A rope of air around your wrists and ankles wavers like a mirage. "What gives?" you ask Wilcox.
"New faculty have to demonstrate a small act of pattern prowess at their first faculty meeting," Wilcox says, brow furrowed in concentration as he keeps pattern energy flowing into the loops binding you.
This is ridiculous. Your interviews with the faculty were exhaustive, and their dive into your past work exhausting. There's zero need for Wilcox to test you, except as hazing. You look at Eze, who shrugs. "Tradition."
"This isn't really necessary, is it?" Darcy says.
Wilcox's huffy expression indicates it is. "You were tested at your first faculty meeting, were you not?"
"Yes, but we don't have to continue the practice."
Wilcox fans his leather pattern cards. "Perhaps your previous posting didn't test you sufficiently? If not, I could include you in this exercise."
Darcy holds up her hands in surrender.
"Well, Bomomsay Clestenrogo?" Wilcox asks. "Feel free to get yourself free, as it were." He checks his watch, then reflexively glances at the door.
Dr. Ellison emailed that no one was to test you at the faculty meeting. Wilcox is likely to drop the pattern right before Dr. Ellison arrives, though that would cost you standing in his and Eze's eyes.