This is so stupid, Xerxes thought as he crouched in a shadowy alcove in the corridor, around the corner from a storage closet where Enusat and his girlfriend were… “chatting” with each other.

He’d resisted. Argued. But in the end, it became obvious that if he didn’t help Enusat, he would put his relationship with the Swordmasters at risk.

Lurking there, he wished he had one of those fancy hand-held timepieces. For most of his life, such devices had been luxuries he didn’t even bother dreaming about. With Purattu’s loan and the money his parents had given him, he could afford one. But it had always seemed like a waste of money.

How long has it been? Ten minutes? Twenty? More?

He shifted from one foot to the other and twisted so his left shoulder was against the cold wall instead of the right.

Because Enusat was so much shorter, he’d taken the cloak Xerxes had worn during the last infiltration, leaving Xerxes with Kashtiliash’s cloak. And the bearded mage was taller, which meant that the cloak was bigger. The thing was cumbersome. When walking, he had to grab the cloak and pull the hem up for fear of stepping on it. But at least it provided excellent cover when he wrapped it around himself.

It wasn’t lost on him that Enusat’s illicit meeting was going much better than his own. He refused to let himself be disappointed.

Seconds ticked by that seemed like minutes. The sooner they were out of the female dorms and back in their own room, the better.

He heard something like the scrape of a shoe against the floor. He peered out of the alcove and into the corridor. It was empty.

What seemed like a few minutes later, he heard noise from the opposite direction.

It was Enusat and his Sin-Masu girlfriend. Both of them looked disheveled, and Enusat was even tucking his shirt into his pants.

“Hurry up,” Xerxes hissed.

They passed the alcove, and Enusat leaned toward him and said, “Don’t get jealous, Xerk. I’ll be right back.”

By ‘right back’ Enusat apparently meant ten minutes. At least, that’s what it felt like.

When he returned, his hair smoothed out and his shirt tucked in, he said, “Mission accomplished. Let’s go.”

They padded through the corridors of the female dorms to the main entrance. The lock had long since been changed, but it had only taken a few days afterward before word spread about how to open it. Outside, it was a cloudy night, which made it easier to sneak around.

As they neared the entrance to the male dorms, Enusat chuckled. “Told you it would go smoothly.”

They closed the final cubits, and then the shorter mage reached out to the door.

Before he could touch it, it swung open.

Enusat reacted as though a viper were striking at his fingers. He jumped back, running right into Xerxes. Xerxes stepped back, but his foot caught on the damnably long hem of the cloak. His other foot, already in motion to step further back, caught on more fabric, and he tumbled to the ground. As the massive hood flopped over his face, Enusat dropped on top of him, jabbing him in the stomach with an elbow or possibly the heel of his hand.

“Fucking ‘ell!” Enusat hissed. He rolled to the side, off Xerxes, but his own massive robe somehow got wrapped around Xerxes’ ankle, and he flopped onto his face.

Enusat shoved at Xerxes with his foot, pushing him away. They started getting to their feet, pulling their cloaks this way and that in the process.

Enusat was up first.

Gandash stepped out of the male dorms, wearing a simple robe with a red sash draped across it from shoulder to hip, with the words ‘Student Guard’ embroidered on it in gold thread.

Xerxes was on his knees, the hood hanging over his eyes, but he could see the scene clearly.

“What—?” Gandash said.

Enusat stepped forward and shoved him hard in the chest.

Gandash fell with a yelp, and Enusat jumped over him, disappearing into the corridor beyond.

Xerxes was up on both feet while Gandash was using his elbows to get into a sitting position.

His chest tightened as he looked down.

How could this be happening? Gandash was his best friend. They’d grown up together. Enusat, churlish and somewhat vulgar, was someone Xerxes hadn’t even known a few months ago. What the hell was going on? And weren’t the officers supposed to be off-campus? Apparently they were back.

He stepped forward and extended his hand to Gandash to help him up.

Gandash eyed his hand, but didn’t accept it. He climbed up, took a step back so he was standing in the doorway, and then took a breath as if to puff himself up.

“You’re coming with me,” Gandash said.

Xerxes let his hand drop. “Huh?”

“You and your friend have violated school policy. You’re coming with me to the main office. The guard will process you and—”

Xerxes pulled the hood back. “Gandy….”

Gandash stopped talking and blinked a few times. “Xerk?”

“I’ll make this up to you,” he whispered.

His friend’s posture loosened. His shoulders slumped. His lower lip quivered, and he shook his head. “Xerk. You… I can’t believe….”

Xerxes’ stomach seized with guilt. “It’s complicated,” he said. “You wouldn’t understand. I can explain later.”

Gandash bit his lip and shook his head even harder.

“I understand completely,” Gandash said, stepping out of the doorway. He made an exaggerated welcoming gesture as if to say ‘go on in,’ then he turned and walked away.

Xerxes stepped to the door. “Gandy,” he said.

His friend just kept walking.

Shit. With one last look at Gandash, he entered the male dorm complex. As the door closed behind him and he hurried toward his dorm room, his throat felt thick.

He half-expected the dorm to be locked, but it wasn’t. He entered, closed it, and locked it.

“What happened?” Enusat whispered.

“Yeah,” Jad added. “What’s going on?”

Xerxes didn’t say anything. He pulled the big cloak off himself, balled it up, and threw it into the corner.

“‘Ey, Xerk!” Enusat said, even louder. “What the fuck ’appened? Did that bastard—”

“Shut up!” Xerxes yelled, stomping over, kicking his shoes off and climbing up to his bunk.

“Xerk, if ‘e says something, we both—”

“I said to shut the FUCK up!” He threw himself onto his pillow, crossed his arms, and started up at the ceiling.

After that, nobody said anything.