I learned about the review on a Tuesday, when Professor Wren called me to the faculty room.
The Conservatory board sat around the long table, dressed in dark coats and polished shoes. A stack of reports waited at the center, each stamped with the school's silver seal.
"Your work with Noah has helped the restoration project," Professor Wren said. "We've also recorded two reciprocal exercises."
"Three," I said. "The first one wasn't on the official ledger."
"It was a supervised trial."
"We both signed it."
The board chair, a woman named Dr. Sloane, looked at the folder in front of her. "The first exercise lacked a verified partner declaration."
"We declared our shared goal."
"On a loose sheet."
"The same form Professor Wren gave us."
Dr. Sloane tapped one finger against the table.
