Nadrina looked a little guilty, but nodded in confirmation. “You used the latent mana left over from the dead creatures and converted it into something you could use to perform a summon. I don’t really know how you did that exactly, but I assume it had something to do with the runes you were writing. The fact you had to use such an extensive amount of your own blood is also probably important, maybe related to how blood is the most powerful medium a sorcerer can enchant with?”

“Regardless,” Aldric continued, deciding to not think about how close she got to it. “All of this stays between us. I’ll do my best to teach you what I know, and there are many things I’d be willing to show you that you probably wouldn’t learn from anyone else. In exchange, you two won’t ask any more from me than that. Deal?”

“Do those teachings extend to our class or just us?” Lilianna asked, sounding like she was bartering for a good deal at market.

Aldric sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know yet. At the very least, I can show the two of you. That good enough for now?”

“Perhaps... perhaps, after a set period, we can discuss the possibility? That would give you time to decide if you had already shared too much. It seems rather unfair to exclude them, and they’ll eventually catch on if we get too far ahead of them.”

Aldric scratched his head in thought. “Fine. Give me three months to decide.”

“One month.”

“Two months,” Aldric countered, pointing a finger at her. “Don’t push it.”

Both girls looked at each other, some invisible conversation taking place that Aldric couldn’t follow. Then they nodded to each other and to Aldric.

“Deal,” they answered together, looking awfully pleased with themselves. Aldric let loose the breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding.

“Good. You two should get back to class. Codrin and that girl will end up burning the place down if you’re not there, I’m sure.”

Lilianna smiled at that. “Probably. We’ll be going then. Please get well soon, Professor.” With that, Lilianna turned and left the room.

Nadrina, curiously, didn’t follow behind her. Instead, she stood in place and awkwardly fidgeted. Recognizing that she was building courage for something, Aldric waited.

Several moments passed before she seemed to decide as she nodded to herself, then looked up to stare him in the eyes. Suddenly, she was hugging him. She was a bit awkward at first, taking care not to squeeze him too hard with his injuries, but the sincerity behind the gesture was pure and honest.