From A Divided Heart, book 3 in Thieves' Guild Academy Bundle 1

In this scene from A Divided Heart, Brinn and his co-teacher, Hahlibeth, have arrived to meet their newly-fostered charge for the first time, and take her home.

In the residence hall where Dresden and the other Kin lived, Brinn went back over the plan. After he met Dresden, he'd help her pack her school uniforms, and then take her home and get her settled.

After greeting them, the dorm Administrator escorted them to the floor where the students lived.

The door to their room was open, and two children sat on one of the six small beds, sharing a flatscreen on their laps. The other three sat in a circle on another bed. All five fastened their gazes on Brinn and then Hahlibeth. No one spoke.

"Children, how are you this evening?" The Administrator took a step back. "This is Mr. Brinn, and Ms. Hahlibeth."

"We know who they are." Dresden climbed off the bed and stood. Except for amber cat's eyes, she looked human. HalfKin were a genetic grab bag. One might look more like the human parent, and another might resemble the Kin.

Of the four other children in the room, only two of the girls had pointed Kin ears atop their heads. Which, as Kin liked to say, was where ears belonged.

"I'll leave you to it." The Administrator gave a short bow, and left.

"Hello." Brinn held up a hand.

"Hi, everybody." Hahlibeth smiled. "I'm happy to meet all of you."

Fihnn, youngest of the HalfKin students and the only boy, scrambled off the bed and toddled over to Hahlibeth. "Look, teacher!" As she stooped before him, he stuck a finger in his mouth. "I got a fang!"

"Oh, my." She squatted beside him. "And a nice one too. What do you think, Brinn?"

He went down on one knee. A single sharp tooth poked through the gum behind a loose bottom front tooth. "Wow! That's amazing. Did it hurt coming in?"

"Nuh uh. I was brave." Fihnn turned to the girl on the bed. "Wasn't I, Monti? I was brave. I didn't cry one bit. Monti says it's okay to cry, but I didn't."

That all the HalfKin children shared a dorm room, Brinn knew. He hadn't thought about what it would be like when a Guild family fostered one child, leaving the others behind. He renewed his vow to do all in his power to ensure each foster child found a loving home.

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