From the transcript of the interrogation of Florian Quinn by the Academy Prime: “I can’t imagine a scenario in which I’d buy Madeline Le Torneau of all people a Ye Evergreen gift, sir.”

  People could describe Florian Quinn in a thousand different ways, some flattering, others not so flattering, some kind, others not so kind.

  One thing nobody would ever be able to call him was good at shopping. The sheer scale of the task overwhelmed him and at the second shop he entered, he contemplated giving up. Madeline didn’t need a Ye Evergreen gift, and if he searched deep down, he thought the chances of her throwing whatever gift he gave back in his face the next time she saw him was certainly not zero.

  He needed Lane. Or Talia. Or both, preferably.

  “Oh, fuck it,” he said to no one in particular and exited the shop without properly entering.

  “Quinn, that you?” a soft voice raised over the throng of people milling about on the walkpaths. He recognized that voice and found its source quickly.

  "Valentine?"

  Anik rolled her pale brown eyes - she hated when anyone called her by her last name - and came closer. "What are you doing standing out here, where are Lane and Thad? You look lost. It's kinda cute."

  Whereas Madeline looked and acted like an inferno wrapped in a hurricane fighting a pride of lions, Anik Valentine looked, well, sweet. A gust of wind blew her platinum blonde hair behind her from underneath her black-with-white toque in conjunction with her heavy cloak. As usual, she’d chosen form fitting clothes that had only gotten more provocative the more comfortable she got, a not insignificant side effect of all the exercise they were doing. The skull talisman that marked her a Death Dealer in training hung on a black chain between her revealing cleavage.

  Forcing himself to look directly into her eyes and not look down - okay, maybe just one quick look - Florian answered. “Thad said he’d rather spend the weekend in the library studying and Lane should be here helping me. I’m honestly not sure where he is, maybe he’s doing the detention with Talia? I can’t remember if they did that third one or not.” Florian shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Where are the rest of the girls? I’m surprised to see you alone.”

  Anik must have done something to her eyebrows because they were dark and perfect, framing her face in a most pleasing way. “Ugh,” she said. “Ines and Ursula are both at the coffee shop with dates doing that romantic taste test that seems to be so popular. Even though nobody asked me to go. I’m going to catch up with them later, I mean, I could have stayed at the Academy until later but I wanted to be out! It gets so stuffy there sometimes.”

  Florian sidestepped people who grumbled at him, and realized he stood in the doorway of the shop he just exited.

  “What do you need help with?” Anik asked.

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” Florian answered. “I’ll figure it out, I don’t want to trouble you.”

  Anik’s mood darkened. “Do I have something on my face? Do I smell?”

  “Huh?“

  “Why does nobody want to do anything with me? First nobody asks me to the coffee shop which, like, okay fine I didn’t really want to go with anyone anyway but I did want to be asked and now you’re blowing me off. So I ask again, do I smell?”

  Taken aback, Florian stammered an awkward response. “No. Yes. Well, like cocoa and vanilla but that’s a good thing. I guess what I’m trying to say is you smell nice.”

  Now, Anik smiled. “Okay so we’ve established that, now tell me what you need help with.”

  She navigated that conversation rather deftly, Florian had to admit, cornering him easily and leaving him without a choice. “You sure you want to know?”

  Anik smacked his arm and pulled him further to the side, away from the shop door. “Duh! Oh my god!”

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  “I am trying to buy a Ye Evergreen gift for a girl in our year,” he admitted. “It’s going horribly.”

  Brightening, Anik perked up. “Oh I can help with that! You couldn’t find anything in there? That’s a pretty solid merchant from what I understand.”

  Florian scratched his head. “I didn’t really look, to be honest. I didn’t get five feet inside the place before bailing.”

  Another roll of her eyes met his reply. “Boys. Come on, follow me.”

  She took off into the shop with Florian on her heels, taking charge just like that. Once they got inside they walked to the left with some trinkets for home decoration, vases, bowls, plates, nothing Madeline would have any interest in.

  The shop attendant - an older woman with a hunch in her back - greeted them and offered assistance which they politely declined.

  “Who‘s the girl?” Anik asked, thumbing through gold cutlery with a blank expression on her face. “It’s not me, is it?”

