He’d thought—hoped—she’d snap back at him for that. But she didn’t. Aching, he watched as she slid from the bench and walked to the duck pond’s soggy, weed-frilled edge. There she stood with her back to him, her head lifted defiantly… and with her arms hugged tight to her ribs, holding herself against the angry grief he could feel churning through her in enormous, sickening waves.

“Barl.” He bit his lip. “Tell me the truth. Did you really think they would let you in?”

“I don’t know,” she said, after a long silence. “I wanted to. Honestly, I thought they might. I thought there was a chance they’d see past themselves and do the right thing. For the College. For Dorana.”

In that case, she truly had been living in a dream. “I know how much you wanted this. I’m so sorry.”

“Really?” she said, not turning. “I’d have thought you’d want to gloat. Prance about shouting I told you so.”

And that hurt. “How can you say that?”

“Easily,” she said, shrugging again. “I’ve always been nastier than you, Remmie.”

“Then you can bite your nasty tongue,” he snapped. “Just because this has fallen out the way I always thought it would doesn’t mean I’m pleased you’ve been slapped down.”

“But you’re pleased I’m not leaving Batava, aren’t you? Pleased you’re not being dragged along at my heels again.”

“And what if I am? Does that mean I can’t be genuinely sorry you’re disappointed?”

She flicked him a darkly sardonic glance. “Do you know what I think? I think you’d have sulked a while, and then fallen in love with Elvado. I think you tell yourself you love Batava because it’s easier, it’s less painful, than admitting the truth.”

His fingers were clenching again. With an effort he relaxed them. “And what truth would that be?”

“That you wish as much as I do you had the chance to live there. To maybe get yourself noticed by some of the greatest mages in all Dorana.”

Shocked, he felt the hard thud of his heart. She doesn’t mean it. She can’t. She’s hurt, and she’s lashing out. But even though he knew that, he couldn’t stop himself from lashing back.

“I don’t know why it is you never believe what I say. What will it take to convince you I’m not interested in being noticed? I couldn’t care less for your great mages, Barl. Most everything I need to make me happy is here in Batava. And no matter what you say, no matter how hard you try to tell yourself, and me, that you know my heart better than I do? You don’t.”

Silence, as his sister watched the drake dabble and splash in the pond’s murky water. And then she heaved a great sigh.