Chapter 12: The Offer

Linus found his glasses and his pants in that order, and was buttoning the second button of his flannel when the door opened.

Mattias had unlocked it.

He stood in his boxers with the sling hanging off one shoulder, and his shoulders were braced.

Gustav Pehrson stepped inside.

He was taller than his son, in a charcoal overcoat with snow on the shoulders, and he looked at the room in one slow sweep.

The unmade bed.

The sling on the floor.

The shirt on the lampshade, and the second bed untouched, and the boy from Hibbing standing with his collar open and his face on fire.

"I see," said the Chancellor.

"Dad."

"I came to hand you this in person."

He took an envelope from his coat and set it on the desk.

"The Registrar's final warning. December nineteenth. Two-point-oh, or you are withdrawn."

"I know the date," Mattias said.

"I doubt you read the letter," Gustav said.

Mattias flinched, only slightly, and Linus saw it.

He saw Gustav see it, too, and let it pass.

"You must be Mr. Maki," the Chancellor said, turning.

His eyes were pale and level.

"The Resident Scholar who filed the complaint."

"Yes, sir," Linus said.

"I read it. It was well written."

"Thank you, sir," Linus said.

"I have no objection to what the two of you are doing."

The Chancellor's gaze flicked once to the bed.

"I don't care who my son sleeps with. I care that he cannot keep a two-point-oh."

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