“What is there to help with? My dad has been writing me letter after letter all to say he’s upset that I’m Runa’s student. And that he’s angry and worried because I’m ignoring him. And that he’s been writing to my mom about it.” Judging from her grave tone, Barclay guessed that her parents speaking to each other meant the situation was dire. It had been a long time since they’d been married. “He said if I don’t answer soon, he’ll come here himself. And I don’t want to see him.”

“But once he sees how well you’re doing, won’t he change his mind?”

“How well I’m doing?” Viola repeated. “Haven’t you noticed? I’m the farthest behind of all of us.”

Barclay’s mouth dropped open. “That’s not true—”

“All of you have Mythic class Beasts. So you see? I’m the odd one out. I’m the one who doesn’t belong.”

“If anyone doesn’t belong, it’s me. I’m the Elsie. I can’t even control my Lore right.”

Viola scoffed and finally tore the letter out of Barclay’s hands. “Don’t be ridiculous. You fit in fine. You became friends with Shazi and Hasu right away, even after what they did to me.”

“I thought it was Cyril who made you quit, not them.”

“He did, but they didn’t exactly come find me or write to me or anything. Because everyone thinks I’m a failure.”

“Viola, you’re not a failure. You’re the most brilliant person I know.”

“You’re lying.”

“You know I’m not. You can always tell when I am.”

She studied him suspiciously, then finally sighed. “It’s just… it’s been hard to see Shazi and Hasu again. You don’t know what it was like to be a student with them. I might’ve come in first in my Exhibition, but only because Shazi didn’t study for the written exam and Hasu fainted during the practical. They’re incredible. Prodigies. And no matter how hard I pushed myself, I couldn’t keep up. Everything came naturally to them, but meanwhile, Cyril had to give me private lessons just so that I wouldn’t fall behind.”

But Barclay did know what that felt like. He felt it every day being a student with Viola and Tadg. Shazi and Hasu might’ve been extraordinary, but to him, Viola was no different. And from the way Shazi had made it sound, before Viola had left, they hadn’t thought her different either.

“You’ve never had a hard time keeping up since I’ve known you,” Barclay said.

If Viola caught the jealousy in his voice, she didn’t show it.