Dean gave her a long look. "This is why Arion giving you administrative access was a strategic disaster."
"No," Sylvia said. "It was a wonderful decision. For me."
"That is not a useful metric."
"It is the only one I currently recognize."
Dean was about to answer when the faculty assistant near Andrea bowed, withdrew with visible relief, and disappeared through one of the side doors as if grateful to have survived whatever polite cruelty had passed for conversation.
Andrea remained where he was.
For one long second, he simply looked at Dean.
Then he came forward.
