THE next day, Asmeen reached the field with a hope to resolve her conflict with Aven. He hadn't reached yet, and there were no additional props, so she simply sat down at the back, near Wylla and Elyn, whose partners had already arrived.

When Aven arrived, he saw her and frowned immediately. Asmeen forced a smile onto her face as he sat down. "I've been thinking," she began.

"Good job," Aven said, staring ahead.

She glared. "We agreed to be civil to each other. Let's just...try to put all this behind us."

Aven was silent for a moment. Then his shoulders slumped, and he gave her a wary look. "Alright. Let's."

Asmeen nodded, her smile not so forced anymore. Perhaps Aven wasn't so bad after all.

This was immediately proven wrong as soon as the first task was announced.

It was an essay. On the properties of certain roots. They were supposed to do it together. But as soon as Aven saw her write the first word, he shook his head. "Your handwriting is atrocious. I'll do it."

Asmeen gaped. "My handwriting is perfectly legible!" She hissed, careful not to let Dara or Osoric hear.

Aven raised a long, skeptical eyebrow at her. He didn't say anything, though, only took the quill and parchment, writing out the rest of the title.

Asmeen was beginning to go red, but she let out a long breath. Whatever. If he wanted to write, he could do so. It was more work for him, in any case.

"Now," Aven said, looking up at her expectedly. He'd stretched out, laying on his stomach on the grass, the parchment in front of him. His clothes would get dirty. Well, good. "What should we cover?"

Asmeen sighed. "Let's just explain in categories—roots for medicine, for nutrition, fertilization—and explain in detail."

Aven nodded, beginning to write, and Asmeen thought that it'd be fine after that.

She was wrong. Almost immediately, she noticed Aven writing echinacea for medicine.

"Echinacea isn't a medicine plant!" She hissed, her eyes widening. She started, leaning forward so fast that Aven's hand jerked, leaving a long line of ink across the page.

She could see his jaw clench. Aven turned his head, very slowly, to face her. "Yes, it is."

Asmeen's fingers curled. "No, it's not."

Aven shook his head sharply. "It is, I'm sure of it. You must not have heard of it. It's rather obscure."

Asmeen inhaled sharply. She was a Flower Child. Or, well, she wanted to be. She knew what the uses of plants were. She said as much. "You think I wouldn't know if it was used in medicine?"

"Yes," Aven said simply.

Asmeen let out a snarl, deep in her throat. "You are infuriating, you know that?"

"I could say the same to you," he said, his face almost blank. Still, she could see the irritation.

She glared. "I won't let you mess up our chances here."

"Neither will I," Aven said, his glare deepening. "I know what I'm doing. And now, thanks to you, I have to rewrite this entire page."

Asmeen scowled at him. "You chose to do the writing, didn't you?"

From there, it only deteriorated.

They bickered, but quiet enough that Dara and Osoric wouldn't hear. Asmeen knew Wylla and Elyn both did, for they gave her multiple warning looks. But even she couldn't hold herself back. She insulted his handwriting, he sniped at her knowledge of plants, and it only continued. How they got through that essay, even Asmeen didn't know.

They were one of the last groups to hand in their essay. Most of the other pairs had handed in their parchment and gone home. Wylla and Elyn were waiting for her at the edge of the field.

Asmeen had tucked all their used, discarded pieces of parchment in the pocket of her dress in an attempt to keep Dara and Osoric from seeing them. Asmeen and Aven handed them in, pretending to be civil in front of the two leaders, but as soon as they passed the trees, they shot each other scowls and headed in opposite directions.

Asmeen joined Wylla and Elyn walking out, Nara catching up with them as they entered the town.

"Oh, dear," Nara said, as soon as she caught sight of Asmeen's face. "I take it things didn't go well?"

"That boy is absolutely infuriating!" Asmeen said. "He thinks he knows more about plants than I do! And I'm training to be a Flower Child!"

Nara sighed. "I can see Nyma telling me he's said the same about you."

"You should have heard the two of them," Elyn said disparagingly. "They argued the entire time. It was shameful behavior, really."

"I couldn't help it!" Asmeen said, almost whining. "He kept insulting my handwriting, and saying he knew more than I did—"

"Well, your handwriting is rather bad," Wylla murmured.

Asmeen shot her a deep glare and continued. "And he's so arrogant. He thinks he's right all the time!" She scowled. "If either of you two had him for a partner, you'd see what I'm talking about. You wouldn't be able to hold yourselves back either."

Elyn tilted her head to side. "I would. I have self-discipline."

Aven gave her a glare as well.

"Well, you know you're going to have to put up with him for week now, yes?" Nara asked, her lips twitching. Why was she finding all this so amusing?

Asmeen sighed. "Don't remind me. I might just give up training if it means I don't have to see him again."

"Won't that just give him a greater chance at getting into the Children of the Night?" Elyn pointed out.

Asmeen blinked. "You're right. Well," she said determinedly. "I won't let that happen. I will be the one to make it, and he can see where his arrogance gets him."

"Does this mean you'll study even harder?" Elyn asked, her eyebrows rising.

All three of them gave her exasperated looks, seeing her obvious intention, but Asmeen nodded. "Yes."

Elyn almost smiled.

Nara peeled off as they reached their house, and Elyn knocked when they reached. Asmeen, still boiling, was expecting to see Azol open the door—not her father.

"What took you so long?" He asked, ushering them inside and shutting the door a bit too harshly.

The three of them exchanged uncertain looks.

"Well?" He asked, voice rising. "Speak, one of you."

"We had to write essays," Asmeen said finally, swallowing. "It took my partner and I some extra time. We...didn't see eye-to-eye on some things."

Her father's eyes narrowed. "And no detours to friends' houses were made?"

"Of course not!" Asmeen said. Wylla, wisely, remained silent. "We wouldn't do that. I swear on , as soon as I finished, we came straight home." She left out the part about Nara accompanying them, unsure how he would take it. They were supposed to be being punished, in any case.

Her father leaned back, crossing his arms. "I hope you're telling the truth. I will be asking around, and should I find anything that opposes what you're saying..." He trailed off, but the threat was clear.

"You won't," Asmeen said firmly. At least, she hoped Wylla hadn't done any rule-breaking lately without telling them. "Because I'm telling the truth."

He grunted. "Well, then? Go to your room."

Asmeen nodded, and the three of them scurried upstairs as fast as they could without outright running. Elyn closed the door as soon as they reached the room, and Wylla and Asmeen collapsed onto the bed.

Asmeen glanced at Wylla. "You haven't done anything lately, right? I mean—"

"I know what you mean," Wylla said, laying down and flinging a hand over her eyes. "And no, I haven't. Let's hope no one tells them about Nara and my friends walking with us, though. They might not like that."

Asmeen nodded, letting out a breath. Getting even more punishment wouldn't do. She wanted to go see Nara properly, and talk to Nyma. She especially wanted to tell Nyma about the stunning arrogance of her friend. And ask her why he was that way.

"Well," Elyn said, as soon as she'd finished changing. "We should get to studying now, shouldn't we?" She threw a pointed look Asmeen's way. "Weren't you determined to beat that partner of yours?"

"Yes," Asmeen said, standing up. She ignored Wylla's loud groan and undressed, throwing on her simplest dress. She even tied her hair up before she sat down with her notes. As much as she didn't want to study, she was set on showing Aven who really knew more. She wouldn't let him pretend to know everything the next day. No, she'd give him a taste of his own medicine.

With that goal, she focused on her notes with all her mind.

Yes, Elyn is very happy about Asmeen's new-found resolution to study.

See you next chapter!