“You will come with us,” she said. “Resist, and as I said, you will be subdued using whatever force is necessary. You may not speak until you are in official custody, and then you will be interrogated to determine first strike.”

She gestured and a couple of her officers moved forward. They held gag cloths, manacles, and dragon collars that would keep the two dragons from changing. The restraints all glowed with the strength of their magical wards.

The cold stone in Weysh’s stomach turned to a block of ice. He’d punched Noriago first, and he’d be charged with first strike. And once the powers that be at Prevan heard what happened, they would expel him for sure. Five years of hard work, his shot at a high-paying post in the military, all of it gone right as he’d found his Given. Damned, thrice-cursed Movay.

“Wait!” someone cried. The gathered crowd seemed to shiver as someone pushed their way through. It was the woman from before, the one Noriago had almost hit with his tail. Her pudgy face was red. “It was all him,” she said, stabbing a finger at Noriago. “He nearly sent me flying! That man was just trying to defend himself,” she said, and held out a hand in Weysh’s direction. “He even tried to get away.” She pointed at Carmenna. “The fight had something to do with that young woman there. She can tell you, the weaselly one there started everything!”

Others in the crowd murmured their agreement. The high peacekeeper turned to Carmenna. “Is this true? Who had first strike?” she demanded.

“It . . . I mean, that is . . .”

“I will remind you it is against the law to lie to a high officer.”

Carmenna lowered her eyes and pointed to Noriago. “Luiz had first strike. He shoved Weysh. Twice.”

Luiz snapped his head up from where he knelt on the ground and fired off an explosion of rapid Espannic, earning him another zap from the peacekeepers. Carmenna cringed.

The high peacekeeper took off her helmet, revealing a green face and shiny green hair cut in a short bob to her chin. She sighed. “Very well, you’re free to go,” she said to Weysh.

Weysh dropped his hands and exhaled. “Thank you,” he said to the high officer, and then again to the woman who’d come to his defense, “Thank you.”

She straightened up and beamed at him. “Oh, you’re very welcome, young man.”

And then to Carmenna. “Thank you.”

“All I did was tell the truth,” she said.

Noriago shook as they pulled him upright, gagged, and bound him. He glared at Weysh as if he could kill him with his eyes alone, and Weysh knew somewhere, somehow, Noriago would exact his revenge.

As the crowd dispersed, helped along by the peacekeepers, Weysh felt a light touch on his arm.

“Are you all right?” Carmenna asked.