Unbelievable. Here was, in his own way, a man more stubborn than Weysh. Clearly she was not getting through to him, and she was tired of wasting her breath. Yenni snatched her back-satchel up from her seat and shrugged it on.

“I appreciate everything you have done for me, Professor Devon, but wrong is wrong.” She shook her head and left him spluttering after her.

25

Diedre was waiting for Yenni on the stone steps to Devon’s classroom.

“Well?” she said as she stood.

Yenni put her head in her hand. “Like trying to reason with a ram, as we say. Come, I need to get away from here for now.”

They set off for the campus proper, abandoning the scrubby, dry grass and dingy outbuildings for the whitestone path, manicured lawns, and distinguished spires of the academy.

“Was only a matter of time, yes?” said Diedre. “Watch, in five years runes will be the latest fashion here.”

“It’s just so infuriating!” Yenni cried. “What is wrong with Creshen men? It’s like I say one thing and they hear another!”

“The women same way,” said Diedre. “But they have their charms.”

“I’m so disappointed, Diedre. I have always thought of Devon as the opposite of Mainard, open headed instead of closed, but now I am not sure. A part of me wants to give up the class completely, but who knows what other sacrilege Devon will spread without me there to correct him? And I suppose I need the teaching stipend besides.”

Yenni sighed and fell into a brooding silence as they walked. Coupled with her betrayal was a nagging sense of unease and guilt. Should she make the existence of this rune known to her family? The Creshens were about to expose it to the world anyway. But to do so would make her no better than that unscrupulous Gilles Desroches, would it not?

“Well, if you go, I go. You’re the only reason I still take this class, mams. Devon does try, but he can’t teach me much I don’t already know or can’t learn in books. I know some of the others will feel the same.” Then, as if reading her mind, Diedre added, “You plan to tell your people about the rune?”

Yenni bit her lip. “I don’t know. I am loyal to them, but if I tell them does that make me as bad as these two? Would you do it?”

“I . . . am glad is not my problem, mams,” said Diedre.

Yenni cut Diedre a glance from the side of her eye. “You are so incredibly helpful,” she said.

The taller girl laughed and squeezed Yenni around the shoulder. “Ugh, this is depressing, yes? Let’s change the topic.” Her face turned sly. “Tell me why you have dragons droppin’ from the sky at your feet.”

Yenni groaned. “Deedee . . .”