Somehow the three of them managed to convince Alois to wait before doing anything as rash as sacrificing his eyes. Just to be sure, Keane confiscated the eyepatch. He wouldn’t be doing anything until they had a proper plan. With that crisis over, Cassandra was able to return her focus to foxes and school.

She returned to her room with the final book she hadn’t had a chance to read and double checked to make sure everything was ready for classes to start the next day. Luckily it seemed the schedule and map had been delivered while she was out. Her self defense class was first, starting at the third morning bell. Next she would go right into politics and etiquette before getting to relax with the cooking class she had chosen. There was a two hour rest for lunch, leaving her afternoon packed with magic.

It seemed the hardest thing about her new schedule would be adjusting to the bell system. Hopefully she wouldn’t sleep through the first bell and set off her count. She also needed to set aside some time to deal with eyepatches and check on the white fox in the maze. Cassandra had always known the path she chose for her future would mean getting involved in dangerous things. She just hadn’t expected it to start so soon.

Despite her concerns, Cassandra was woken by the first bell just like the day before. She dressed and ate an early breakfast, saving some leftovers to offer to the white fox. Her research had shown her that foxes were omnivorous and could eat most things. Still, it was probably best not to give them cookies so she had saved sausage and fruit instead.

Cassandra hurried to the maze before the second bell tolled. She had no way of knowing when next she would have a chance to slip away. The fox was sleeping peacefully under the weeping willow, just like the morning before. This time, Cassandra cautiously approached and set a small dish with the sausage and fruit at the edge of the branches. For the first time, the fox opened its eyes and looked at her.

“It’s alright,” Cassandra promised, “I just thought you might enjoy a snack.”

The fox continued to watch her in silence as she slowly backed away. Was this not a wild fox after all? It seemed so calm and tame. However, it also seemed to have no interest in the food she offered.

“You really do look just like Yuki,” she told it, “Perhaps he was named for his beautiful white fur. Are you his family?”

The fox tilted its head at her question, keeping its eyes locked on her. Was she really expecting an answer from a fox? Still, she continued to talk to it.

“Do you mind if I call you Yuki, then?” Cassandra asked.

Another few seconds of watchful silence passed, then the fox let out a wide yawn showing off all of its very pointy teeth. Should she take that as permission? Perhaps it was wrong to name a random white fox after the founding archmage’s beloved pet, but the name suited it so perfectly.

The second morning bell tolled and Cassandra quickly turned to leave. “You can eat that food whenever you want, Yuki,” she called back to the fox.

Cassandra showed up to her first class a bit early, with only a couple others arriving before her. The first was a familiar face, Rena. The second was also familiar, but a bit of a surprise. Wayde? What was a Heart doing in a self defense class that prioritized hidden weapons? Wayde must have selected this as one of his additional classes. The giant was already busy examining the worn practice weapons displayed on the rack.

The range of weapons was greater than Cassandra had expected. There were the hidden knives and daggers that she naturally thought of when hidden weapons came to mind, but there were also a wide variety of easily disguised things. There were darts, tiny spiked balls, and thin chains that looked like those used in jewelry. What Wayde was looking at were the rings. Cassandra was both excited and nervous to learn how those things could be used for self defense.

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The rest of the students arrived and the teacher came in shortly after. Even though their training hall was indoors, the space was plenty wide for all of them to spread out. The teacher was a male rabbitkin who looked far more exhausted than any of the students even though this was his first class of the day.

“If you have come here looking for exercises to help you grow stronger you are in the wrong place,” he warned them, “This class is all about teaching you the techniques to save your life in a pinch. Remember, survive. Survival and safety are different things. Every last one of the techniques you will learn in this class are last resorts, the majority of which are designed to take lives. Let me know now if you would like to transfer to swordsmanship or martial arts.”

There was a shocked silence at his words, but Cassandra was actually relieved. Things like this were important to know, but she didn’t think she was cut out for actual combat. The rest of the class was spent explaining the basis of self defense and what situations it was appropriate to use the techniques taught in this class to defend yourself.

