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“As previously stated,” Toland ground out, “these five students were busy saving the school They may not be able to pass their exams”

Dru rubbed a hand over his chin, gri “You can’t exempt them As a matter of fact, I am supposed to inforo unnoticed, and another similar breach of protocol will lead to your termination”

Toland paled So here that it did in the human job market

“They see in the rulebook that states how the questions on the exams must be phrased, just that the specific concepts must be understood Rewrite the exams to make them passable”

“Yeah,” Kai drawled His voice was languid, but I could see his hands clenching and unclenching into fists “Write them like, the answer is C”

Dru shot hi look, then shook his head

“Obviously not The exa with the scores, just as they always have They must be closed-book exams, but that doesn’t mean that hints can’t be projected on the wall Get creative Cover your tracks Figure it out But for the love of God, don’t get caught cheating”

Toland pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head “They should be allowed to help They have as much at stake in this war as anyone else—more than most by now They’ve been there, Dru, they’ve seen firsthand what Gavriel’s perfect world looks like, and it isn’t pretty”

“The committee says they will not be allowed to help until they prove themselves,” Dru said quietly “On paper”

Toland looked like he was going to start shouting again, but he just clenched his fists instead

“On paper,” he repeated bitterly “We lost students in those battles Brave, skilled students Students who are more loyal to humanity than ever before because they have now been on the receiving end of Gavriel’s heartless violence”

My throat tightened up, and I gripped the arms of lance that Toland didn’t see, then looked at Toland once more

“And for that, I aood people The best But ain by going against the committee You knoell as I do e have to lose The stakes are too high”

I wanted Toland to argue I wanted Dru to get on the phone and call the committee back, tell them that they were full of shit and that the fate of the world depended on the willingness to break the rules But they didn’t I hadn’t really expected the moments while Toland slowly came to terms with his imposed reality

He sighed heavily “Well, that’s it, then I can’t i a rescue expedition to the underworld if they won’t even allow these students to fight”