Weysh wanted to groan aloud. This was the absolute last thing he needed, but Carmenna was looking right at him—it would be rude to ignore her. And besides, what was she doing with Noriago of all people?

He crossed over to them. “Hello, Carmenna, you’re looking well.”

“Weysh.” Carmenna nodded at him and stood straighter, the picture of civility. She clung tighter to Noriago, who smirked at him, a strange, eager glint in his eyes.

“Messer Nolan, fancy meeting you here.”

“Erm, yes,” said Weysh, glancing between Noriago and Carmenna. He suspected it wasn’t his place to say anything, but he’d never been good at keeping his mouth shut. “Carmenna, could I have a word?”

“What for?” Noriago challenged him.

“I was talking to Carmenna,” said Weysh.

“What would you have to talk to her about? She’s not your Given. She doesn’t want to talk to you, Nolan.”

“Carmenna can speak for herself,” Weysh snapped, his already frayed nerves fraying further.

“What is it, Weysh? Say what you have to say,” said Carmenna.

“Look, we may not be Given, Carmenna, but I still care what happens to you. He,” Weysh said, and jabbed his finger in Noriago’s direction, “is not someone you want to associate with.”

Carmenna’s eyes went soft, uncertain. “You care about me?”

Noriago rolled his eyes. “Enough,” he said. “You can’t have every woman in Imperium Centre, Nolan. Let’s go,” he said to Carmenna, and took her wrist, pulling her away.

“Wait,” she cried, and pulled back.

“Let her go,” snarled Weysh. He took a step after them. Noriago did, in fact, let Carmenna go, but only to whirl around and shove Weysh hard enough to make him stumble back.

“Or what, rat prick?”

Gasps and murmurs rose from the shoppers around them. Weysh closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Can’t touch him. I’ll go to jail. Can’t touch him. I’ll get expelled.

He opened his eyes and looked pointedly past Noriago at Carmenna. “Let’s get you back to campus.”

Noriago pushed up close to Weysh’s face and let a bunch of curses fly in Espannic. “You think you’re better than me? Change, let’s settle this right here.”

Weysh gave him an incredulous look. “You want to fight. In dragon. On the streets of West Castle West.” The place was usually crawling with peacekeepers, though he couldn’t see any in the immediate area. But there was a guardhouse the next street over.

“I just can’t understand what makes you think you’re above me, Nolan, you know?” Noriago said, and shoved him again. Weysh curled his hands into two fists at his sides.

Can’t touch him. Can’t touch him. Cursed Movay, he should have just kept his big mouth shut. He had to leave before he got himself into even more trouble.

“Carmenna,” he said again. Urgent. Pleading.