Felicity hissed through gritted teeth. These fools! They would rather blabber in the face of urgent threats! Rehtul was equally impatient, “We need to clear the room fast.”

Elijah kept urging them to leave, smoke rising from the sorcerer as his frustration mounted, but the Guild scholars hesitated. If I could sense magic like I used to… Then she would know how dire the situation was, how long before disaster! She didn’t know what was coming, but the seriousness in her teacher’s voice made it clear. Enough of this.

She shoved past Elijah and stomped her foot onto the floor hard enough to shake the ceiling. “Listen up, you Guild bootlickers!” she bellowed, her voice filling the chamber. “This is a crisis, so stop your politicking and thumb-sucking and get the Haides out before I make you!”

She slammed her fist into the wall, cracking the stone. The scholars stared at her, wide eyed and mouths gaped, before taking her ‘advice.’ They abandoned their equipment and hurried up the stairs.

“Masterfully done,” said Elijah from beside her. Was that actually grudging respect in his voice?

It had better be, after all that!

“Your… your hair is on fire.”

“Hmm?” She patted the top of her head – it was hot to the touch. She shrugged. “That happens sometimes.”

Turning to Rehtul, she asked, “Alright, they’re out. What’s all this then?”