no need to change it."

"Meaning this is where you made that Focus."

"Yeah."

"Did it hurt?"

"Not that much, it happened pretty fast."

"How do you feel about stopping by the Healer Wing after this? We have some time before Monsters."

"I guess we can. But Sealie might be busy."

"True. The time might be better spent in the library."

What?

"What's in the library?"

"In my time there were a few books that I think you should read. Given the subject matter I doubt Mother has even told you they exist. But I know where they are, or at least where they should be." Mom then crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"If that's what you want."

"For now, I want to talk to Gorgon."

Finally.

She stood up first and I followed her slowly.

She was grinning her fake grin.

"Gorgon, it's been ages!" That tone was all gossip. She had no intention of having any kind of serious conversation with him.

"Lucinda Hearth," Gorgon greeted. He swallowed nervously. He looked at me but then focused on Mom.

"Stewart," Mom corrected. It was a sharp reprimand. Her happy expression vanished instantly.

"Stewart," he echoed.

She grinned again. "I hear good things. This Serafina's favorite class." Back to fake, but pleasant.

Gorgon looked confused, "I'm surprised. I would have expected the opposite."

"She likes learning. Especially about the natural world. She's a smart girl, gets it from her father. Better than I was with Alchemy."

Gorgon didn't comment.

"What do you think? What class do you think she'll thrive in?"

Gorgon looked stiff. "Another lab class would do her good. Brewing most likely."

I had been considering it already. Angelina had said good things about Professor Carmine, so had Jarec. And Celica had talked about all of us Dragons taking it.

"That does sound like it would be fun for you," Mom was still acting.

"About what happened on September tenth-"

Mom interrupted him, "An understandable accident. These things happen. As long as it doesn't happen again." There was the smallest hint of a threat in her tone. A slow under current.

It was strange, to have an urge to defend Professor Gorgon, but it was hard not to when he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

A feeling I knew too well.

"I think that's everything," Mom switched back to cheerful. "See you at the Representative meeting Gorgon!"

I could swear I heard a faint prayer to the gods behind us as we left. But no need for me to draw attention to it.

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