Kadir chuckled at her surprise.

”Greetings, Argis.”

Ethel looked between the two in surprise. “You know Argis already?”

“We met in a café today through a mutual friend,” he explained while giving Argis a look.

Please don’t question it, he seemed to imply.

“How wonderful!” Ethel exclaimed. “Please, sit. Dinner is ready. I do hope you like hartebeest.”

Dinner was awkward, at least for Argis. She had found out that Kadir was a private tutor, and well-renowned in other cities. Since his arrival in Ather two nights ago, everyone had been talking about him and Ashiel. Apparently, Ethel had heard news in the market of his arrival and convinced him that her ward would greatly benefit from the tutoring.

And so, Argis was caught in a conversation between an incredibly handsome man and her caretaker about her need for discipline. She couldn’t believe that he had known he would tutor her during the entire conversation they had at lunch.

So that’s why he was interested when he heard my name.

She wanted to sink into the ground and never come back.

“Argis, didn’t you study this afternoon? Tell Mr. Kadir what you studied.”

Argis looked up from her plate and saw his handsome blue eyes looking back into hers. She quickly looked down again, blushing.

”Today I was looking at a textbook called The Effects and Ethics of Probing Abilities,” she said. “The particular chapter described why you should just ask a friend how good at using magic they are rather than trying to discern their ability yourself.”

Kadir nodded thoughtfully. “Ah, yes, I am familiar with that textbook. I vaguely recall studying it myself during my schooling.” He gave a small chuckle to himself. “But I’m sure I had a much older version.”

“Kadir,” Argis said. He turned to look at her again. “At the café, did you know you would be tutoring me? You did know my name, if I remember correctly?”

Kadir smiled, causing Argis to blush again.

“Well, I had been approached already by Ethel about tutoring a girl called Argis. I accepted the offer, and we agreed on a place and time. Once I heard you introduce yourself, I thought that the names matched. But I didn’t know for sure, since there must be plenty of other Argis' out there. Besides, you seemed very capable.”

Argis felt that her whole face must look like a cherry tomato right now. She had to stop – she couldn’t fall for him yet! Such behavior would be incredibly inappropriate. Besides, he might rescind his offer to take her on a trip if he knew how she felt.

“Oh, Argis needs the tutoring. I can promise you that,” Ethel interjected. “She doesn’t listen to a word that anyone says.”

Argis’ face grew hotter.

By the end of dinner, it seemed that Ethel and Kadir got along quite well. They bantered and laughed, exchanging many stories. However, Argis was relieved that dinner finally ended. She offered to walk Kadir to the door while Ethel cleaned up.

“It was nice meeting you again,” she told him. “Will you be coming with Ashiel tomorrow?”

“Certainly,” he responded. "And I do hope I didn't cause too much embarrassment tonight."

His answer made Argis smile. Kadir was such a gentleman. She would look forward to the meeting, then, and try her best to come on time.

“Then, I shall see you tomorrow.” Argis began to close the door behind him when he spoke up again.

“Argis, wait! About the offer Ashiel made today – I am still planning on leaving Ather within the next week.” He looked down at the ground, then up at her again through his eyelashes.

“I would be honored if you’d like to come. But I understand that I have given very short notice about my departure. Although I would be sorry to leave you here, I understand if such a trip is not feasible.”

“No, no, I would love to go!” exclaimed Argis. Then, she remembered Sabine’s departing words. “But perhaps we can speak about it tomorrow.”

Kadir smiled. “Yes, perhaps. Rash decisions never bode well. Goodnight, Argis.” The man stepped off her porch and appeared to dissolve, teleporting himself to his night's lodging.

After seeing all the particles disappear, Argis closed the door and ran back to her bedroom. Ethel was occupied with cleaning up from dinner, and didn't notice Argis run by. Getting to her bedroom, the girl pulled a bag down from her highest shelf, then proceeded to fill it with important items like clothing, books, and spells. She fully intended to leave at the end of the week with Kadir, so had to begin preparations soon.

In the back of her mind, Argis knew that Ethel would never approve such a trip. Even though Kadir might be a tutor, the woman had never allowed Argis to leave the city in the past. There had been other tutors, other friends, that wanted Argis to come on an educational trip or vacation, but Argis always had to stay at home. This may be her only chance to ever see the world. 

Besides, Argis had even thought through Ethel's enchantment. Kadir would break it for her, right? The two were friends, and it seemed like he truly wanted her to come along. He was probably stronger than Ethel anyways, and wouldn't mind if Argis explained that her guardian was simply overprotective and confining. Argis would leave the city, even just for a little bit. She would explore, and she would have her adventure. Even if it broke Ethel's heart.