The first flickering embers of anger stirred within Weysh. “One, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing—you came and disturbed my tracking practice. Two, that’s not for you to decide. Our union is the will of Byen.”

“Who?”

“Byen. The Kindly Watcher. Ruler of the worldly domain.”

Yenni waved a hand at him. “I do not bend to the will of your Creshen gods.”

A flush crept up the back of Weysh’s scalp and he took a deep breath, focusing on a pigeon’s low cooing in the tree above. “I’m beginning to question what he’s up to as well. Nevertheless, you have no choice. Neither of us does.”

“Lunacy. There is always a choice. I choose to complete my year here and return to my tribe.”

“Like hell you will,” Weysh growled. “We’ll be married and you’ll stay here with me in Imperium Centre.”

She gave him a shocked laugh. “And do what?”

“Run the household. Raise our dragonling. Women’s duties.”

Her mouth fell open, and she slowly pulled it closed, put one hand on her hip, and tilted her head up to him, glaring into his eyes. “No,” she said, pursing her plush lips. He couldn’t decide whether he wanted to kiss her or shake her, never mind that he could do neither.

“Enough, Yenni Ajani!” Weysh barked. Her large eyes went even larger. “You are my Given, and you will do as I say. We are—”

Something wet slapped the side of his face, dripping onto his lower lip. He blinked. Looked up. A pigeon sat on a branch directly above him.

“Ah!” he screamed and wiped frantically at his mouth. “Aaaaaahh!”

Yenni burst out laughing and doubled over. “Oh!” she gasped. “Oh Father Esh, you trickster. Thank you!” She stumbled away with tears in her eyes, holding her stomach and chuckling.

Weysh spat on the grass. His Given was still laughing and struggling to breathe. Weysh teetered on the brink of letting out a bellowing roar of rage and bursting into his own bout of raucous chuckles. As he took in his Given almost crying in mirth, the utter random ridiculousness of the situation hit him and the laughter won out.

“Well played, brother pigeon,” he said between chuckles. He scrubbed his face with his shirt, and noticed her eying him cautiously. “It seems your gods have spoken,” he said.

She nodded, wary, but he smelled no fear from her. “Look, lovely—”

“My name is Yenni Ajani.”

“Yenni Ajani. I’m not a bad person. All I want is to know more about you.”

She stayed silent.

“How were the admissions tests?”

“I passed,” she said slowly.

“Congratulations!” And praises to Byen. That meant she would be sticking around. “Will you focus on battle or magic?”

“Magic. I already know much about battle.”

“Clearly. You never did explain how you threw me out of the cave.”

“Jabdanu wrestling.”

“En?”