Etiquette was easier than Cassandra expected, but politics was full of complexities. It was like history and international affairs hid behind etiquette like a knife behind one’s back. With that strange analogy, Cassandra was convinced she had become too influenced by the hidden weapons class.

Culinary Therapeutics was as relaxing as its name implied. The teacher there mostly went over the basics of the course as well, but she demonstrated over the fire and cutting board as she did so. From scents to foods that affect the body and mind, this class was meant to teach the students how to relax and heal themselves and others. Autumn had joined this one, as had Keane. Keane seemed most interested in the medical potential of the class.

After a busy two hour break where Cassandra met up with many of her new classmates and discussed the morning classes, it was finally time to delve into magic. The very first class broached a subject that Cassandra had been anticipating with both excitement and concern. Summoning magic. Rather than the basic overview that most of the others had opted for, this teacher got right into it.

“I know all of you are eager to give summoning a try so I have prepared a stage for you to do it where I can watch you,” she said. She was a blue haired elf who looked remarkably similar to the scatterbrained Iris, but the aura with which she carried herself couldn’t have been more different. She directed that each of the students would take turns attempting to summon something with her help.

Cassandra watched as the students summoned various magical creatures, mostly in the form of small animals. Autumn summoned a large cream colored feline whose fur almost exactly matched his own. With those large paws and tufted ears, it reminded Cassandra of a lynx. Caleb supponed a hawk with mysteriously glowing white tipped feathers. Rena summoned what appeared to be a hedgehog. Not quite a porcupine, at least.

Then it was Cassandra’s turn. The teacher directed her to the stage and carefully guided her magic to help with her first summoning. “Just think of summoning the being that best represents you,” she instructed. Is that what she had instructed everyone else?

The being that best represented her? Was she supposed to imagine something specific or just keep hold of the vague idea? Something magical would be cool, since she loved magic so much. Maybe it would glow like Caleb’s, or maybe it would defy gravity and float. As she thought, she began to sense that something felt wrong. Despite the expert direction, the magic wasn’t going anywhere.

The teacher frowned. “Cassandra, have you made a contract with a summon before now?” she asked.

“No. I am pretty sure I would remember that,” Cassandra replied, now even more concerned.

“That is unfortunate. It might be best for you to drop this class. Summoning magic is beyond you,” she advised.

Those words stung far more than she should. Summoning magic was just a small aspect of magic, one that Cassandra had previously been skeptical of. Was there any chance at all she had made a contract with any summon? “How is a contract with a summon made?” she asked.

“A contract with a summon is made when a summon agrees to give you their name, or agrees with a name that you give it,” she explained, “But you must be careful when making that contract. Once you contract a summon it will be difficult for you to summon anything else.”

Cassandra got an odd feeling. “Is it possible to contract something you didn’t summon?” she asked, “I actually named a fox this morning.”

“A fox?” the teacher asked with a frown and considered, “There is only one way to find out. Try to summon it by calling its name.”

Just like that? Cassandra felt far more nervous now than she had during the entrance exam. What if Yuki started to hate her after she dragged him into this crowd out of nowhere? What if he was sleeping? Still, she had to try.

“Yuki,” she whispered, unable to make her voice work properly from the nerves.

This time she felt the magic that had stagnated earlier pull through and the white fox appeared at her feet. Yuki was standing. It was probably the first time Cassandra had ever seen him standing. The fox silently locked eyes with her and tapped its paw on the ground. She felt another light pull of magic and the dish she had left in the maze earlier appeared where it tapped, empty.

Had he eaten the snacks she had offered. “Yuki, did you-?” Before Cassandra could even finish her question the fox disappeared again.

“It looks like your contract is unstable,” the teacher told her, “Don’t worry. This class is all about improving things like that. Antisocial summons like that are best summoned in private.”

Antisocial was definitely a word that fit Yuki well. Why else would he sleep in a maze no one else seemed to enter?