“Now you know why your father was so secretive about how we were protecting you, Abi,” Ketnar said, when the boy was gone. “We didn’t want the slightest chance of this to get out. Now the mystery is how your answers ended up on his exam paper.”

In a blinding flash, at least one explanation occurred to Abi. “Someone got hold of a blank exam copy,” she said. “Then they got Geoffer’s paper and my paper and copied my answers onto the blank, and put Geoffers’ name on it and slipped both back into the pile. But it would have to have been someone that didn’t know math, or they’d know the answers didn’t match the questions on the blank.”

“They’d also have to have been in a hurry, concentrating only on the answers, or they would have noticed the questions themselves didn’t match.” Master Ketnar nodded. “I think my next move will be to talk to the scribes who copy out our exams for us. This should be very interesting.” Finally he smiled slightly. “I’m sorry if I put you through any anxiety, Abi, but your presence here was necessary.”

“It’s all right, Master,” she replied, although the headache that now bloomed behind her eyes was absolutely monumental, and her jaw hurt from clenching it too tightly. “I understand. In case you couldn’t get him to confess, you needed to make it look as if I was the one in trouble.” But now that she knew what had been going on, anger smoldered inside her. Would it have been so very hard for her father to have told her what he and Master Ketnar intended to do?

You’re a good actress, Abi, but not that good. You wouldn’t have been able to feign the panic when you thought Dudley had trapped you.

True. But still!

“I don’t feel well, Master,” she said finally. “May I be excused for the rest of the day?”

Finally, finally, he looked at her, and his reaction was everything she could have wished. “Good gods, child, you’re as white as snow! I didn’t mean to frighten you that badly, I promise you! Yes, indeed, you may be excused. I think you should lie down for a while. Do you need someone to go with you to your rooms?”

“I don’t think so, Master,” she said. “Thank you. I’ll be going now.”

But she hadn’t gotten farther than the Palace proper when Kee and Tory came charging toward her out of nowhere, accompanied by Gryphon. She was so startled she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Abi, Abi, we’re here to help!” Tory said, holding up a wet towel. “Put this on your neck! And lean on us!”

“Yiss!” Kee echoed. “Here!” and he grabbed her hand and put it on his shoulder. “We’ll help you home!”