I leave Oliver and Rhayne at the academy gates.
"Rhayne. Get that arm looked at. Find a healer who's not booked. Then find Veric."
She nods.
"Tell him I'm Rank D now. Tell him I made 18 Plates of Scales in two weeks. Tell him I need him in Rae's office in ten minutes."
Veric will bite the money. He always bites the money.
"Ten minutes?"
"Ten. Not more, not less."
She looks at me without fully understanding. Nods anyway. She's learned by now—when I give her an exact time, the time is part of the plan.
"Oliver. Stay with her. Anyone unusual gets close, you ping me in the comm."
"Got it, boss."
I hand the task to Rhayne instead of doing it myself. Going to Veric in person, or pinging him on the comms, would generate energy and argument I don't have the budget for. Rhayne delivering the message strips out all the noise. Veric will read three things: rank, money, location. He'll come.
I climb the administrative wing alone.
