“There are those who feel that somehow his madness has been passed on to me,” Weysh continued. “I can’t say I’ve done much to dissuade the notion. I probably shouldn’t have bounced from woman to woman as I did but”—he sighed—“it was comforting.”

“Those people are wrong,” said Yenni with all the finality of a princess making a royal proclamation. Weysh squeezed her hand back and bent to touch his forehead to hers.

“Thank you, Yenni.”

He wanted the night to go on forever, but as they reached the edge of the boardwalk and the planks yielded to the black ocean, Yenni stopped and turned to him. “This has been such a wonderful night, Weh-sheh, the best I’ve had since coming to Cresh, but we should get home. We still have exams to pass.”

“I don’t suppose you’d like to come back with me?” he asked hopefully, but Yenni shook her head.

“Not tonight. Please take me back to my suite.”

Weysh nodded. “So be it. But you must pay the fare regardless. It’s doubled, by the way.”

“What? Doubled? But why?”

Weysh shrugged. “Supply and demand, lovely. There’s nothing I can do.”

“This is, how do you say it, extortion!” she said in mock outrage.

“You’re royalty, you can more than afford it. Now come here and stop being cheap.”

He took her soft face in his hands and kissed her. The dings of the buoys, the music, and the lapping of the ocean against the boardwalk all fell away. For long moments there was nothing but warm, sweet Yenni.

“I collect the first half on setting out and the second half on delivery,” he murmured once they broke apart.

“That was at least ten fares in one!” Yenni cried.

“Nope,” said Weysh, grinning at her. “As long as we remain unbroken it counts as one. You really should have studied up on Creshen economics before leaving the palace, Your Highness.”

“Oh shut up, Dragon,” she said and lightly slapped his arm. “Well, tell me this: what happens if I refuse to pay when we reach my destination?”

“I’ll simply fly around with you on my back until you do. Forever, if need be. That, or I might eat you.”

Yenni’s mouth dropped open. “Weh-sheh,” she whispered. “Have you ever . . .”

“Oh, Kindly Watcher! Really, Yenni? Now who’s being ignorant?”

“Well, I mean to say . . . so the answer is no?”

Weysh rolled his eyes and shook his head. “No, Yenni, I have never eaten someone, but there’s a first time for everything, and you’re looking particularly delicious right now, so don’t tempt me.”

“If you do, I will give you the worst stomachache you have ever had in your life.”

Weysh threw his head back and laughed, loud and free. “Come, let me get you home before I get myself in trouble.”

27