“Professor this—this is not how things are done! Each tribe has runes that are sacred, secret. They give economic leverage against the other tribes in times of peace, and protection in times of war. The Watatzi may well have been hiding that rune for thousands of years! It’s not right for your mentor to come along and steal it!”

“I see. Well, you are, of course, entitled to your opinion.”

“What? But, this is not my opinion, this is truth! There are things that are right and things that are wrong! I—” Her tirade spluttered out, and for once she was completely at a loss for words.

“We’ll speak about this after class,” Devon said and turned his attention to the room. “For now, let’s continue our work with the life rune. Yenni Ajani?”

As Yenni moved, trancelike, to attend Professor Devon, Diedre touched her on the wrist. “All right, mams?” she whispered.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I’m with you on this one. I did like Desroches, but this is just sneaky.”

“Thank you,” Yenni whispered back and Diedre squeezed her hand before letting it go.

Yenni helped hand out pots of dying flowers. Using the life rune, as it was translated in Creshen, the class would work on bringing the plants back to health. It was a useful rune, especially in times of bad harvest, and it was the base rune for many other runes as well, including healing runes.

They spent the rest of the class working on the plants. Yenni somehow found the strength to push back her horror and disappointment. She flitted from student to student, giving advice on how to draw the life rune—the correct pressure with the brush, where to strengthen and soften the voice—until at last the hour was up, and they were left with flowers in varying states of health.

Soon everyone was filing out of class, and a few threw Yenni guilty looks. Diedre was the last to file out, and she gave Yenni a glance heavy with meaning. Let him have it, her eyes seemed to say. Once everyone was gone Yenni rounded on Devon, but he spoke before she could.

“I understand why you might be upset,” he said, moving around picking up plants. “Truly. But can’t you see that what Gilles has done is for the good of all mankind? Now the High Magus Council will have to take runelore seriously.”

“What Desroches had done will be perceived as an act of betrayal, perhaps even an act of war,” said Yenni as she brushed up the remnants of the herbs used for runepaint.

Devon paused, his eyes going wide. “But that’s a bit extreme, wouldn’t you say?”

“No. Most of our wars have been fought over runes. That rune likely gave the Watatzi leverage and prestige with the other tribes in a way neither you nor your mentor understand.”