Fort turned to find Gabriel putting down his book and sitting up. “Listen,” he said, giving Fort a look that could have been either apologetic or angry, it was hard to tell which. “It wasn’t my idea to come here, and there’s nothing I’d rather do less than learn magic, okay? So don’t worry about whatever Colonel Charles ordered you to do. He thinks he’s big-time here because he’s in charge, but he’s just a little man who let a small amount of power go to his head. You let me deal with him, and just do your thing. Sound good?”

Fort bit his lip, not sure how to respond to that. “That’d be great, except Colonel Charles said I’d be expelled if I didn’t do what he said. I haven’t known him that long, but I do know he’s not big on being disobeyed.”

Gabriel snorted. “Like I said, leave it to me. You seem like a good kid, and I’m sorry you’re getting mixed up in all of this. If the colonel gives you any trouble, just blame it on me. It’s not like you could carry me to class.”

“See?” Sierra said. “Everything’s going to be fine! He doesn’t even want your help, so you’re free to go talk to Jia and… the others whose names I can never remember.” She took several baby steps toward the door, like she was trying to encourage him to go.

“Fair enough,” Fort said, and followed Sierra to the exit. “I’ll be around if you have any questions or anything.”

“Thanks,” Gabriel said, barely listening as he picked his book back up and lay down on the bed.

Fort nodded and opened the door.

A soldier stared back at him. “Sorry, kid,” the guard said. “No one’s leaving until dinner. Colonel Charles’s orders.”

“Are you serious?” Gabriel shouted, leaping up from the bed. For such a big guy, he moved surprisingly fast. Fort quickly got out of his way as Gabriel confronted the soldier. “You can’t keep us here. Let us out. Do I have to go over your head?”

The soldier shook his head but looked much more nervous than he had when just talking to Fort. “Sorry, uh, sir, but I have to follow the orders I was given. No one can exit this room until dinner.”

“Sir”? Fort thought at Sierra, who looked confused too.

Gabriel growled at the soldier, then seemed to deflate. “I get it. You’re just doing your job,” he said, and tossed off a salute to the soldier, then fell heavily back to the bed as the soldier closed the door again. “Sorry, kid. I guess the colonel is going to be a huge pain in the behind about this.”

Who is this guy? Fort asked Sierra.