Chapter Eighteen. Romance

As November grinds on, Walden throws herself into teaching, administration, and patrols, while tracking Nikki’s pastoral progress and coordinating with the new Chief Marshal. In class, teenage romance complicates dynamics: Will moons over Nikki, Nikki wavers, and the class assumes Walden is oblivious. Even Mark reports Will seeking advice.

Walden and Mark circulate a student survey; responses reveal lingering fear after the incursion and surprising affection for Laura Kenning’s presence. Schoolwide morale is low, with increased imp possessions and tense assemblies. The Phoenix presses Walden to “make your place good again,” but offers only domineering solutions.

Late one night while marking mock papers, Walden discovers the Phoenix can read English and evaluate diagrams. Startled, she probes how and why, and reframes teaching for the demon as helping a “small self” grow stronger. The Phoenix resists altruism but recognizes Walden’s identity as a teacher—a chosen self.

Applying that philosophy, Walden marks Mathias’s weak paper to reveal near-success rather than failure: she highlights correct work, reconstructs a better diagram he abandoned, and annotates to “trust yourself,” revising his overall impression toward a C/D. She plans a one-on-one to convert belief into performance, recognizing that teaching is inspiring, not merely correcting.

Mark then drops by after a late patrol. They share drinks, reminisce about school, and trade light banter. When it’s too late and cold to travel safely, Walden offers the spare room; Mark accepts, underscoring their easing camaraderie as Walden drifts to sleep, still privately haunted by thoughts of Laura.