“Oh, I have said something foolish, haven’t I?”

“This from you of all people? Why not marry your prince, same way? I fell for Nannette, and Nannette is a woman, but more important, she understands me.”

Yenni cringed; Diedre was right. “Sorry, Deedee.”

“No foul, mams, I think you get the picture now. But at least you two are Given, there must be some kind of way to make it work. If there is even a small chance, you should take it. I would,” she finished softly.

Yenni took Diedre’s hand, offering and receiving comfort. Zui hailed for another bottle of wine, and the three of them settled into lighter chatter: which professors they liked and disliked, and plans for the upcoming break. And though Yenni still wasn’t sure what to do about Weysh, just talking about it helped her feel better, free of something heavy and straining. For the rest of the evening she simply reveled in the warmth of the alcohol flowing through her veins, and of conversation with good friends.

Third quarter exams came and went, and after furious weeks of revision Yenni was once more in the clear, having passed everything. One morning, shortly after the last semester of classes had started, Yenni woke to Weysh shaking her. She bolted up, instinctively pulling on her runes and scanning the green rooftop.

“What is it?”

“I think I can smell you.”

He proceeded to snuffle around her neck and shoulders.

She slapped at him. “Weh-sheh!” she said, and burst into a fit of relieved giggles.

He drew back. “What?”

“Why are you sniffing me like a hound, you strange creature?”

He ducked his head, embarrassed. “Ah, sorry, lovely. But I think Healer Veronique’s medicine is finally working!”

Yenni beamed. It was the most animated she’d seen him in a while. She rose up on her knees and hugged him. “I’m glad.”

“Me too. Like you can’t imagine.” He gave her a tight squeeze, all propriety abandoned, and it felt like before, like the night he’d taken her out to the restaurant on the docks, or the night they’d kissed under the moon. They hugged for long moments, absorbing the feel of each other, Yenni listening to the sound of Weysh’s deep, searching breaths, until, inevitably, he let her go.

“All right, my heart. Where am I flying you today?”

“Why don’t we walk instead?”

While she loved flying with him, Yenni missed talking with Weysh. He’d been so melancholy lately, but today it seemed his high spirits might have returned.

“If you’d like. But if that’s the case we’d better leave soon, en?”