The shock of it stole her breath just as surely as if she’d been hit in the gut again. Professor Devon panted up at her, his eyes wild. Training, and only training, allowed Yenni to act through her horror. She shoved the back of her hand, with her fire rune, in his face.

“Do not move, and do not speak, or I will set you ablaze,” she said coldly, switching back to Creshen. “Source as twine to bind my foe,” said Yenni. Devon cried out as his arms and legs went rigid, aggravating his wound. She pulled ach’e to the fire rune, just enough to make it glow.

“Where is Weh-sheh?”

Devon licked his lips. “I wasn’t trying to kill you!” he cried hoarsely. “Not really. I simply wanted to test the rune once more before you leave!”

And Yenni thought she had been shocked before. She gawked at him. He’d attacked her to test the warning rune? And test it once more, he’d said. So it had been him at the training sands as well, though he’d fussed and fretted and pretended to fear for her safety.

Was he truly capable of such selfish depravity? Was she such a bad judge of character? In all the time she’d known Devon, worked with him, she’d never seen so much as a hint that he could do something so vile.

Yes—yes, she had. It hit her with the force of yet another blow.

“You tried to kill Mainard as well,” she whispered, disbelieving. It was he who had set that sharp metal instrument toppling, straight for the crown of Mainard’s head.

“I had to do something! And it worked, did it not? Besides, I knew you would save him, just like I knew you would save yourself. You’re so strong and resilient—”

“SHUT UP!” Yenni screamed, spitting all the pain of his betrayal at him. She pulled more ach’e to the fire rune, igniting it, and held it just close enough to Devon that he could feel the uncomfortable heat of it. He breathed hard, sweat dripping down the side of his face.

“Where is Weh-sheh, Devon. Where. Is. My. Given.”

Devon’s eyes glimmered faintly with runelight. Yenni pulled hard on ach’e, ready to set him on fire, until she heard a deep, pained dragon’s screech right above them. Instinctively her eyes darted to the sky. She squinted through the trees but she saw nothing.

Because she was being deceived.