  Florian hitched his next breath. “Madeline Le Torneau.”

  “The Energy Warrior? Doesn’t she hate you?”

  “Yep, that's her. And I don’t think so. Probably. It’s hard to tell sometimes.”

  Anik sighed dramatically. “It’s never me, sometimes I think I’m just too pretty for love.”

  Florian laughed. “And modest.”

  Anik smiled back. “So what do you know about Madeline besides she maybe doesn’t like you. What draws you to her? And I swear, Florian, if you say her boobs I’m going to throw this cup at your head, I’ve had enough of boys staring lately.”

  Florian raised his hands in mock surrender. “I wasn’t going to say that! I was going to say her ass.”

  Anik stared at him while he held back a smile that would make Lane proud. “Do you want to try that again?” She threatened, brandishing the cup at him.

  “Seriously though, her spirit is really impressive. There’s a strength to her, a mentality about her that I don’t even think she understands. The Prime and the Second are always going on and on about war and we’re in a war and don’t forget your training for war. If that’s true, I want to be on Madeline’s side because I know deep down she’s going to keep fighting against any odds.” Then, before he could stop himself he added, “Also, her boobs.”

  “You ruined it,” Anik complained but she put the cup down in its proper spot. “You said that nice thing then completely ruined it.”

  Florian winced. “It was a reflex. I’m not used to saying stuff like that. Out loud. To other people. I’ve only ever thought that, you know.”

  Anik sighed. “Okay, so you think she’s some sort of badass. Which means we need to find a gift that’s appropriate for someone you think might hate you but also is suitable for someone who wants to do some ass kicking.”

  “I mean, yeah that’s exactly it. You’re good at this,” Florian replied, a hint of appreciation in his voice. “Anik, I think you might be more helpful than Lane or Thad when it comes to gift selection.”

  “You think?” she replied sarcastically and led them through the aisles and to the sides of the shop where the more unique items were located. Florian looked at the merchandise without touching, browsing the knives and the scepters and other weapons that were completely inappropriate for a gift including clubs of differing sizes, halberds, swords, shotels and throwing stars.

  “What about this?” Florian asked, pointing to a thin silver bracelet that looked handcrafted by a smith. He checked the price, on the upper end of his range but still within it. “I like this one.”

  Anik sidled up to him, her arm lightly touching against his while she evaluated his choice. “It’s nice, feminine, and would look spectacular on my wrist. So unless you’ve changed your mind and want to take me to the coffee shop instead of Madeline, I think we should search for something else.” She nudged him playfully and moved on.

  They moved toward the far end of the shop where the oily haired saleswoman ignored Anik and greeted Florian by rubbing her hands together and bowing her head. “A gift for your lady, sir? I have plenty of choices in the back if you are looking for something special, she’s very beautiful indeed, only the best would do for such a vision,” the woman said in a soft, slow voice.

  “We’re only friends,” Anik said, rolling her eyes.

  “A thousand apologies, young miss, no offense meant, none at all,” she lowered her gaze. “Please do let me know if there’s anything I can help you with, anything at all,” she rubbed her hands together again and backed up, moving toward a couple that entered the shop.

  “Actually, ma’am? Would we be able to see the items in the back?” Florian asked, eyes drifting to Anik who nodded her agreement of a good idea.

  “Of course, sir, of course,” she said and spun around, hunched over even further leading them through the last vestiges of the shop and through a rounded wooden doorway marked ‘do not enter’.

  The violent rattling of a cage was the first thing Florian heard and instinctively he put his arm out to shield Anik, stepping in front of her just in case.

  “No need to be nervous, young sir, that’s our guard dog, we let him out to patrol in the evenings, he has plenty of food and water not to worry,” the lady said when she felt the tension in the room rise.

  Florian stepped away from Anik, expecting her to look frightened yet she looked more pleased than Florian had ever seen her. Rot, were women confusing.

  The old attendant excused herself when the bell at the front rang and promised she’d be back and gave a direct order to not touch anything.

  Florian entered the room properly and looked around, his eyes falling onto the perfect gift. “That’s it,” he whispered to Anik.

  “Oh no, Florian, it’s so angry. We’ll find something else.”

  “Oh yes,” he grinned. “She’ll love it.”