Yenni crossed her arms. “Did he,” she said flatly.

“Yes. And not only did they refuse to acknowledge the superiority of the rune to its Creshen equivalent, they’ve declared it unsanctioned magic, so now it’s illegal to use it within the Empire!”

“Wonderful!” said Yenni. She must still find a way to warn the Watatzi about that unscrupulous Gilles Desroches, but at least the rune would not be publicized.

Devon’s eyebrows flew up. “But doesn’t that bother you? This is blatant prejudice! The deception rune is clearly a better alternative to Ibeena’s Sensory Illusion. They’ve only outlawed it to further perpetrate the notion that Creshen magic is superior to all magic!”

Yenni shrugged. “If your Magi’s own ignorance keep them from reaping the benefits of a stolen rune, so much the better. Either way, there is nothing to be done about it now.”

“Oh, Yenni Ajani,” said Devon, and he shook his head in disappointment. She didn’t hold back from rolling her eyes.

“We should begin preparing for today’s lesson,” she said.

“Oh! Oh yes, of course.” He stepped aside and Yenni entered the dim, creaky schoolroom. She went to the store cupboards and took out all the herbs and sap for runepaint, setting herself up on the long, wooden table up front. She felt Devon’s eyes on her, and caught him watching her intently, as if he had something more to say.

“What is it?” she asked him.

“I worry for you. But you’ll be just fine.” He nodded firmly to himself. “Just fine.”

At sunset that day Weysh flew Yenni to mail home a letter that updated her family about the attack. She hated that she would cause them concern, but she was also concerned for them. If it truly was the Gunzu who were out for her, had they attacked her home as well? Praise all the Mothers and Fathers for her n’baba’s foresight. The runes on her palms, largely unchanged, were all that allowed her to sleep at night.

And sleep that night she did, at Weysh’s.

After mailing the letter, he took her back to his townhouse. As she prepared for bed Yenni’s stomach fluttered with nerves. The last time they had been alone in his bedroom he was being so kind and caring that Yenni had kissed him in the heat of the moment, and then things had escalated so quickly. But truth be told, a large part of her was scared to take things further. Though there was no proof she’d been ambushed by the Gunzu, she couldn’t help linking her dalliances with Weysh to the attack, as if it were a punishment for ignoring her obligation to her tribe. And so she felt that should she take the next step with him something worse would occur.