Before Elspeth could decide who to choose next, James gave himself a quick once over, noticing that he was still indeed covered in soot. He pondered for a moment, trying to get a grasp on exactly why Elspeth wanted him to be kept dirty like this. Was there some credence in her statement that he was to serve as an example of the type of literal mess that could arise from careless magic use? Was this some type of humiliation? If so, it seemed leagues better than anything else negative he had experienced throughout the lesson. Or was there something-?
His train of thought was ultimately broken upon looking up to see the next girl standing in front of him. She was a (naturally, of course) pretty girl with curly hair, standing at a medium height with a singular mole on her right cheek, and a thoroughly freckled face.
James nodded at her, not sure what else to do or to say, as the girl quietly looked him over with a questionable smile on her face.
“Leah, no hurting him”, Elspeth cautioned, which sent a chill down James’s spine. Was this girl going to be the next Morgan or Abigail?