The line shuffled forward until Mira stepped up to the desk. The official, a stern-looking man with half-moon spectacles and a quill that floated by itself, didn't even glance up.
"Name and crest," he droned.
"Mira Alden," she answered clearly, posture perfect.
The quill scratched across the glowing ledger, leaving neat, golden ink in its wake. "Age?"
"Seventeen."
"Ability?"
Mira hesitated only for the span of a breath before answering. Her voice was firm, steady, practiced. The quill wrote swiftly, and the official finally looked up with a nod.
"Accepted. Proceed to orientation."
Mira stepped aside, shooting Zane a look that was half warning, half don't embarrass me.
Zane stepped up to the desk, trying to mimic her confident stride. It lasted about two steps before he tripped slightly on the carpet and caught himself with a cough. "Ahem. Totally intentional. Adds flair."
The official raised an unimpressed brow. "Name."
"Name? Right, of course. That's easy. It's, uh…" Zane's brain did a somersault. "Zane. Yup. Just… Zane."
The quill hovered, waiting. The official squinted. "Surname?"
Zane blinked. "Sur…? Oh. You want the deluxe version. Uh. No surname. Just Zane. Simpler that way, less paperwork, you know?"
The official's mouth twitched but he moved on. "Age?"
"Seventeen-ish. Closer to seventeen than eighteen, so let's just round down, yeah?"
The man sighed and wrote 17. "Power?"
Zane grinned, leaning on the desk like this was the easiest question in the world. "None."
The quill froze. The official looked up slowly. "…None?"
"Yup. Big fat nothing. Zilch. Nada." Zane gestured grandly. "Behold: the least threatening person you'll ever meet."
The man pinched the bridge of his nose. "You do realize this is a magic academy."
"Yup. Which makes me exotic."
A few students in line behind them snickered. Mira pressed a hand to her forehead, wishing desperately for the floor to swallow her whole.
The official muttered something under his breath, then scribbled on the ledger with sharp, annoyed strokes. "Fine. Zane. Age seventeen. Ability: none. Accepted."
Zane's face lit up. "Wait—seriously? Just like that?"
"Don't make me regret it," the man said flatly, waving them along.
Zane turned, shooting Mira a victorious grin. "See? Easy peasy. Told you I had this under control."
Mira's eye twitched. "You are going to be the death of me."