The Partner

The scandal was the talk of the campus for a month. Silas Vane was expelled and handed over to the Magical Congress for dark arts usage. The Student Council was reorganized.

Elara stood in front of the West Wing dorms, packing her duffel bag. The banishment of the entity had dissolved the curse. The rings were gone. She was free.

She threw the bag over her shoulder. Solo again.

"Going somewhere?"

She turned. Kaelen was leaning against his black sedan, looking annoyingly perfect in a tailored coat, though he still looked a little tired.

"Back to my life," Elara said. "Curse is broken, Thorne. You’re safe."

"I am," he agreed. He walked over to her. He stopped just inside her personal space. "But I have a vacancy on the Council. Director of Magical Security."

Elara raised an eyebrow. "I don't do politics. And I work solo."

"Do you?" Kaelen asked. He held up his left hand. There was no ring, but he flexed his fingers as if he could still feel the weight of it.

Elara looked at her own hand. She felt it too. The phantom warmth. The knowledge that someone knew exactly where she was, and that she was safe.

"The pay?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.

"Full tuition. Room and board in the Tower. And," Kaelen smirked, "access to the private coffee stash."

Elara sighed, dropping her duffel bag. "I hate you."

"I know," Kaelen said, picking up her bag. "Dinner at seven. Don't be late, partner."

He opened the car door for her. Elara hesitated for a second, looking back at the lonely West Wing, then slid into the passenger seat.

Being Solo was safe. But being a team? That was starting to look like a much better adventure.