Fallen University: Year Two

He held the phone to his ear, then explained the situation to whoever was on the other end of the line. He listened for a time, making little noises of acknowledgment, then pressed his fingers to his temple. Apparently, it was not going well.

“Yes, sir, and I understand that, but I need you to consider what you’re asking. As it stands, Gavriel’s fallen are loyal to him and outnumber us three to one. At the rate they’re spreading, the fourth years alone will not tip the scales in our favor.”

Toland looked hopeful, and I admired his optimism. I thought it was stupid, but I admired it all the same.

“Their finals? No, but—yes, of course I understand that, but—firsthand experience must count for something. No, of course I don’t think we should let every new recruit onto the battlefield, but these students have already—no. Yes, sir, I understand what the committee has decided. No, I am not looking to start a mutiny. Of course. That will not be necessary, sir, I assure you—yes. I see. Thank you for your time.”

He pulled the phone away from his ear, his features oddly still and impassive, as if he was trying to hide his emotions. Toland’s face, on the other hand, was turning red.

“They said no.” It wasn’t a question.

Dru nodded. “They said no. The committee is of the opinion that this situation needs to be handled by the book. Though, frankly, I have read the book, and there isn’t a chapter on how to deal with a full-scale invasion. Nevertheless, they have decided that rule of law is the only thing that separates us from Gavriel’s fallen.”

Toland turned a deeper shade and slammed his fist on his desk, surging to his feet. “Then they don’t know what we’re up against! They didn’t see the final attack on the school! The monsters were in ranks, Dru! They were trained! Military discipline! Rule of law!” He punctuated his outburst with another fist again

st the desk.

The Custodian raked a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “I agree that rules, while excellent guidelines, should occasionally be broken in times of great need.” He gestured at us, and for a moment I thought he was going to give us up and tell Toland about the phone. “Allowing untried students to wander around the underworld, for example.”

“To be fair, he didn’t really allow that,” Jayce interjected. “We just kind of went.”

Dru nodded. “Interesting.”

He said it slowly and maintained eye contact with my blond mate for several seconds after he had finished speaking. If I didn’t know better, I could have sworn he was trying to imply that we should break the rules again.

Toland sat down and wiped beads of sweat from his brow. “So what do they expect us to do? Carry on, business as usual?”

“Precisely.” Dru kept his features carefully neutral, but I could tell the words burned a little as they came out.. “All students must sit for their exams, and the third-year graduates and fourth-year students are to join the fight.”

“As previously stated,” Toland ground out, “these five students were busy saving the school. They may not be able to pass their exams.”

Dru rubbed a hand over his chin, grimacing. “You can’t exempt them. As a matter of fact, I am supposed to inform you that the delayed exams from last year did not go unnoticed, and another similar breach of protocol will lead to your termination.”

Toland paled. Somehow, I didn’t think “termination” meant the same thing here that it did in the human job market.

“They seem like smart students,” Dru added. “And there isn’t anything in the rulebook that states how the questions on the exams must be phrased, just that the specific concepts must be understood. Rewrite the exams to make them passable.”

“Yeah,” Kai drawled. His voice was languid, but I could see his hands clenching and unclenching into fists. “Write them like, the answer is C.”

Dru shot him a warning look, then shook his head.

“Obviously not. The exams themselves will need to be submitted along with the scores, just as they always have. They must be closed-book exams, but that doesn’t mean that hints can’t be projected on the wall. Get creative. Cover your tracks. Figure it out. But for the love of God, don’t get caught cheating.”

Toland pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “They should be allowed to help. They have as much at stake in this war as anyone else—more than most by now. They’ve been there, Dru, they’ve seen firsthand what Gavriel’s perfect world looks like, and it isn’t pretty.”

“The committee says they will not be allowed to help until they prove themselves,” Dru said quietly. “On paper.”

Toland looked like he was going to start shouting again, but he just clenched his fists instead.

“On paper,” he repeated bitterly. “We lost students in those battles. Brave, skilled students. Students who are more loyal to humanity than ever before because they have now been on the receiving end of Gavriel’s heartless violence.”

My throat tightened up, and I gripped the arms of my chair until my knuckles whitened. Dru shot me a knowing glance that Toland didn’t see, then looked at Toland once more.

“And for that, I am sorry,” he said softly. “I’m sure those students were good people. The best. But my hands are tied, and so are yours. We have nothing to gain by going against the committee. You know as well as I do what we have to lose. The stakes are too high.”

I wanted Toland to argue. I wanted Dru to get on the phone and call the committee back, tell them that they were full of shit and that the fate of the world depended on the willingness to break the rules. But they didn’t. I hadn’t really expected them to. We all sat in silence for several long moments while Toland slowly came to terms with his imposed reality.

He sighed heavily. “Well, that’s it, then. I can’t imagine the committee approving a rescue expedition to the underworld if they won’t even allow these students to fight.”