“Those bastards!” Weysh thundered. “Who in Movay’s name does something like that?” He looked past her down the hallway like he wanted to rush into the interrogation room and do some interrogating of his own.

“Still, I suppose it was silly of me to trust Devon as much as I did. Perhaps I got what I deserved.”

Weysh took her by the shoulders and frowned at her. “You may have been a bit naïve but that doesn’t mean you deserved to be attacked! Those two are insane! And furthermore, I should have been there to protect you.”

“You couldn’t have known,” said Yenni.

Weysh grunted. “I have to admit I’m rattled by how easily I was deceived. As a dragon I suppose I’m used to feeling somewhat invincible. Divine warrior and all that. Thank the Watcher you can handle yourself.” Suddenly he grinned at her.

“Ah . . . what?” asked Yenni.

“You told me you love me.”

“I did?” Yes, in the clearing. She’d said I love you too. So easily she’d barely noticed. “I did.” She cupped his cheek. “I do.”

Based on the stark terror that had struck her when he disappeared, she could no longer deny it. She loved him very much.

“I think I must write another letter home,” she said.

36

Yenni did not get so much as a day of respite. The next morning in Foundations of Magical Theory students were once again staring brazenly, only this time it seemed to be in awe. For a while none were brave enough to come up to her. But as she was getting her books ready, her classmates began congregating around her seat. One of the braver ones—a familiar girl with a long brown horsetail trailing down the back of her green uniform dress—finally addressed her sheepishly.

“Erm, hello, Yenni Ajani. Erm, my name is Celine. I’m also in your runelore class.”

“Ah. Nice to meet you, Celine,” said Yenni.

“I was—we were—wondering . . . is it true that you’re a princess?”

A dozen pairs of light-colored eyes assessed her. Yenni swallowed her sigh. “Yes, it is true.”

Her answer triggered an avalanche of questions and comments from her classmates.

“I knew it!”

“What’s it like to live in a palace?”

“I never agreed with Devon, you know. I was on your side the whole time.”

“Are you all right? I’m so sorry you were attacked like that.”

“Please don’t think all Creshens are like Devon and Desroches.”

Yenni’s eyes darted from person to person, unsure whom to respond to first, until at last she was saved by the arrival of Professor Mainard. His commanding voice rang out so sharply that Yenni assumed he must have amplified it with some incantation.

“What in Byen’s name is all this hubbub? This is a classroom, not some sort of sporting arena! Everyone to your seats, immediately!”