True Magics by Erik Buchanan

make her a boy!”
    “Why are boys so special?” demanded Eileen. “I’m as smart as any of them. Why do they get to be here and not me?”
    The Master of Rhetoric looked thoughtful at that, while the Master of Laws looked like he was building up another head of steam. The Headmaster sighed. “Everyone sit down. Thomas, pour us some tea.”
    The request caught Thomas completely off guard. “Um… Yes, sir.”
    Thomas poured cups for them all. The Headmaster took a seat on the couch, while the masters sat in a pair of chairs near the fireplace. Each of the three gave a polite “thank you” when they received their tea, but didn’t say anything else. The warm smell of the tea made Thomas’s stomach rumble. Without being asked, he took up the tray of sticky-buns and offered them first to the masters, then to Eileen and Henry, before setting it down and taking one himself. The Headmaster looked both resigned and irritated.
    Thomas, Eileen and Henry sat on the couch directly opposite and waited.
    No one spoke. The Headmaster sipped at his tea and nibbled at his pastry. The silence grew long and, for Thomas and Eileen, very uncomfortable. Henry, on the other hand, looked as relaxed as if he were at home, sitting in front of his own fire.
    The Master of Rhetoric was finished his pastry first. The Master of Laws downed a second cup of tea. The Headmaster took his time on both. When he finished, he put his cup and plate on the table and sighed. “A decision has been made.”
    Thomas and Eileen leaned forward in spite of themselves. Henry remained unmoved.
    “Eileen may continue her time here at the Academy with whichever masters are willing to teach her,” the Headmaster said. “And she may sit for the spring exams.”
    Eileen clapped both her hands over her mouth to keep from squealing. Thomas nearly yelled out a cheer as well, but managed to stop himself. Henry nodded and allowed himself a satisfied smile.
    “But do not expect to be allowed in,” warned the Master of Laws. “Academy rules forbid it.”
    “We know,” said Thomas. “We’ll be delivering a petition to challenge the rules by the end of the week.”
    The Headmaster sighed, “Of course you will.” He stood, and the others did the same. “Take yourselves out of here. And let’s not have any more foolishness.”
    Henry and Thomas bowed and Eileen sank into a deep curtsey. Then they fled the parlour. Matron Marshall was standing by the door, glaring at them. She opened it and watched them go by. “Not the decision I would have made,” she said as Thomas walked out the door. “Not by a long shot.”
    “Then we’ll be thankful it wasn’t your decision,” said Henry as he passed her.
    For a reply, Matron Marshall closed the door practically on his heels.
    The rest of the company was still standing on the grass in front of the house in the cold, grey rain. “Well?” demanded James. “Well?”
    Eileen collapsed against Thomas, her breath whooshing out of her. Thomas wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. “I can stay,” said Eileen. “I can’t believe it! I can stay.”
    “Yes!” shouted Mark, and the others cheered. “Time to get to class!”
    “Mathematics!” said William. “We’ll say we were at the Headmaster and we shouldn’t get in trouble for being late. Come on.”
    “One moment,” said Eileen. She turned and kissed Thomas on the lips, catching him by surprise. She smiled wide. “I have been wanting to do that before class for months.”
    “Me, too,” said Thomas, grinning back. Around them, the Student Company mimed gagging and choking as he kissed her again.
    “And you,” Eileen pointed a finger at Henry. “How could you say that?”
    “It was true,” Henry said. “Though not necessary, apparently.”
    “What?” Eileen’s voice nearly squeaked on the word.
    “They said a decision was made,” said Henry, dropping his voice so it wouldn’t carry. “That means they weren’t the ones making