For over an hour Ciri had been sitting at sixes and sevens at the refectory, her face buried in her hands. That shmuck of an elf had made havoc of her thoughts, made her feel as if she had just stepped in a pile of stinky and utterly vomitous mass. She had even completely forgotten that in merely half an hour she was to face the adorable Eredin Breacc Glass. All she could think of was that in no way remarkable but haughty elvish face. So, he wished to see her in class the next time. Very well - he would see her. And he would regret it for she would have him cringe with shame and embarrassment.

- Shirking as usual, huh? - Ciri heard a sniffy chuckle behind her back.

She raised her heard only to see Yennefer standing right next to her. All in black, Yenn never changed her colors, a glamorous show-off, as always half-naked and with that bitchy look on her beautiful face.

- Speak for yourself, - retorted Ciri icily.

- I haven't missed a single class until today - there's no need to attend the two last ones, I'm going to get my pass anyways.

- I could also say that I would not benefit from visiting the last classes: our elf will not let me pass without taking the exam. I tell you what, I just bumped into that "philosopher's stone" only an hour ago. I seem to have run out of luck.

- You're talking about Mr Caomhan?

- Whoooo eeelsssse?

- Here?

- Yes!

- He got lost or what?

- How the hell am I supposed to know?

- What did he want from you?

- Hm. He wanted to hear from me a plausible excuse for my absence.

- Do you have one?

Ciri shrugged her shoulders.

- I guess, I have, and my excuse is him being a complete prick.

- Hm, - meanwhile Yenn took a seat by Ciri's side, - sure, he is a prick but not more of a prick than anybody else. Just your average elf.

- Well, more than average, I would say. His face is quite cute.

- Ah, nah, he's that puny little thing.

- He's quite tall actually.

- I'm not talking about his height. He's that pale skeleton-like type. Not what I like at all. Perhaps he should do some exercise, like twenty push-ups a day, I dunno.

- A brawny philosopher? A bit over the top, don't you think? Maybe a monocle would complement him?

- He has glasses already.

- Seriously?

- Why not? I tell you, our philosopher is rubbish of a guy and looks like homo. At least, he's nothing like Eredin with that body of his. So many things to explore underneath his clothes.

- Thanx for reminding me.

- Sad as it is, as far as I know, Mr Breacc Glas, has never been spotted romancing a student.

- Such a shame.

- However, I cannot say the same about Mr Caomhan.

- What? - Ciri bugged out her eyes.

- Did you not hear that story?

- What story?

- About a girl who noosed him like ten years ago... What was her name? Like Lara or something.

- No "happily-ever-after", I guess?

- No. She spurned him in the end and found another prey. And Avallac'h turned out less noble than he might seem to be. Wanted to have her expelled by not giving her a pass in his subject. But that gal was our dean Auberon's daughter. It goes without saying that the one who got kicked out was Avallac'h himself. He was not fired, of course, but had to change his habitat, so to say. He was as mad as a wet hen after that. With time he got better. I even haven't heard him put a spoke in anybody's wheel recently. But it seems like he's given up females all at once. So, if you ask me, I think he has a thing for guys now.

- Hm, and I thought he was born a prick.

- Anyways, - said Yenn, changing the subject, - are you ready to meet the un-dead?

- Oh, shiiiiit! It cannot be today! Tell me it's not today!

- But it is.

- I am not ready to face it today, - Ciri shook her head in distress. She could not believe it could have slipped from her memory that she was to attend the dead-house today together with her group. Mr Breacc Glas had warned them like fifty times already but Ciri had not thought that day would come so soon. She was scared shitless of death, of that smell, that the dead would rise and... Or worse even - that she would puke right in front of Eredin and then she would faint. She simply could not face such indelible disgrace. Not now, at least. However, it had been her idea to follow in her dad Geralt's footsteps and now she had to deal with the consequences of her own choice. She could have chosen management or something. But it was late now: the dead were waiting.

- I'm not going, - repeated Ciri resolutely. - Not for all the treasures of the world. Not today.

- What for are you waiting then? For Mr Caomhan to save you from zombies?

- I'm scared of them, it's true but he is more repulsive to me than any of the undead.

- Well, I leave you here then, - Yenn got up, - because I am going. I'll just look at Eredin's butt all the time and won't notice much else.

- He'll be wearing an overall...

- Kinda too bad. I've been imagining him on that table naked, pretending to be dead.

- You're sick, you know.

So, Yennefer left. Ciri sat at the refectory for a little while longer. She decided she would not go anywhere today after all but would drop by to see Mr Glas tomorrow. She would think of some lies to tell, like she always did, would ask for his personal assistance, would wear heels and come to see him half-naked just like Yenn. Perhaps he would succumb to her female charms then.