Yenni wished she could share Devon’s confidence. When they reached the dark and imposing door barring entrance to the office, each rap of Devon’s knuckles on the wood sent little jolts of anxiety zipping through her.

Mainard answered the door unsmiling. “Yes, yes, come in,” he said. Yenni glanced around wide eyed. Books rose in piles and stacks from tall side tables, round end tables, low coffee tables, and his own large desk. Oh, there were shelves, but those were taken up with various devices and knickknacks she couldn’t hope to name. In fact, his desk was built right into a cubbied wall packed with wooden and metal boxes, some of which leaned haphazardly out of their sections, and it was apparent the shelves were stuffed to capacity. Did the man never throw anything away?

He sat at his desk and twisted his chair around to the side so he was somewhat facing them. “Have a seat,” he said.

Where?

Every chair was piled with junk.

Devon gestured toward a stack of books on a small sofa on the other side of a coffee table. “Ah, may I?”

Mainard’s only response was a grunt that must have meant yes, because he didn’t object when Devon cleared a space for both himself and Yenni. Once they were seated, Devon began.

“Now, Professor Mainard, I come to you as a fellow scholar. There is much to be gained in analyzing the magic of other cultures, and—”

“Just get on with the demonstration, please,” said Mainard. “I haven’t got all day.”

“Ahem. Yes. Yenni Ajani, could you start by drawing a rune for us?”

“Absolutely, Professor,” she said.

Which to use? The quick, high hymn of the speed rune had always been a favorite of hers. She sang the hymn and drew the rune on the inside of her wrist, doing her best to keep her voice and hand from shaking, trying not to think about this being her last chance to impress the professor and remain at the academy. She tied off the rune with a final note, and its glow dulled as it set.

Devon came to stand beside her. “Here we see how the drawing of the rune and the singing of the hymn act in tandem as both anchor and shaping mechanism. Fascinating, wouldn’t you say?”

Mainard wouldn’t, if his unimpressed glowering was any indication.

“Right. Well, how about a demonstration of strength runes? Yenni Ajani?”

She stood. “What would you have me do, Professor?”

He looked around. “Ah, pick up that end table there, the one piled with books.”

She did as he asked, the runes blazing on her calves, thighs, arms, and back.

“You see that?” said Devon excitedly. “Now that’s a strange sight isn’t it? Such a tiny person holding up such a load as if it weighed nothing at all.”

“Nothing that couldn’t be achieved with Melichor’s Muscular Fortification,” said Mainard.